Hits and Misses
Remember those unsettling science-fiction movies from way back where everyone just mysteriously disappears in a puff of smoke? Residents of North Charleroi Borough should be feeling that way right now when it comes to their local government. Without any explanation, the borough’s mayor, solicitor and three council members have all resigned. None has commented on why they all quit en masse, and borough residents are left wondering who exactly is in charge there. This is the second Washington County municipality to see mass resignations in recent months, following an exodus by Union Township officials in October. North Charleroi probably should have merged with Charleroi long ago – it only has about 1,300 residents – but that’s another matter for another day. In the meantime, the council members and other officials who are stepping down should be candid with their constituents about why they are leaving.
“I recommend you do a search for a police chief immediately.” That was the opinion that Dr. Michael Hummel, a professor of criminal justice and security studies at PennWest California University, offered to supervisors in North Strabane Tuesday. Hummel was one of the experts who conducted a $30,000 study of the township’s police department, which has been without a chief since fall. Both the police and fire departments have been operating under one public safety umbrella, with fire Chief Mark Grimm at the helm. Supervisors said they would consider the recommendations of the report, but made no other comment. Considering the growth that North Strabane has been experiencing over the last couple of decades, and the fact that the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows is located there, the township going without a chief who is fully dedicated to the police department doesn’t seem feasible.
January is almost over and, for a lot of us, snow shovels have not been used at all in 2023. The bags of salt that were ready to treat sidewalks and driveways have gone unopened, and plans to engage in winter sports like snowboarding have gone unfulfilled. Sure, there has been some snow that has accumulated here and there, but it’s been light and has not stayed around long. If you’re wondering where snow has been, you’re not alone – The Washington Post recently reported on a “snow drought” that stretches from Maine to North Carolina. It includes Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City, none of which have yet seen any snow this year. The lack of heavy snow so far is a little troubling, given that a changing climate could be one of the culprits. And, yes, February, March and April are still ahead of us. But not having to endure mountains of snow that can make winter all the more forbidding is something most of us can be grateful for right now.