Jeers and cheers
JEERS: Talk about injustices. In 1977, the 1,102 members of the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPs) in World War II were granted veterans status and allowed to have their ashes buried at Arlington National Cemetery. However, last year then-Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh unfairly retracted the right, ruling the WASPs ineligible for burial at Arlington.
The ruling struck a nerve with Florence “Shutsy” Reynolds of Connellsville, who was a member of the WASPs during World War II. “They opened a raw wound, and it’s bleeding,” said Reynolds. But she’s done more than just sit and stew over the injustice. She’s joined with other WASPs members to try and reverse the ruling. Legislation has been introduced in Congress to do just that, but more public pressure is needed to keep the ball moving. We join the WASPs in calling for the right to be restored. It’s the least we can do for these wonderful women who did so much on our behalf.
CHEERS: So far, so good. The newly-elected Fayette County commissioners have made good on their promises to try and work together unlike past boards of commissioners which were stymied by internal disputes. Of course the commissioners have been in office less than a month so there’s a long way to go, and this could well only be a honeymoon period for the commissioners. The proof will be in the pudding as they say.
However long it lasts, though, it has been good to see the commissioners working together on a revised budget for the coming year. What’s not so good, though, is the possibility that revenues may have been overstated and expenses understated by the former board of commissioners. We’ll get a better idea of the extent of the problem as the commissioners must come up their own budget by next Friday. Let’s just hope that the commissioners keep working together for the good of all residents.
CHEERS: While the commissioners are concentrating on the new budget now, Commission Chairman Vincent Vicites recently announced that as soon as work on the new spending plan is completed, he plans to address the overcrowding issue at the county prison. Vicites said he plans to review all the existing plans for a new prison to determine the best course of action. That sounds good to us, but we just hope the process doesn’t get bogged down as it has in the past. One way or another, the issue has to be addressed.
Vicites’ input will be very crucial. Commissioner David Lohr has already indicated that he’s in favor of building a new prison. Lohr said the prison, built in 1888, has outlived its usefulness and a new facility is needed. Commissioner Angela Zimmerlink, who opposed ex-commissioner Al Ambrosini’s plans for a new prison, said, “From day one I’ve advocated to explore and consider all options to address the physical condition of the jail.” Let’s hope that by working together the commissioners can come up with a permanent plan to reduce the overcrowding.
JEERS: What’s wrong in Harrisburg? Well, consider a comment made earlier this week by state Sen. Scott Wagner, R-York. “We had him (Gov. Wolf) down on the floor with our foot on his throat and we let him up. Next time, we won’t let him up.” Wagner’s fellow Republicans in Harrisburg should let him know that such comments are completely unacceptable and out of line.
It used to be that while Republicans and Democrats differed on many issues, they could still come together and compromise for the public good. But those days are apparently long gone. Now Democrats and Republicans spew such venom that there’s little hope of finding common ground on anything, especially the budget. Hard to say where all this is leading, but it’s not good and if lawmakers like Wagner have their way, the gulf between the two sides will only get wider over time.