Each year, thousands of Butler residents look forward to the Cruise-A-Palooza held downtown on Main Street. But having an even longer history in the city and anticipated just as eagerly by many as a summer staple is the Butler Road Race. This year's race, presented by Butler Memorial Hospital and scheduled for 9 a.m. June 24 beginning at the Butler County courthouse, will be the 31st annual.

As in the past, the race will consist of a five-mile run and a two-kilometer run and health walk.

And, as in prior years, the race proceeds will provide academic scholarships to graduating cross country runners from the Butler, Freeport, Karns City, Knoch, Mars, Moniteau, Seneca Valley and Slippery Rock high schools.

According to an entry form for this year's race, 394 scholarships totaling $220,850 have been awarded in the past 13 years. That's a significant positive impact from this, the longest consecutively run race in Western Pennsylvania.

In her Butler Eagle column of April 20, Pat Neubert described the race as one that "has evolved from a zany idea by a few fitness freaks to an elite race and spectator sport to an event for all ages and abilities."

Hopefully thousands of area residents will line the race course next Saturday to cheer on the runners. Not only will the runners and walkers be competing for the contests' bragging rights, they will be aiding a great cause.

Those in charge of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul food cupboard didn't throw up their hands in frustration and allow the space problem at their former quarters at 400 E. Locust St. to stymie their ability to help those in need.They made the right choice and moved to larger quarters. Since June 1, the food cupboard has been operating out of space at 157 N. Elm St.People who view the county as growing and generally prosperous might have been surprised to learn from a story in the June 11 edition of the Butler Eagle that this food cupboard serves more than 700 low-income people a month.Not only does the cupboard provide help with food; it offers help with utilities, provides vouchers to its thrift store in the Greater Butler Mart on Route 8, and provides other kinds of financial assistance.It is a godsend to those who are experiencing hardship.Because of its considerable amount of refrigeration and freezer space, the cupboard is able to accept all food items.All food and nonfood items, as well as monetary donations, are accepted.But a significant asset tied to the food cupboard operation is its ability to provide privacy to applicants for help — many of them uneasy about the prospect of having to seek assistance, especially the first time. There is an upstairs office outside of the food-distribution area so the application process can be carried out as efficiently as possible.The St. Vincent de Paul food cupboard has been in operation for more than 30 years. Its move is proof of its desire to remain a well-run, efficient resource for the benefit of the needy as long as there are needy to serve.

Though not surprising, it was nonetheless disturbing to learn last week that as much as $1.4 billion of FEMAmoney associated with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in the Gulf Coast area was misspent — or stolen, through fraud.The reported examples of fraud and abuse are sickening, particularly at a time when there is so much legitimate need.It has been discovered that millions of dollars were sent to people who used names and Social Security numbers of more than 1,000 inmates in prisons in the region. It also is known that FEMApaid $8,000 to house one person in a California hotel and also sent that same person $6,700 in rent assistance.FEMApaid more than $5 million to people who provided no address, only a post office box. FEMAmoney went to one person whose damaged house turned out to have an address in a New Orleans cemetery, and to another person who listed his residence as a UPSstore.The report also described one person used 13 different Social Security numbers to receive 26 FEMApayments amounting to $139,000. There are many more similar examples of fraud and abuse.Federal officials should be aggressive in going after those who cheated the government — and taxpayers — out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Those responsible should be charged, prosecuted and, if found guilty, be required to repay all the stolen money, plus hefty fines.Only a serious prosecution will send a message that theft of government money — taxpayer dollars — will not be tolerated.There also should be investigations into FEMA itself and who was responsible for the lax controls that allowed such blatant fraud to occur.Shame on both the thieves and the government bureaucrats who played so fast and loose with taxpayer dollars.