Hits & Misses
MISS: It was bad enough when the Steelers saw their roller-coaster season come to an end last weekend by winning a game but missing the playoffs. Soon, there was word that star receiver Antonio Brown didn’t miss the contest against Cincinnati because of a knee injury that apparently was made up. Instead, he was reportedly benched because he had a set-to with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the middle of the week and then quit coming to practices and team meetings. Brown also was nowhere to be found on Monday for the team’s post-season gathering. The Steelers spent much of the year under a cloud created by the will-he-or-won’t-he-report saga of running back Le’Veon Bell. Earlier this year, there was a story out of Florida about Brown being accused of tossing furniture from the 14th-floor balcony of an apartment building where he lived. Allegedly, the furniture nearly hit a small child and his grandfather. Some say the Steelers should hire a new head coach. Perhaps what they really need is a day care director.
HIT: On Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf announced an initiative to help the commonwealth’s residents navigate the “clean slate” law that was among the achievements of his first term. The first of its kind in the United States, the law helps low-level offenders reintegrate into society by clearing away some of the obstacles that would prevent them from getting jobs or an education. In a statement, Wolf said it would make Pennsylvania safer “by helping those who have offended put their lives back together.” Wolf also said that he would work in his second term to reform sentencing guidelines, lower the hefty price tag of jailing inmates and make sure those accused of crimes have access to competent counsel and reasonable bail. Sure, no one wants hardened criminals to be set loose on our streets, but no one’s life should be wrecked because of a minor offense or the fact that they were represented by an inept lawyer. We hope the Legislature agrees with Wolf on the value of these proposals.
MISS: Not long after East Washington installed “speed bumps” in July 2017 along several sections around the borough, motorists began griping. And for good reason, too. The cheap, plastic bumps designed to slow traffic along several public roadways – most notably on heavily traveled South Wade – were not in compliance with PennDOT’s traffic-control regulations. Borough officials were informed of the issue last month and have until Jan. 11 to remove all seven “speed bumps” or risk losing about $2,000 in state money that can be used for municipal road repairs. It’s understandable that local officials would want to slow traffic through their municipality, but the way East Washington officials went about it with the jarring bumps positioned between extra-intersectional stop signs on South Wade and short side streets was foolish. If East Washington residents don’t want people coming through their neighborhood, then maybe they should convert the municipality into a gated community with a homeowners association running the town.