Laurels & lances: Fires, speakers and votes
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Laurel: To trying new things. Volunteer fire companies are having problems filling their ranks. They are addressing this with a combination of ideas.
There are recruitment outreach programs and courting of teens who could grow in the departments. There are incentives for members, such as small stipends for taking calls or small college tuition reimbursement.
The Jeannette Fire Department also is considering reserve membership. That would open membership to people who do not live in the city and would allow for less training than regular call or full-time firefighters.
These are creative approaches to a problem that is affecting emergency services nationally.
Lance: To tit for tat. When it comes to government, turnabout is not fair play. Just because someone did something you don’t like doesn’t give you license to do the same to them.
The Norwin School Board is seeing that. The board has postponed a vote on a speaker until October because of a deadlock over the invitation.
Daniel DiMartino is a Venezuelan immigrant and founder of the Dissident Project. His message is about opposition to socialism. He previously has spoken to students at Gateway School District.
With one vacant seat, the board is split 4-4 over inviting DiMartino, a doctoral student, to speak to Norwin High School students.
It sounds a lot like 2022, when the board faced off over the idea of a CNN-produced student-focused news broadcast in 2022. It was opposed by five board members over potential political concerns and discontinued. Four of those members are the ones supporting DiMartino.
Discussing the history and politics of Venezuela seems valuable for high school students, particularly in today’s contentious climate. But is it being suggested to push an agenda? Is it being opposed out of malicious compliance? And, if teachers wanted to have a deeper discussion about the complicated background of Venezuela, would the board support that or try to control it?
Laurel: To the last special election of 2023. Let’s hope it is, at least.
On Tuesday, voters in the 21st state House district went to the polls to pick a new representative. Lindsay Powell, a Lawrenceville Democrat, defeated her Republican challenger, Erin Connolly Autenreith. The seat was vacated when Sara Innamorato stepped down amid her campaign for Allegheny County executive.
This was the seventh special election in Pennsylvania this year. The 21st District and three others — the 32nd, 34th and 35th districts — were in Allegheny County.
Now it would be great if people could just stop resigning for the rest of the year.