Although it appears that the basis for a bottle cap collection project in the Mars School District was a hoax, district students, teachers and families showed great compassion and concern that must not go unnoticed.

About 64,000 caps were collected to provide free kidney dialysis for a boy whose identity they did not know and whose place of residence remained a mystery.

A former student teacher was at the lead in initiating the project, having trusted information about the boy that she received through a friend. She was told that the boy requires three hours of dialysis three days a week to survive.

The caps collected in the Mars district would have provided free dialysis for the boy for three years.

Math classes at Mars High School were the first to get involved with the project, and it later expanded to other schools and to households in the district.

While it initially was believed that 1,000 caps would be collected, the capacity of the project was greatly underestimated — providing a commendable indication of the Mars school community's compassion.

People behind such hoaxes should be ashamed of themselves, but no doubt aren't. In Mars' case, the district should feel good about itself despite being angry about having been victimized.

The seven Butler County Prison inmates who lost their work-release privileges earlier this month after testing positive for drug use proved that they don't understand what their punishment is about: trying to get them to change their ways and, upon being released, become productive, law-abiding members of society.Now, in addition to having lost their work-release privileges, they face the possibility that their stay at the lockup will be extended. Whether their terms are extended and by how much should be dictated by their willingness to divulge the source or sources of the drugs.Warden Rich Gigliotti praised the majority of work-release inmates for not using drugs, despite having the opportunity while outside the prison walls, but no praise was necessary because work-release inmates are under orders not to engage in any illegal conduct.Prison officials realized they had a problem when one of the work-release inmates returned to the prison Jan. 18 "not looking right."Gigliotti said the inmate appeared to be under the influence of drugs, and a urinalysis confirmed that suspicion.Ongoing questioning resulted in the inmates admitting that they had brought drugs into the building — by inserting them into their rectums. Gigliotti said the seven inmates used drugs, knowing there is regularly scheduled testing even when there is no suspected abuse.The situation involving the seven inmates indicates that stepped-up random testing is in order.The prison staff members who identified the problem merit praise for their observation, but that is part of their job.Any additional punishment meted out to the seven should serve as a lesson to others in the prison.

Any Pittsburgh Pirates fan who was watching or listening to Game 7 of the 1960 World Series never will forget the drama of Bill Mazeroski's 9th-inning home run that gave the Pirates their first World Championship since 1925.It was a World Series when even the most loyal Bucs fans were skeptical about the Pirates' chances against the powerful New York Yankees, and that skepticism played out in Pittsburgh's three series losses, which were by scores of 16-3, 10-0 and 12-0.But then came Game 7 and the bottom of the 9th inning at Forbes Field, when Maz' solo homer on the second pitch of the Pirates' at-bat gave Pittsburgh a 10-9 victory in what continues to be one of the most memorable games in World Series history. Mazeroski was the first player to hit a "walk-off" home run to win a World Series, and that feat would remain his alone until the 1993 Series, when the Toronto Blue Jays' Joe Carter duplicated the feat.Mazeroski, whose blast gave the Pirates only their third championship, has remained a Pittsburgh sports hero since that Oct. 13, 1960, accomplishment. But he would not be inducted into the Hall of Fame until 2001, and that was largely because of great defense; he won eight Gold Gloves at second base.The decision by the Pirates to honor Maz, now 71, with a bronze statue outside PNC Park is fitting recognition for this Pirates hero of the past — at a time when the Bucs are badly in need of new heroes. The statue is expected to be completed by June and ready when the Pirates celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1960 championship.Maz' statue will join those honoring Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell.Pittsburgh sports loyalty these days is more focused on the Steelers and Penguins, but there was a time when the Pirates also were regarded as regular contenders rather than doormats — and Mazeroski is a lasting symbol of those times and what positive things the Pirates have brought to the city in their more than century of existence.Franco Harris' "Immaculate Reception" will forever remain a high point in Pittsburgh sports history, but so will Mazeroski's Game 7 game-winner.Maz' honor is long overdue.