Hits and Misses
When the new name of Cleveland’s baseball team was unveiled last week, it didn’t receive universally positive reviews. A Cleveland sportswriter called the new name, the Guardians, “safe and rather boring,” while a Wall Street Journal columnist opined that “it’s a name that would look good on the side of a Brink’s truck.” A name like Cleveland Blues, in contrast to Ohio’s other Major League team, the Cincinnati Reds, might have been better. Still, it’s a good thing that the owners of the Cleveland team opted to drop the name Indians, which many Native Americans viewed as derogatory. Terry Francona, the team’s manager, said, “It’s not about us. It’s about other people, and you have to step outside your own skin and think about other people that may have different color skin and what they are thinking.”
Communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania saw an increase in drug overdose deaths in 2020 as the pandemic raged, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Tuesday that there was a 14% increase across the whole state. The Black community was particularly hard hit, with a 63% increase over 2018 figures. The Hispanic community also saw a 23% increase. Officials largely believe the increase is a result of the extreme stress brought on by the pandemic and the loss of routines and access to counseling and support. Getting COVID-19 under control is urgent, and then we can get back to work on wrestling the opioid epidemic to the ground.
“It’s a level of concern and beginning to be a breakdown of the system.” That’s how Washington County President Judge John DiSalle described continuing problems in the county’s Register of Wills and Orphans Court row office. An audit of the office released in June found several problems with the way it was functioning and, last week, Disalle ordered James Roman, who leads the office, to get guardianship and adoption paperwork up to speed by today. Otherwise, Roman could be held in contempt of court. Roman has denied hearing any complaints, but DiSalle said the court has heard complaints from attorneys and has issued reminders to the office. The paperwork might seem like so much bureaucratic minutiae, but families need it urgently. Roman and his office need to step up their game.
Elected officials and business owners in the city of Washington have long wondered how they can lure students from Washington & Jefferson College into the downtown business district, and they will be getting some help in that effort starting Monday, when Shana Brown takes the helm as Main Street Manager for the Washington Business Authority. Brown grew up in this area, but received a degree in history and political science from the University of Georgia, and was able to get a glimpse of the way the downtown of Athens, Ga., has thrived as a result of the university’s presence. We look forward to seeing what Brown can accomplish.