Butler County Emergency Services' goal of ensuring its capability to pinpoint the location from where all 911 calls are made by cell phone deserves positive notice.

Meanwhile, it's good news for taxpayers that upcoming testing regarding cell phone calls won't impact the county's general fund budget. The testing will be paid for out of unused funds from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

The testing, which will be conducted by a State College company, will cost $55,000. The unused funds in question total $75,000.

According to Frank Matis, director of county emergency services, the testing will be the first of its kind for the local system. The full extent of what problems might exist won't be known until the State College company completes its work.

The 911 system must be as foolproof as possible and take advantage of all of today's technologies. The 911-cell phone test is an important step toward achieving that goal.

It would be a basis for extreme pride if Pennsylvania were the second-largest state in the nation in terms of attracting new industries and jobs.The fact that the Keystone State could become the nation's second-largest gambling market sometime next year — overtaking Atlantic City, N.J. — represents a dubious accomplishment amid the state's many problems.While casinos provide the temptation for instant riches, they are more realistically a path toward financial hardship, even for people who are not addicted to gambling.From the Pennsylvania Lottery up to the introduction of casino table games, this state continues to project an insatiable attitude about reaching into people's pockets for every dollar it can grab — and giving little or nothing in return.From the $5 prizes on $5 lottery tickets and $10 prizes on $10 tickets to the many jackpots of a few dollars after gamblers have deposited $50, $100 or more into a slot machine, it's clear why Pennsylvania's gambling profits continue to grow.Too bad it takes some people so long for their frustration with the long odds to kick in and cause them to stop feeding this state's gambling face.The Pennsylvania Lottery began on a conservative note; people were content to plunk down a dollar or two without affecting their household budgets. Over the years, numerous and more expensive games have been introduced, with people dumping sizable sums of money into the lottery's coffers daily — and, again, receiving little or nothing in return.Then the slots parlors joined the gambling front, followed by the introduction of table games, supposedly accompanied by the promise of significant property tax relief — which has turned out to be barely noticeable.Pennsylvania leaders need to devote attention to commercial and industrial development rather than the dead-end accomplishment of overtaking Atlantic City.

Harmony is a small borough, but it is becoming big on the municipal-cooperation front.Having enacted an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Zelienople, Harmony officials now are focusing on establishing a similar agreement with neighboring Jackson Township. Jack Shanks, Harmony Borough Council president, attended a Jackson supervisors meeting March 17 to propose that the borough and township work together on services and several projects.To their credit, the supervisors said they would get in touch with Shanks later to discuss details of the proposed agreement and what might be shared between the municipalities.The basis for Harmony’s agreement with Zelienople is to save money, and a similar goal is guiding Harmony’s proposal regarding Jackson.The Harmony-Zelienople agreement covers snow removal, leaf clearing and wood chipping, and the two communities have established a shared-services committee to discuss monthly how the towns can work together to improve efficiency and lighten their respective financial loads.Harmony envisions cooperation with Jackson on bike and walking trails and other ventures.Other communities could benefit from developing a cooperation mind-set like the one that has evolved in Harmony. The only way to find out is by stepping forward to initiate discussion with one another.Harmony and Zelienople — and maybe now Jackson Township — are positive examples other communities can emulate.