"What Ellwood City Builds, Builds Ellwood City"

SOUND OFF

Read Political Postings
Read Community Postings

Community/General Forum

Sound Off Archives
up to 9/14/06

OBITUARY PAGE

SUBMIT COMMUNITY COMMENTS

11/03/06 (01)
Save your money, forget about psychics.

11/03/06 (02)
Fumbles,

Sorry about the lecture...sometimes TD just gets frustrated. Being from Ellport, it's hard to relate to the mentality that the football fans of Ellwood subscribe to. In Ellport, it's all about the kids; In Ellwood, it's all about the parents. The Carlynton school district has a similar problem (there is discord between those from Ingram and those from Crafton).

TD

11/03/06 (03)
Well said Mr. TD!. Your comments were right on the money. You people who submit negative comments about frivolous issues and the high school football team are an embarrassment to your community.

I hope MR TD made you all realize how ridiculous you sound.

11/03/06 (04)
I hope Ellwood would react the same way. Sometimes it takes someone who beats the odds to show us what we are really capable of and what the game is really all about. Instead of ripping one other apart and being so critical, look at what postive thinking can do. The people opened their hearts and their minds and what a great blessing they received. Let's stand behind our kids. It is our job as a community and as parents to set the example. Some of the things I have read on here are so disheartening I can not imagine how the team must feel. If we don't stand behind them and be encouraging how will that be motivating? Let's grow up and be the adults our kids need us to be.

GO WOLVERINES!


Football lights. Autistic boy's athletic fire
By LAURA TODE
Of The Gazette Staff
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/11/01/news/local/30-football.txt

When you ask Skyview freshman Beau Thompson about school, he won't have much to say.

In fact, the 15-year-old is always pretty quiet. But ask him about football and his eyes light up, he leans forward in his shoes and his hands come out of his blue jeans pockets.

Thompson is autistic and his verbal skills are minimal, but the message is clear. He loves football.

"Football, the game, the team," he says. "I was good playing football. It's what I like."

Talkin' football

Thompson finished his first season on the Skyview freshman football team last week, and his life hasn't been the same since. He's still talking about football, the game, the team, and his favorite pro team, the Denver Broncos.

When Ron Lebsock, the head football coach at Skyview, heard that Thompson wanted to play, he wasn't sure at first whether it would work. But once he got to know Thompson, he discovered he understood the game well enough that he wouldn't get too frustrated and that he wouldn't get hurt physically. So Lebsock let him join practice and get into the game. It was still a risk, but he figured it would be a good experience for Thompson, and the team could probably learn a few things, too.

"We're not just here to coach football. We're here to help kids," Lebsock said.

Hitting hard

On the field, several of his teammates volunteered to tell officials when Thompson took the field, and before each game coaches on the opposing team were made aware of his disability. Still, on the field, Thompson was as much a threat as any defensive tackle. He dished some hard hits, said teammate Wesley Elston, 14, and took almost as many hits as the rest of the linemen.

"He had an ear-to-ear grin every time he went out there and every time he came in," said Shawn Holt, the Skyview activities coordinator.

Thompson played in nine of 10 games, and the team finished the season with a 9-1 record.

"Every game he played in, we won," Elston said.

Generally, Thompson would take the field in the third or fourth quarter, when the team had established a lead.

"We'd chant his name to get him pumped up," said Sam Holt, 15, one of his teammates.

On the line, Holt and Elston would remind him how to get into his stance and make sure his helmet was properly strapped on. In dealing with people who have autism, routine and consistency are very important. All the plays Thompson ran were the same and were simplified so Thompson was able to participate.

"By the end of the season, he was remembering his stance," Elston said.

Once in a while, the other team would recognize Thompson's disability and purposely target him during play. When that happened, the guys on the defensive line would make it clear the next play with some targeted tackles of their own that Thompson was not to be messed with.

"We took care of that as his teammates," Holt said.

Sometimes, the boys would chant Thompson's name after a game to show their solidarity.

"Not only did we help Beau, but Beau taught us all a lesson in the fact that we're all here for each other," Lebsock said. "He helped us realize you can do anything you want as long as you take the risk and go and do it."

Without football, Thompson would never have been anyone Holt or Elston would have noticed, especially because he wasn't in regular classes with them. And Thompson wouldn't have had many friends without football.

"He's one of the guys now," said Lucas Olson, 14, another player.

The boys are already looking forward to next year's season and said they won't be playing without Thompson.

11/03/06 (05)
first of all riverside has every right to be haughty. we have not only a good football team but soccer basketball and a back to back championship baseball team. that having to be said ,its ok for you ellwood people to brag up a storm about just about anything your teams do and riverside hardly gets any recognition .yes these poor kids have to share a town with such arrogant boasters, that get all the attention and the irony of that is WE are the ones that have the bragging rights .so yeah just like the other poster said what goes around comes around ...this is our time let us enjoy it .(you know darn well that if the shoe was on the other foot you would be haughty too .

11/03/06 (06)
In regards to 11/02/06 (08)
Sure, your kids should be able to practice being a moral and empathic citizen when you are paying tuition. Why no get your money's worth. Why not teach them to be better than every public school child while you're at it.

11/03/06 (07)
#17. the head coach gets about $8000 per year. even if he worked full time (2080 hrs per year) that would still be about $4 per hour. where do you get .10 per hour? are you implying that he puts in 80000 hours per year?  i would venture to guess neither is the case. i doubt any high school head coach puts in 2000 hours per year. in my best estimation during the season he probably puts in about 5 hours per day maybe 7 days per week for about 9 months out of the year . this comes to about 1200 hours per year, equaling about $7 per hour. now don't get me wrong, this is chump change but its on par with what winning programs pay.
anyone with any knowledge of football at all could do as well as they are now.

11/03/06 (08)
Attention- to the person complaining about bringing in food from another eating establishment. I am the parent and I did make a decision. I chose to buy my child what they like. Since the bill for the rest of our family is around 30 to 40 dollars, I don't think they mind a three dollar box from somewhere else! And if they do, they can tell me and we will spend our money elsewhere.


Restaurants must pay liability insurance on the food they serve. If you are bringing food from another establishment into a different restaurant and there is something wrong with that food, (remember Chi-Chi's) you might try to hold the restaurant liabile. Besides being in very bad taste and ignorant, it is all about insurance.

11/03/06 (09)
Thank you to everyone who commented back about places to have our Senior Dinner Dance. I really appreciated it, and all of the suggestions are now on our list of choices. We will check all of the places out and see which is best. Shakespeare's and Balas (Eventz) are two very nice places close by, but I cannot personally guarantee that it will, or will not be held in our town. This is the class' decision, not my own. Thanks again.
-Sr. Class President

11/03/06 (10)
Okay, from daily happenings and although it does no good to complain, here goes: There is no reason for a school bus half a block from a red light to whiz through it anyhow when the opposing traffic has the green!!! I can see, as we all do, coming upon a green light that hits yellow and you have to go through it, but there is no excuse for being twice the length of that bus away and the other traffic has the green light! Nor does that same bus need to be tailgating other vehicles that are DOING the speed limit+!

11/03/06 (11)
To (02) so what you are saying it's ok to bring in the food from somewhere else ok lets say that you do and lets say your brat starts choking on the food whose responsibitlity is it the place that your eating at or the place you bought it from according to the the way insurance works it's the place your eating at and I'll be damned if I have to pay the insuarance bill for something bought elsewhere.

11/03/06 (12)
I don't think people are complaining about you bringing outside food to another restaurant. It's just tacky. If you can't afford to take your family out then cook at home what they all want. I hate to tell ya but 30.00 is cheap to eat out.

11/03/06 (13)
Just an observation from Trick or Treat the other night.... didn't there seem like alot of BIG kids out there?? Several boys that came to our door were already out of high school! Where do you draw the line?? If the weather would have been better and more little kids would have been out I would have hated to have run out of treats for them cause the older kids were here. Please dont respond and tell me I am cheap and should just buy more candy and quit complaining... but I know someone will.... BTW thanks to who ever dumped the burn barrels on the Northside!!

11/03/06 (14)
ECLW BANQUET TICKETS
Saturday Nov. 4th
10am until 12noon
Ellwood City Family Center.
Cost is 15.00 per person
**I will be collecting cheering uniforms only.

Please note: Uniforms have to be turned in and inspected before participant tickets will be given out and your name cleared for tryouts next year. This includes pom poms as well. You will not be allowed to attend the banquet if your uniform is not turned in on or before SATURDAY Nov 4th! I WILL NOT COLLECT A UNIFORM AT THE BANQUET!!

11/03/06 (15)
To the person who brought the food into another eating establishment for their child to eat while they were eating adult food.I totally agree with you. To the dork who does not agree. Get a Life!!! Don't you have anything other to think about than what the table next to you are eating.

11/03/06 (16)
Whats up with the bed sheets in the Marketplace on Main windows? Ellwood must have a new decorating trend. Bed sheets in windows and upside down christmas trees on light posts!!!

11/01/06 (01)
PENNDOT or E.C. Boro needs to repaint the STOP line for the turning lane on 5th St. on the south side of Lawrence Ave. Big trucks and buses are having to tie up traffic or 'push' it back when making a turn off Lawrence b/c vehicles are pulling up to the crosswalk area in that lane.

11/01/06 (02)
I walked out this evening (it was already dark out) to find two kids across the street ripping open my neighbor's trash bags and dumping it all over the street, and onto nearby parked cars. I screamed over to them, and they ran. I jumped in my car and chased them but they cut through yards. I rallied my friends, and was amazed to see all of the trash that was dumped EVERYWHERE in the Ewing Park/Walnut Ridge area. Also, there were even more pumpkins smashed on the roads. I am not a grumpy old man, nor am I an adult. I can see corning and other non-hurtful tricks, but why do they need to trash the city and smash the pumpkins that little kids work on all day to perfect? If I see these kids again, I will take the appropriate actions:-) There is one house  that has no smashed pumpkins or ANYTHING done to it, yet all the neighbors have their pumpkins smashed. Hmmmm...Get the police out there to stop these dorks!

11/01/06 (03)
Does anyone know who works on Dell printers? Can you post it if any information on Dell Photo printers 720
Thank you

11/01/06 (04)
Attention Everyone...... It is in bad taste to walk into a restaraunt carrying food from another establishment if your kid wants one thing and you want another be the parent and make a decision...why should a restaraunt have to pick up garbage and use their own dumpster for money spent somewhere else.

11/01/06 (05)
Friday night two people were arrested, one for robbery in the Pittsburgh Circle area and the other one for underage drinking at a party. Friends chased one and caught him. Four calls were made to 911 and no  police came. I think they should put the parents in jail for neglect.

11/01/06 (06)
Ronald McDonald was in the Halloween Parade for the children and to represent McDonald's he was not there to represent Jerry Cartwright. If you have any questions please call the store. McDonald's never represents another person or organization unless it is a fundraiser for the youth that they are helping to sponsor.

11/01/06 (07)
Wow...this site is like a cyperspace soap opera for people who have way too much time on their hands! Let me pass out the pacifiers!!

11/01/06 (08)


11/01/06 (09)
you are right ellwood fans -----------------that win was soooooooooooo EASY.....way to go riverside

11/01/06 (10)
Thank you for the service of posting Obituaries.

11/01/06 (11)
I too feel badly for the family of the man who was shot in North Sewickley. HOWEVER...
It was reported that the man was suicidal when he ran out of the house. There are many reported incidences of "Suicide by Cop" where a suicidal person provokes an officer to shot him. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_by_cop

I feel that this is what happened in this case... the man knew exactly what would happen if he pointed a gun at the officers. It is unfortunate that this officer and his family will have to live with the selfish and cowardly actions of that man for the rest of their lives; those are the people I feel truly sorry for. They are in my prayers.

11/01/06 (12)
Chuck Norris for President.

11/01/06 (13)
Did anyone ever find out who was shooting out the cars windows? I see one window  didn't get replaced yet. what are the police doing? This matter should have been resolved by now, there are only a few kids that have been in trouble for shooting pellet guns!

11/01/06 (14)
Bicker bicker bicker don't you just love living in this pitiful town! Personally, i'd rather read sound-off that watching tv hbo, comedy is too expensive, what do you think Mr Freeze? Seen your house was sold, way to go Joe Mazzant!

11/01/06 (15)
It's begininng to look alot like snoopy's xmas in town. Why is the decorations all going different ways? How silly is that.

11/01/06 (16)
rep#12

 You forgot that Ellwood is the only school in the county to get an award for the the PSSA test scores 4 years in a row and only new brighton in bever county.

11/01/06 (17)
Next time call the State Police.
If you saw my child do it whydid you not press charges?

11/01/06 (18)
re: If you are going to use the express lanes at the local supermarkets, understand that the whole purpose of the express lanes is to be quick. So if you are going to insist by paying by check and slow everyone else down, ...

LOL!!! I worked these same express lanes at one time and can't tell you how many of these very same people totally go off on the cashier like it's his or her fault that they were completely unprepared and not following the posted signs requesting "no checks", etc.!!! It was even worse around the holidays. There are alot of people who have absolutely NO consideration for anyone but themselves!!

11/01/06 (19)
Whatever happend to the person that said the pshyic Betty told her that her husband was cheating on him? Did she ever have proof or find anything out yet? Don't forget that Betty will at Countryside this coming Monday.

11/01/06 (20)
Rest in peace Patty Sue, I will miss you!!
 

10/31/06 (01)
10/30/06 (33)
well here it is again the same children who did vandalism last week to my property and other senior citzens and neighbor's property , burn barrels knocked over garbage thrown around etc..did it again
they were brought home to their parents again saturday night oct 28 by the police again and my understanding is no charges are going to be filed an dthe parents are not going to make them clean it up either .
where's the mayor of ellport at ? and what is he going to do about this ? Don't worry i am not only posting to let others know in case they have damage but to also let you know i will be contacting ellport mayor to notify him of my feelings .
Is this not vandalism ? or criminal mischief?
do we not have state laws that prohibits this?
more importantly where are the parents at? letting these same children 2 weeks in a row do this
not making these children responsible for their horrible actions get their buts over to my property and these older senior citzens and get it cleaned up.
These parents must be so proud of their children for their behavior.
But then again their children would never do no wrong and in the meantime my yard and my elderly neighbors property are left for us to clean up .upset in ellport

Wow..I would be upset too. Seems that parents would rather have their kids out destroying other peoples property than actually having to watch them or tell them no.
Next time call the State Police.

10/31/06 (02)
When is council going to do their job and fix the police departments problems? I dont think they have the people's best interest in mind. Vote out all incumbants.....they have had their chance.......they failed.........next!

10/31/06 (03)
How about the big Halloween Parade??? Hope you didn't blink, because you'd miss it!!

10/31/06 (04)
ellwood footbal, living proof that the weight lifting program hasnt helped them ever. it's talent and coaching at the high school level. ellwood has huge kids,  the lifting hasnt helped. they should have been participating in other sports. the wrestling team got ruined, so the kids are limited to the oportunities they have for a more rounded athletic experience. i wrestled for coach venezie, and played football for coach lamenza. nothing could compare to the benifits i got out of the wrestling program for my football experience. sure the football chubs do great in the m.a.c. lifting competiton, but you can see where that does not translate to wins. what a shame. p.s., now i hear that the schools is haveing 12 year olds pump iron for future sucess. who are these mental midgets?

10/31/06 (05)
As a local business person I would like to see you keep it local. My business does support both school districts in many ways. If your groups choose to go out of the area then my business will have to cut back on donations

10/31/06 (06)
i attended the BIG game friday night and as a former ellwoodian i was truley embarrassed for ellwood ,not only was there any fans in the stands ,but the football team was simply awful ,and the cheerleaders even worse. what happened to my good ole lincon high? i must say i was really impressed with the whole riverside organization , not only the football players but the band and the cheerleaders . they have come along way in regards to overcoming the stigma as farmers and rednecks. they carried off that win with such dignity , what a great group of kids. i cant wait for my small child to be a part of that . bye bye ellwood city ,i only have fond memories of the good ole days

10/31/06 (07)
wow the riverside cheerleaders did an awesome job, wayyyyyyyyyyyy to go riverside we are so proud of you kids !!!!!!!!!!

10/31/06 (08)
just a suggestion,maybe if the ellwood city kids(football players and cheerleaders)would have stayed and practiced a little more on thursday night maybe they would have done better on friday!!!!!! ha ha just a thought

10/31/06 (09)
Re: #15, You are right about one thing; you weren't there. Beyond that, your post is a perfect illustration of why teachers should not be armed. Your Pollyanna approach of "Just wound him and get help", when you weren't the one there trying to deal with the situation, proves that most people outside of law enforcement have no clue. Police officers have to make a choice in just seconds. Sometimes their choices are wrong. But I refuse to second-guess someone who is out there putting his or her life on the line every second they are working.

Unless, of course, you are talking about the Ellwood police, who don't seem too concerned about cleaning up the streets of Ellwood. As witnessed by a later post congratulating Blochers on leaving the city. The problems the boro faces with its young adults is explained by the post here concerning a couple of kids in Ellport.

Same old story; my kids do no wrong. How can you blame the kids when there is nothing in Ellwood (or Ellport or the townships or the county or the state) for them to do? Yep,  parents in Ellwood are just as much to blame as the lackluster performance of the police. And the group of people who do care gets smaller and smaller every day. Because they are all moving to the townships. Watch out Perry twp. for the building boom as the whiners of Ellwood head our way. The only consolation is that they only whine; they don't bother to go to the council meetings to try and get anything done, heaven forbid.

10/31/06 (10)
10/30/06 (14)
10/27/06 (22)
remember all the discussion about black soot burning candles? I have the perfect solution and it makes the life of the candle last much longer. you can buy candle warmers. You plug them in, they heat the wax to liquid and even generic candles are fragrant. **** a lot of time the candles that have the black soot are lead-based wicks. I know that Partylite doesn't use these types of wicks (and no, I don't sell their product). Also, a nice little trick to make the candles last longer is to refridgerate them or freeze them a few hours before burning them...it extends the burn time for the candle...if you don't have a warmer, yet.

10/31/06 (11)
#21-10-26 - Take him to Court, go ahead, you are in contempt of Court for not allowing him visitation. The problem is with you and your ex-spouse, not the kids. Let me tell you that one day the kids will turn on you for not allowing them visitation with their father. I know, I have been through it. To this day they don't care if they see their Mom or not. Grow Up! And if you can't get along without his support, get a job. I would be willing to bet that you are on Welfare.

ok first starters you must be a real jerk...you cant make a father come get there kids. i have a court order visitation he has every right to pick the children up but he dont..it interupts his life.. so thank you on that note.. and second i do have a job. but he made these children with me it was not done on its own. so yes i am supporting our children its his responsibility to do also..maybe its him that should be gettin up off his but and getting a job...you must be a deadbeat yourself or you wouldnt be getting so hostile ......

10/31/06 (12)
As someone not originally from this area who CHOSE to send my children to Ellwood after doing much research, I had to respond to the survey posted yesterday.

First, the fact that this survey was on the New Castle News website should tell you that most of the respondents are from New Castle and the immediate area. It seems like most of the kids in my childrens' classes have parents that were born and raised here, so I would assume that a survey posted in the Ledger or on this site would have different results.

Secondly, I pulled up the SAT scores for all of the schools listed. Only Mohawk (981) and Neshannock (1026) have higher average scores than Ellwood (979). At Mohawk, only 64% of the kids took the SAT; at Ellwood, participation was 77%. Obviously if you encourage a larger range of students to take the test, your average scores will be lower. Neshannock is the only school on the list that I would consider 'academically superior' to Ellwood (they had the highest scores and were also the only school boasting a 100% participation rate... pretty impressive in my book!)

If you are sending your children to school to get a good solid education (and what better reason is there?), Ellwood is a very good choice.

For those of you who are interested, here are all of the SAT scores/participation rates for the schools in the survey:

Ellwood City: 979 (77%)
Laurel: 963 (63%)
Mohawk: 981 (64%)
Neshannock: 1026 (100%)
New Castle: 888 (66%)
Shenango: 974 (62%)
Union: 941 (75%)
Vo-Tech: n/a
Wilmington: 960 (83%)

and one more:
Riverside: 992 (61%)

All of this info and more can be found at www.schoolmatters.com.

10/31/06 (13)
It is my understanding that Mary at Blochers is going to operate both stores. I may be wrong but I would hate to see her leave the building where her family has been since way back when. and she is so active in BOVA

10/31/06 (14)
When is Ellwood Council going to get the POLICE DOGS FOR DRUGS? I gave money and so did many other people along with the grant from the state. Council, show you do care about Ellwood City and get rid of the drugs.You people make me ill, you never paid any attention to Cartwright before, so why don't you leave him alone. He wanted to be heard he is being listened to & getting paid to do so, all the other crap, go do as you did stop listening to him. All these comments your hearing is going to get him in another catch22. Just stifle were tired of hearing his damn name. I hope this does get posted we're all for sound-off but either we get our opinions in or they go into the media!

10/31/06 (15)
10/30/06 (15)
Okay, it was all the major TV channels this morning about the shooting in North Sewickley. They announced the name of the man shot and all about how it happened.... Why not mention the police officer who shot him? He is on "administrative leave with pay"???? I WAS NOT there, correct, but I don't see why they can't tell us who did this....they broadcast the victim's name all over the place...... My sympathies to the family, of the victim, this can't be easy, obviously the man had serious problems, but to be shot to death? No, disable him and get him help!!!!

Did you get the right story?
If someone pulls a gun on you and its your life or his what would you do?

10/31/06 (16)
Re: where's the mayor of ellport at ?

This is also a matter for council.
Good Luck there!!!

NOTHING has been done in the past year.

10/31/06 (17)
#15. law enforcement are not taught to injure a deadly threat. an injured threat can still fight back.
secondly, how good of a shot do you think these guys are? if you had a gun pointed at you and was in fear of your life do you think anyone could have the ability to hit a precise location to disable the threat?
be realistic. this was a justified shooting and will be every time.

10/31/06 (18)
#23 you might have bougth something but why were Ellwood employees working for Perry Twp when they have their own work to do and did Perry Twp pay Ellwood City since Perry Twp got rid of their full time road workers. Wake up Ellwood City look what your town is going to.

10/31/06 (19)
11/11/05 (23)
11/10/05 (02)
Can someone tell me why Ronald McDonald was in our Halloween parade? . DID you not know who he was? He was here to endorse Jerry Cartwright. I can not believe you people didn't know who that was! You gotta be kiddin' way to go Cartwright, didn't see anyone for Jarod in the parade this year but did hear the Rendall endorsement went well for him.

10/31/06 (20)
Mr. TD's predictions about Ellwood City life in 2007:

(1) The members of the Ellwood City football team will still go on to the colleges of their choice and will still be able to pursue their fields of study. They will still get rewarded with job interviews if their performance in the classroom is warranted. They will still become doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, etc. if they so desire. And believe it or not, they will forget about their football record once faced with life's real trials and tribulations. Some of them might even realize that you learn a lot more about life from losing than from winning.

(2) The Ellwood City "adults" that smear coaches and players will also forget about this year's record...but will conveniently replace these concerns with next year's on-the-field activities. And trust me, there will be plenty to talk about: Perhaps it will be week 3, when one of the band member's four-year old brother brings his toy kazoo to the game and sits up in the stands humming away..the people of Ellwood will ask -- "Why is this young man allowed to play his instrument? He didn't try out for the band! Who does he know on the school board? What about the kids that tried out for the band but didn't make it...can they bring an instrument to the game too?

(3) Coach Agostonelli, who is a good man (as is any man that devotes countless hours to today's youth for the wages it draws), will offer his resignation after so many years of dealing with ignorant people who live vicariously through the youth of the town. Don't worry about him, though, he will be offered and will accept the Assistant Manager's position at the newly erected WalMart in Ellwood City. One of the hot sellers at the new WalMart will be gawdy, outrageous Halloween decorations for the people of Ellwood to purchase and place in their yards.

(4) Coach Agostonelli's staff will also leave the team, and will all serve as full-time board members on the PPFC(Powder Puff Fairness Committee), a regulatory committee that aims to ensure that these high paid, high profile Powder Puff coaches are kept in line by the good townspeople of Ellwood City. The motto of the PPFC is "All kids, no matter how unpopular, will get to play quarterback.

(5) #5 made be chuckle but did you really think I was going to publish that?!  lol. 

10/31/06 (21)
#21-10-26 - Take him to Court, go ahead, you are in contempt of Court for not allowing him visitation. The problem is with you and your ex-spouse, not the kids. Let me tell you that one day the kids will turn on you for not allowing them visitation with their father. I know, I have been through it. To this day they don't care if they see their Mom or not. Grow Up! And if you can't get along without his support, get a job. I would be willing to bet that you are on Welfare.

In regards to this comment.... I am not on welfare and never have been. I have always held a job to support myself and my family. I am sorry you had a some problems with your situation. However, every case is different. Visitation was being granted without support until the children came home with horror stories of things being said and what was going on. But, in the courts eyes this is their father and that makes it o.k.! Had it been a total stranger doing this to my children and I was permitting them to be around this person I would be a terrible parent.
After all the negative thoughts being expressed, we are very forunate to have a community, such as we do, so many positive people and interesting things to do. Prayers are with all in our area, hoping that they can get happiness withing their own lives.

10/31/06 (22)
RE:10/30/06 (15)
As you said, you were not there. Sounds easy to disarm. Here is a what-if. What if he was shooting at the police? Do they disarm or do they shoot back? The newspaper said that preliminary findings are suggesting it was justified. If you pull a gun on the police, then expect to be shot at. I feel sorry for the family but the guy was attempting suicide, that is not a stable person to have pointing a gun at the officers. Just for the record I do not know any police officers. I just get tired of people thinking they do not do their jobs and when they do, someone always says they did it wrong. Walk in their shoes sometime and see what you would do.

10/31/06 (23)
After all the negative thoughts being expressed, we are very forunate to have a community, such as we do, so many positive people and interesting things to do. Prayers are with all in our area, hoping that they can get happiness within their own lives.

10/31/06 (24)
Okay, it was all the major TV channels this morning about the shooting in North Sewickley. They announced the name of the man shot and all about how it happened.... Why not mention the police officer who shot him? He is on "administrative leave with pay"???? I WAS NOT there, correct, but I don't see why they can't tell us who did this....they broadcast the victim's name all over the place...... My sympathies to the family, of the victim, this can't be easy, obviously the man had serious problems, but to be shot to death? No, disable him and get him help!!!!

Well as you said, you weren't there. Did you notice where the deceased fired at police first? What should the officer have done? After all his life was in danger. Someone was shooting at him. Maybe you think he should have done the Annie Oakley thing and "shot the gun out of deceased's hand". Honest it isn't like you see on TV. I feel bad for the family of the deceased but if you shoot at policemen, you're going to be shot.
And as for your comment about him being placed on administrative leave with pay, should he be penalized and deprived of pay for doing his job? Of course it must be investigated, but don't penalize the officer for doing his job. Also, he was identified in the Ellwood City Ledger story of Saturday.

10/31/06 (25)
For goodness sake! Never in in world did anyone ever think ellwoodians would start turning on each other, what is happeneing here? Seems to be over crouded church HUH? I'm so very disappointed, begininng to be ashamed to say we live in this peyton place of a town.

10/31/06 (26)
If you are going to use the express lanes at the local supermarkets, understand that the whole purpose of the express lanes is to be quick. So if you are going to insist by paying by check and slow everyone else down, have most of the check written out before hand. Have your ID ready. And don't balance your checkbook while still at the counter. Any idea how freaking rude that is? Do not go through your purses for 15 minutes looking for the exact coin. Have your money out, in your hand, ready to pay. And after you have completed your transactions, move up, forward, anywhere. Just get out of way for the next person. If you can't be courteous of other people, don't use the express lanes.

10/31/06 (27)
It is amazing to me how people like to gossip about other people in this town  when they have problems in there own backyards  Maybe you people need to get lives or maybe your lives are so pathetic that you need to be in everyones business. I am guessing that it makes you feel good to talk about other people because you do not feel good about yourselves. It also amazes to me that you'll say you hate this person or that person and then you act to them like they are your best friend to thier face... I think that all of you are in need counseling!! I just feel that if your gonna talk about someone say it to there face or if you have a problem with someone take it up with them instead of talking around town because EVERYTHING gets back to EVERYONE!!!

10/31/06 (28)
Just wanted to thank Chewton VFD and Froggy Radio for a great time Saturday at the costume party !!!Hope it becomes an annual party .Good music ,prizes,and food !!

10/31/06 (29)
Re: #21 (10/26/06) Fisrt of all, this is not the forum to discuss your personal life! And, since you brought it up, isn't this what you wanted to be free? Maybe you should have thought this out a lot better than you did. AND who are you to be allowed to put your children up for sale? Since when did they become sale items? If he pays you, then and only then can he see his own children!!! But first, we have to pay!!! How does he or any other father who is in the same situation know the money is spent on the children, and, not on the mother, so she can do whatever she wants to? See, you don't have to account for how that money is being spent.
If you want to change laws, then I'm for changing the law that makes single mothers having to account for every dime they spend on the children!!!