Cheer C

FBC Chemical Corp. has set an excellent example for other small, family owned companies to follow by way of its $30,000 gift to the Mars Public Library's expansion project.

It's great when a company of that size can step forward in such a generous way to provide so many potential benefits to people in its community and surrounding area.

And, the library will benefit not only from FBC's generosity, but Mars National Bank also has donated $30,000 toward the library expansion, which will almost double the library's size.

According to Heather Love, library director, demand for the library's services has never been so high, making the two gifts even more significant and important at this time.

FBC Chemical, founded in 1968 by Lad D. Hudac, currently is owned by his six sons. One of those sons, Dave Hudac, said both of his parents stressed the importance of education, particularly reading, while he and his brothers were growing up. He said that, because of that positive influence, he and his brothers, along with their children, all are avid readers.

That's a point to be noted by other parents, particularly those who might be lax in stressing reading's importance toward achieving success in life.

The Hudacs made their generous pledge in honor of their 83-year-old mother, Agnes Hudac, for whom the new children's library will be named. Meanwhile, the bank's gift is being recognized in the naming of the new library community room.

The children's library and community room are targeted for completion in the spring. Meanwhile, a second phase of the project will involve parking lot improvements, a new facade and computer and communications upgrades.

That additional work will continue through this year and in 2009.

"A library is such an important function in a community," Dave Hudac said. "We need to support it."

That's a message that other small businesses should heed, not only in Mars, but throughout the rest of Butler County.

Jeer D

Butler touts itself as a safe city, and it is much safer than many other cities in Western Pennsylvania.

However, the prospect of a "Happy New Year" on the crime front for 2008 was eroded as 2007 was preparing to exit and as the new year got under way.

At 10:35 p.m. on New Year's Eve, a Jefferson County man allegedly brandished a knife to rob a Butler teenager of his hooded sweatshirt at the intersection of Mercer and West New Castle streets.

Daniel Strickler Jr., 19, of Brookville allegedly held the knife to his victim's chest and said, "Give (the hoodie) up or I'll kill you."

Then, on New Year's Day, an argument about $20 and cigarettes led to a stabbing that put a city woman in prison and sent a city man to Butler Memorial Hospital.

Kimberly Greenawalt, 40, is charged with aggravated assault and simple assault. Stephen Beck, 44, suffered a stab wound to his stomach.

Also on New Year's Day, a burglar or burglars spent part of their day rummaging through an apartment on West New Castle Street. However, for whatever reason, the person or persons who committed the crime left without taking anything.

New Year's Day also wasn't great on some other county fronts, either.

Items valued at more than $2,200 were stolen in a burglary at Neff's Country Store in Oakland Township.

And, in Center Township, Kenneth C. Goldinger, 24, of Kittanning allegedly fled the scene after his car sheared off a utility pole along Mercer Road at about 4:30 a.m., leaving more than 250 homes without power.

The product of that crash was inconvenience and chilly conditions for the affected residents for more than five hours. Fortunately, there weren't any reports of medical problems stemming from the power outage.

Goldinger reportedly faces hit-and-run and other charges as a result of the crash. Obviously, it wasn't a "Happy New Year" morning for his insurance company either.

Cheer C

Penn State University head football coach Joe Paterno's humor and class in response to comments made about him by a Texas A&M student leader during a pep rally two days before the Alamo Bowl should not go unnoticed.

While similar comments directed at someone else might not have evoked such a respectful, lighthearted response, in this instance Paterno provided another example of why he is held in such high regard in the college football ranks and why he is so sought-after as a speaker.

The A&M student leader in question told the pep rally crowd that Paterno, who has turned 81, was "on his death bed" and "someone needs to find him a casket."

Responding to that, Paterno, who did not actually hear the comments, said, "I think everybody has to take things with a grain of salt.

"Some young guy went up there, trying to be funny. Maybe he's accurate; I don't know."

Upon hearing about the student's comments, Texas A&M officials rightly apologized to Penn State administrators.

Meanwhile, the student's pep rally tactic failed to guarantee an A&M victory.

The Nittany Lions won the game 24-17.

So much for "death beds" and "caskets" as pep rally "props."

— J.R.K.