Jeers and cheers
JEERS: It’s hard to figure what’s behind the news that search warrants were recently issued for 17 businesses in Fayette County, a majority of them being in the Connellsville area, by the state Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement during an investigation into illegal gambling. Agency officials said they seized 178 video gambling devices and more than $389,000 following a nine-month investigation in Fayette and Westmoreland counties. The names of the establishments won’t be released until the charges are formally filed, which could be from six to eight weeks.
You have to wonder, though, if this is a case of selective enforcement. Certainly there are many bars and clubs in Fayette County that have the video gambling devices. And even Lt. James Jones of the bureau said very few of the machines are legal. So what gives? Why is the bureau only going after 17 businesses in Fayette County? Let’s hope we get some more answers once the charges are formally filed.
CHEERS: Most motorists have spent countless hours stuck in traffic jams this summer as seemingly every road in the Uniontown area has been undergoing some type of construction project. But rather than just get mad, Uniontown natives Seth Smiley and Jordan Lonigro created a hilarious four-minute short film detailing a wide range of emotions while navigating their way around the various construction zones.
Smiley and Lonigro said the video was partly to protest the fact that all this construction was happening at the same time, but it was mainly an attempt to get some laughs out of a trying situation. So far, it’s working. The video has drawn close to 6,000 views on YouTube along with 200 shares. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can check it out on You Tube under the title “Road Work Ahead.” We heartily recommend viewing the film and praise Smiley and Lonigro for providing some much-needed laughter this summer.
CHEERS: Vietnam veteran Lanny Golden and Ron Metros, president of the 5th Pennsylvania Chapter of Rolling Thunder, never thought about being recognized for their work with the Missing in America Project (MIAP), which seeks to locate and inter the unclaimed cremains of veterans. They were just trying to help deceased veterans get a proper and dignified burial. However, they got just due, being honored by U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Hollidaysburg, who presented them with a copy of the Congressional Record outlining their recent work with MIAP.
Golden said he first learned of the MIAP in 2008, and after getting Metros involved, they immediately mounted a statewide campaign to garner the attention of state and federal lawmakers to address the issue. Shuster said he plans to introduce legislation, along with U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., requiring the secretary of Veterans Affairs to study the issue and determine the best way to collect and bury the unclaimed cremains of veterans, estimated to total 47,000. Shuster praised Golden and Metros for their dedication to the project, and indeed, we’re all in their debt for the invaluable service they’ve been performing.
JEERS: Already criticized for not hiring enough local residents, the Marcellus shale industry is now facing claims that it’s not using businesses owned by minorities, women and veterans. Under Act 13, the industry is required to fill out yearly surveys documenting how many such businesses they use. However, according to the StateImpact blog, the Department of General Services reported 79 percent of the state’s producers either didn’t respond or reported using no such businesses.
That’s inexcusable and must change. The department would like the state Legislature to levy sanctions against companies who fail to take part in the survey and don’t hire businesses mandated by the law. The Legislature should do whatever is necessary to make sure the industry begins complying with the law, the sooner the better.