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Greene can help keep park open
The state is unable to maintain its state parks. There are constantly articles and reports on the need for our youth to spend more time outdoors and less in front of televisions and computers, but how is that possible if the one place that provides outdoor and wildlife enrichment is not available?
Ryerson provides an array of activities for the community as well as neighboring states. There is hunting, fishing and hiking year-round. There is also a Winterfest every February for families and individuals alike who partake in winter outdoor activities like ice skating and scavenger hunts as well as educational venues such as hunter safety, wildlife habitat, bird identification and much more. The park is also a meeting place for local scouts and 4-H groups. Ryerson is not just a state park, it is a vital cornerstone of southwestern Greene County.
If you need solutions or suggestions on how to keep the park open on a slimmer budget, I am confident the people of Greene County can assist in that matter. We have been fighting hard for the preservation of this park for years. We are so close to having Duke Lake re-established that I am sure we are willing to take even bigger steps to keep our beloved park open.
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Wind Ridge
Concern for bridge
not just 'local'
In recent articles about the Charleroi-Monessen Bridge, your use of the word "local" troubles me when you say things like "local historians are opposing the plan" ("Charleroi-Monessen Bridge meeting announced, June 3) as if the only interest in preserving this historic resource were local. Local historians are, in fact, vocally opposing the idea of demolishing and replacing the bridge, but that is only a small part of the story.
The bridge is designated as a historic property according to the standards set forth in the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Officials from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which is the federally designated state historic preservation office for Pennsylvania, have been present at meetings held locally to discuss the future of the bridge. The National Register listing for this property was not sought out because of local interest or initiative. Instead, some 27 years ago, under the auspices of PennDOT, a study was conducted of all older state-owned bridges in Pennsylvania to determine which ones meet the criteria for National Register designation. The study resulted not only in National Register listing, but also in the preparation of a book on Pennsylvania bridges that features the Charleroi-Monessen span.
Whether the local media is doing so intentionally or unintentionally, the perception that they are perpetuating is that historic preservation is trivial by comparison to state-level construction activities.
Terry A. Necciai
Alexandria, Va.
An independent board?
The Obama mindset that he is the controlling authority on everything is evidently moving into our county administrator's thoughts. After reading the Observer-Reporter May 22, this becomes apparent.
In the story on the hotel tax being used for the ball field's artificial turf, it is spelled out. The Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency was voting on the allocation of $500,000 for this project. It seems Ms. John, a member of the board, was among some of the others who were informed by Jeff Kotula that she was appointed by the Washington County Commissioners. We wonder what that means?
Tom Northrop was quoted as saying Bracken Burns told him that they could take the hotel tax money from the board since they gave it them. If this is not control of a supposedly independent board, we don't know what is.
Shame on Bracken Burns and Jeff Kotula.
Phillip and Mary Heavner
Scenery
A great performance
On June 3, my husband and I along with some friends went to hear the Canonsburg Middle School Stage Band and the Jaggerz perform. We were pleasantly surprised with a great performance. Compliments go to the retiring band director, Michael Caporizzo, Ron Levi, who helped arrange a lot of the music, and Jimmie Ross and the Jaggerz! Most, if not all, of the students got to do some solos, and what a joy to see the middle-schoolers like our '60s and '70s music.
Linda M. Caputo
Canonsburg
Charleroi-Monessen bridge : 6/9/2009
It's old, it's falling apart, it's a pain in the ass to cross on a motorcycle. LEVEL IT and REPLACE IT ! The 'Historical significance' is minimal to function and safety. If you repair it, you still have an old outdated bridge.
Charleroi-Monessen Bridge : 6/9/2009
I live in Michigan and visited Pennsylvania to photo the Charleroi Monessen Bridge and add it to my historic bridge website at www.historicbridges.org and as a strong proponent of preserving this bridge, I would think I am a good example of how there is more than just local interest in the preservation of the bridge.
Shame on the Independent Board? : 6/9/2009
I think what is getting lost here is that the tourism board is not an independent board, but a board appointed by the county commissioners and funded by taxpayer dollars! I think the real issue is why the toursim board does not think they need to answer to the taxpayers when they are spending our money! Maybe we should all call Ms. Johns and the board to find out why they do not think they need to answer to the taxpayers, how many of the board members get money from the tourism agency and find out just what they are spending our taxes on?
Obama's fault? Please! : 6/10/2009
Holy cow! President Obama gets blame for a decision made by the county commissioners in Washington County. What’s next blame Obama for Nate McLouth getting traded to the Atlanta Braves? It has gotten really ridiculous with all these haters ejecting Obama into everything. Phil and Mary its local politics. The same as it was before President Obama was elected President of the United States. If you have a problem with turf at CONSOL Energy Park, fine. If you have a problem the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency, fine. If you have a problem with County Commissioner Bracken Burns, fine. Blaming the President makes you look like a couple of poor losers. It also makes you letter less effective.
Just more right wing nonsense... : 6/11/2009
The Heavners would have us believe that the sky has been falling since Barack Obama took office. Everything bad is attributable to him. Well...using that "mindset"...that would make George W. Bush responsible for the 9/11 atttacks. After all, he WAS president at the time...for nearly EIGHT months. It was ok for him to ignore the intelligence memo from August 2001 entitled BIN LADEN DETERMINED TO STRIKE IN U.S. He was too busy spending that month at the ranch chopping wood and clearing brush. When will these right wing harpies drop the silly amnesia act concerning the previous eight years and embrace the awful Bush legacy? The Heavners' pathetically desperate attempt to tie Obama to a purely local concern is silly and just plain stupid!
