My Personal Blog

There has been a lot of discussion in recent years about the Class of 2020 and how many young people lost milestone experiences such as prom due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Ever since then, I have occasionally wondered whether the Shenango Valley could support a different kind of community nostalgia event - something along the lines of a cross-generational 80s/90s throwback formal night for adults. I'm not talking about a literal recreation of high school prom, but a relaxed and welcoming evening built around the fun atmosphere people remember: music from the 80s and 90s, dancing, balloons, retro decorations, prom-style photos, colorful lights, and the kind of upbeat energy that defined those eras. In many ways, it feels surprising that Mercer County has never really developed a signature event catered around that kind of nostalgia.  The area already has banquet halls, DJs, community venues, and people who clearly enjoy retro-themed gatherings and music from those decades. The ...

I arrived at church before mass this morning expecting a normal lector assignment.  Ministry Scheduler Pro, the church bulletin and an email I received Thursday had all listed me as scheduled, so I was simply preparing to serve as usual. Shortly before mass began, I was given a different instruction from another ministry.  It wasn't dramatic, but it did create a moment of uncertainty - especially because it didn't match what I had seen in the official schedule.  In the end, everything proceeded and the mass was celebrated, but that brief confusion has stayed with me throughout this Sunday and made me reflect on how important clear communication really is for those of us who volunteer. Serving as a lector has helped me appreciate how much coordination happens behind the scenes.  Most of the time, communication through Ministry Scheduler Pro, email and the church bulletin work very well.  When those align, everything is clear and straightforward, and I can focus o...

CAUTION:  This entry is about a sensitive topic that I have spoken about for many years. I have said for many years that bullying in schools continues to be a major problem.  It isn't just an issue in Hermitage, Altoona, or Wyalusing.  It isn't just in issue in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  It's a national epidemic that too often leads to kids who are being bullied take their own lives, which is too many young lives lost due to incidences of bullying. I previously said that the states should place the onus on the schools to implement stricter zero tolerance policies regarding bullying and enforce them to their fullest extent by punishing those who bully and protect those who are being bullied and/or are witnesses lest they face the forfeiture of half of their state funding that comes from their state legislatures (e.g., Harrisburg).  Then there was the next best thing of local municipalities put local laws on the books that prohibit public bullying of other...

On Wednesday morning, PA state representative Charity Krupa of Fayette County harshly grilled the president of Penn State University in a House Appropriations Committee Hearing on state-related universities in Harrisburg.  Rep. Krupa took a shot at the university president for being a hypocrite by turning her back on seven branch campuses while at the same time asking for a total of $394.4 million in funding.  Krupa specifically mentioned that the university also approved $1 billion in discretionary spending (including $700 million earmarked for the ongoing renovation of Beaver Stadium, $50 million to buy out James Franklin's contract, and a $1.4 million raise in the president's salary). Krupa asked why taxpayers are being asked to pay more while there is no more money to keep seven branch campuses open (including Shenango) without transparency with the public and accountability.  She pointed out that her proposed legislation would require advance notice given to the comm...

Penn State basketball has a passionate fan base, bur for too long, the men's and women's programs haven't contributed points to the Learfield Directors' Cup like other sports do. Programs like wrestling, women's volleyball, men's and women's ice hockey and lacrosse, and football consistently carry the Cup totals.  In contrast, basketball currently contributes zero points, leaving a major gap compared with schools like Duke, UNC and Stanford. Imagine just one Sweet 16 run adding between approximately 60 to 80 points, an Elite 8 run adding 100 to 120 points, and a Final Four run that could earn 140 to 160 or more points, which would be enough to shift Penn State several spots in the Cup standings. In the Learfield Directors' Cup, each school must include at least 12 countable men's sports and at least 12 countable women's sports.  At least 4 men's sports and at least 4 women's sports must be team sports.  These are common examples of mandat...

If I decide in 2029 I am going to run for the Hermitage School Board, then I will make a promise to protect all victims and witnesses to bullying and severely punish those who bully other students. Why am I saying this?  Because the topic of bullying in schools hits home for me because I was a victim myself. If a student who I'll call Andy bullies a student who I will call Gina over her learning disability, and a student who I'll call Steve witnesses Gina being bullied, and Gina is the one hit with a three day out of school suspension, I will not approve of such disciplinary action taken against Gina because she was the victim and Steve witnessed it.  Rather, Andy should be the one hit with the said three day out of school suspension because he bullied Gina. Too often I see posts on social media from parents about their children being bullied and then getting suspended for protecting themselves against said bullies.  This issue is a major problem in the United States that...