Hits and Misses
Alyssa Choiniere/For the Observer-Reporter
In this August 2020 file photo, Fayette County District Attorney Rich Bower announces grand jury indictments against 30 people, including county officials and jail guards at a press conference Thursday. In background, from left are State Police Capt. Leo Hannon, Lt. Jeff Schaeffer and Trooper Robert Broadwater.
Katherine Mansfield/Observer-Reporter
In this file photo from last week, Isla Goydich watches as UPMC nurse Rose Trunzo administers the COVID-19 vaccine. Goydich, a second-grader at Charleroi Elementary, was among several elementary students to receive the vaccine at a clinic last week.
One of the first steps to solving a problem is recognizing that there is one, and Gov. Tom Wolf did so on Monday when he said, “Pennsylvania is a great place to live, work, and raise a family. It’s a beautiful state with stunning landscapes and bountiful natural resources. But we’ve got a litter problem.” There are more than 500 million pieces of litter scattered around the commonwealth’s byways and communities on any given day, from cigarette butts to food packaging and more. It’s bad for the environment, lowers home values and hinders business development. Wolf’s remarks accompanied the release of the state’s first-ever Litter Action Plan, which seeks to reduce the amount of litter in Pennsylvania through education and outreach; make sure an “infrastructure” like trash cans and waste management services are in place in communities; and develop an anti-litter curriculum for schools. When visitors from elsewhere come to Pennsylvania, they sometimes note the amount of litter that is strewn along our highways and in public places. We need to make a better first impression.
An Associated Press article that appeared in the Observer-Reporter Monday detailed how some Republicans are trying to defy vaccine mandates by arguing that if you have already been ill with COVID-19, you have natural immunity that renders a vaccine unnecessary. It’s an easily refuted argument. While it is acknowledged that becoming ill with COVID-19 does offer some natural immunity, the durability of that immunity varies depending on when an individual was infected and how sick they became. And even then, there’s no guarantee that it would protect against mutations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also found those who had previously been infected were five times more likely to be infected again compared to fully vaccinated individuals who had never been infected at all. Given the easy availability, safety and effectiveness of vaccines, why would anyone want to roll the dice on natural immunity?
Target stores announced on Monday that it would not only be closing its doors on Thanksgiving Day, as it did last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but would also be doing so on every Thanksgiving Day in the foreseeable future. It has joined other retail heavyweights like Walmart and Aldi in closing for the holiday. In the vicinity of Washington, the Tanger Outlets shopping center and Washington Crown Center closed for the holiday, as did the Uniontown Mall and South Hills Village. Americans love to shop, and consumer spending helps fuel a large part of our economy, but it was good to take a break for a day to be thankful for the things we do have, and allow retail workers to have a day of rest.
When Richard Bower Jr., the son of Fayette County District Attorney Richard Bower Sr., was in a wrong-way crash in August and DUI charges were filed, the elder Bower appointed a special prosecutor to handle the case. But after DUI charges were withdrawn against the younger Bower last week – despite Pennsylvania State Police saying that his blood-alcohol level was twice the state’s legal limit to drive – questions have emerged about whether the elder Bower should have appointed a special prosecutor at all, and instead should have called the state Attorney General’s office. A spokeswoman for Attorney General Josh Shapiro believes the elder Bower should have referred the case to them, and a 1996 Superior Court decision seems to back that up. Bower Sr. acquiesced land sent a letter to the Attorney General requesting they take over prosecution of the case. The district attorney needs to thoroughly explain his actions, and Fayette County citizens need reassurance that everyone there will be treated equally before the law.