As it turns out, retired Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce will be remembered as a disgrace to the Pennsylvania court system.

Joyce, who opted not to run for a second term on the appellate court after being indicted in August 2007, was convicted Wednesday of mail fraud and money laundering for lying about neck and back injuries he said he received in a fender-bender accident, in order to collect $440,000 from two insurance companies. He is scheduled to be sentenced March 10.

The conviction could potentially cause Joyce to forfeit his $165,000 state pension, and that would be appropriate fallout. At his sentencing, Joyce could be ordered to foreit the money he collected, or the items he bought with it.

The jury's finding of guilt demonstrates that no person, even a judge, is above the law," said U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan.

According to Buchanan, the judge, following a 2001 automobile accident, made "multiple false representations" of debilitating injury. Meanwhile, she said, he was engaging in a variety of physical activities, including scuba diving and roller blading.

Joyce should have known better than to concoct such a scheme, and now he should pay a heavy price.

It would be remiss not to cheer Butler Health System for being named one of the top 100 hospitals for cardiovascular care in the United States in the latest annual study conducted by the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters.Thomson Reuters, based in New York, said that this year's cardiovascular care study is the 10th conducted by the firm.Since opening its HeartCenter 10 years ago, Butler Memorial Hospital steadily has enhanced its heart care excellence and established a solid reputation in which virtually anyone can feel confident.The hospital's numbers testify to the confidence that the hospital has generated in this and surrounding counties. According to an article in Thursday's edition of the Butler Eagle, the BMH HeartCenter has done more than 3,000 open-heart surgeries over the past decade, and about 2,500 interventional procedures in the catheterization lab per year, including cardiac catheterizations, angioplasty and peripheral vascular procedures."Consumers are starting to shop around and ask about these matters, like 'What's your heart bypass rate? What's your patient outcome? What is your survival rate?' " said John Righetti, a health system spokesman. "And they're going to go to the center with the best answers."That's understandable.Righetti said the health system's administration is excited about the national recognition — just as the community should be. It's further evidence that people with heart issues need not travel long distances to get the highest quality of care.No doubt the local hospital will continue to command the respect of entities like Thomson Reuters but, more importantly, the people of the area that it serves.

The voters benefit from having more than one candidate from which to choose for any public office. Having more than one candidate provides the opportunity to weigh qualifications and experience prior to casting their votes in the primaries and then in the general election.Therefore, the voters have the opportunity to benefit from Butler County Sheriff Dennis Rickard's early announcement that he will not be seeking re-election next year, choosing instead to retire in January 2010 after 28 years in the office.Rickard's announcement at this time will allow potential candidates adequate time to weigh their personal circumstances carefully before deciding whether to circulatie election petitions when candidates are permitted to do so next year.Rickard's longevity has provided stability in the office, and the sheriff is respected by other sheriffs across the state who have had contact with him through the state sheriffs association.Rickard has served in the Butler County office longer than any of his predecessors.Whoever emerges as the sheriff-elect after next year's elections will have the benefit of Rickard's experience and guidance in terms of acclimating himself or herself to the responsibilities of the office. No doubt Rickard will be intent on providing that guidance.The more candidates the better, and Rickard has set the stage for that regarding his office. Other elected officials on all levels of government who plan to step aside after next year should consider similar early announcements.