When they heard about the special, unwarranted treatment accorded Dr. David Evanko, many people sent to prison immediately upon being sentenced had to have reacted negatively to the news about the once-prominent Butler physician, Boy Scout leader and community altruist.

Evanko, who was sentenced Monday to 6 to 15 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a member of his Boy Scout troop multiple times in the 1990s, was given a week to spend with his family before having to report to prison. He is scheduled to check in at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Senior Judge Fred P. Anthony of Erie County, who presided over Evanko’s trial and determined the guilty verdict, refused to free Evanko on bond while he pursues appeals but allowed him to spend the Thanksgiving holiday week with his family.

Although the judge correctly designated Evanko a sexually violent predator, meaning that for the rest of his life he’ll have to report his whereabouts to the state police, the judge meted out compassion when compassion was not in order.

Evanko’s victim, now 32, testified during his trial that Evanko molested him more than 100 times when he was between the ages of 13 and 18.

In arguing against the delay for Evanko to report to prison, Deputy Attorney General Todd Goodwin, who prosecuted the case, rightly pointed out, “This man has had since 1993 to know this day was going to happen. It’s here. This is the day for sentencing. This is the day he needs to go to prison.”

But the judge ruled otherwise.

Evanko, who originally was scheduled for sentencing on May 5, avoided his date with justice for more than six months by way of continuances sought by his attorney. Now, finally, even at his sentencing, justice couldn’t immediately prevail, “thanks” to the judge’s compassion that really had no place in the courtroom.

Cheer Many families find it challenging to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for 10 or 15 people, but those families each year look forward to the experience nonetheless.That upbeat attitude was evident this year as volunteers at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church in Butler worked diligently to prepare about 1,200 meals for people who otherwise might not have been able to enjoy the holiday.When it was all over, those volunteers had time to reflect on the happiness and satisfaction that their effort produced — knowing the positive impact they had had on others’ lives.For the volunteers, that satisfaction made their holiday and their own lives seem so much more meaningful.And, it was not just at St. Peter Church. Numerous others in Butler County offered kindness and generosity to others during the holiday, and they deserve praise as well.

Cheer Now that Butler has achieved a milestone in adding a police dog to its law-enforcement efforts, the city must look ahead to the prospect of getting a second dog onto the streets.But Police Chief Ronald Fierst was right in indicating that the police department will take a wait-and-see approach initially to experience the effect that the dog — Gunner — will have on his officers’ crime-fighting efforts.“It’s a learning experience for all of us as well,” Fierst said. “We want to do it right.”That is a laudable approach.Gunner, accompanied by his handler, patrol Officer Brian Grooms, a 12-year veteran of the department, began patrolling the city Monday.Gunner’s presence is cause for uneasiness for those involved in illegal-drug peddling. As Grooms pointed out, during training, Gunner quickly learned to track scents of illegal drugs such as heroin and marijuana.“That odor, to him, is his toy,” Grooms said.Island neighborhood businessman Denny Offstein, whose offer of a $10,000 interest-free loan to the city got the police dog effort under way, reiterated that thinking. “The only people that are not happy are the drug dealers and other criminals, and we don’t want them around anyway,” Offstein said.The prospect of a second dog on patrol in what hopefully will be the not-too-distant future no doubt is adding to the criminal element’s uneasiness.