Cheers and Jeers
Cheers to U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., who visited Mapletown High School recently to engage in a roundtable discussion with local elected officials, faculty, parents and students about broadband challenges. Casey listened as Janet Pennington, president of the Southeastern Greene school board, Michael Mlay, a business computer and information technology teacher at the high school, and others expressed the frustration of feeling left behind in this technological age. Casey acknowledged the lack of broadband access in the state and that the federal government has fallen short in helping to create internet equality. We applaud efforts on the state and federal levels to address internet concerns in Greene County.
Cheers to the group of concerned residents in Southmoreland School District in Westmoreland County for taking the initiative to raise funds to bolster school safety. Like districts across the nation, Southmoreland officials want to strengthen security measures and make their campus as safe as possible for students and staff. While they’re considering adding more funding in next year’s budget for additional measures, a grassroots group in the district doesn’t want to wait. They’ve banded together to solicit donations, and are planning a basket raffle and dinner to bolster their efforts. They’ve raised $7,500 so far, and show no signs of stopping. Kudos to them for investing their time to make their district safer.
Jeers to whoever is responsible for not fixing the many potholes found along multiple roads throughout Greene County. Whether it is PennDOT or respective boroughs and townships, the potholes have become such a burden to motorists that we have received numerous complaints from irate residents. We understand that unpredictable weather and the constant barrage of heavy gas/oil rigs have greatly impacted the roads, but we wish that more initiative would be taken by those responsible to fix the large, gaping holes so that drivers can feel safer when traveling.
Cheers to local officials for working out a way to bring high-speed internet to Ohiopyle. Courtesy of a $60,000 project forged by QCOL, a broadband internet provider out of Markleysburg, borough council, Fayette County commissioners, the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and Ohiopyle State Park, high-speed internet was installed in the borough last year.
Cheers to Fayette County Community Action Agency for raising awareness and continuing to fight hunger through its Empty Bowls event this coming Sunday at the Adult Recreation Center on Beeson Boulevard in Uniontown. The fifth annual event, run by community donations, offers patrons a bottomless bowl of soup, bread and a drink. The funds raised help the county’s more than 20,000 people who are at risk for hunger. Almost 20 percent of the county’s population lives in poverty, according to Census data, which can lead to struggles to find constant, adequate sources of nutrition.
Jeers to the winter weather that seems to not want to let spring, well, spring. Another round of snow is predicted tonight into Saturday with chilly temperatures sticking around into the middle of next week. Come on winter, go away already!