He shows up late and admits he may not have RSVP'd anyway. And when Butler County Commissioner Jim Eckstein is denied the privilege of speaking to a roomful of 11-year-olds, he responds with a profanity-laced diatribe against the program's host — who also happens to be the county sheriff.

County and municipal officials who overheard Eckstein's rant are criticizing his behavior following the D.A.R.E. graduation Thursday morning at the South Butler Intermediate Elementary School.

County Sheriff Mike Slupe, whose office conducts the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in schools, said Eckstein's conduct was unacceptable, considering the 195 fifth graders weren't dismissed yet when Eckstein dropped the F-bomb. Slupe said children were seated 15 to 20 feet away.

Eckstein confirmed he uttered the expletive, but insisted the students were out of earshot. That's a flimsy defense from someone so consistently oblivious to the consequences of his conduct, and who has admitted in the past he has a hard time maintaining his “indoor voice” during heated discussions.

If it seems like we've been here before, then it's only because Eckstein is a predictably consistent embarrassment, the object of several workplace harassment complaints, investigations and a lawsuit.

Slupe has indicated Eckstein will no longer be welcome at D.A.R.E. functions — and that decision is eminently justifiable.

Eckstein, the sole Democratic commissioner, accused Slupe of “point blank, political retaliation.” If that were true, then where are his fellow Democrats lining up to defend Eckstein? The fact is, they are not defending him. It would be foolish for them to do so.

Butler County is preparing for an invasion next weekend.A Jeep invasion.The third annual Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival opens Friday at Cooper's Lake Campground in Muddy Creek Township and the Jeep Invasion in Butler. Main Street will be lined with Jeeps of all makes and models as devotees show off their cars.Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, 9 to 6 Saturday and 9 to 3 Sunday. Jeep owners must register to participate. They can register any time during the festival hours.The event celebrates the fact that Butler was the birthplace of the Bantam Jeep in 1940, when the U.S. Army asked 135 tractor and auto manufacturers to design a four-wheel drive, 40 horsepower, 1,300 pound reconnaissance car that could haul soldiers as well as heavy artillery —and to have a working prototype available for a test run within 49 days. The American Bantam Car Co. of Butler won the contract — and delivered on it.The festival continues to grow and add features for the enjoyment of enthusiasts and spectators. Organizers promise more mud and trails. A 5K footrace has been added with a course as tricky for the runners as for the off-road vehicles. Racers will run over and through the same dirt hills and mud pit that the Jeeps do. The race will be a great way for families to kick-off their Father's Day celebrations.There will be industry vendors, a World War II encampment, Jeep history exhibits, new Jeep models on display, even an on-site garage to assist Jeepers with break-downs, and plenty more.It's vital for a community to pay tribute to its past. We might as well make a weekend-long party out of it.

It's disturbing whenever individuals in authority stumble, but the case of a fired former Washington County deputy sheriff is particularly unsettling.Matthew Miller was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly tried to sell Suboxone to an undercover informant.Miller, 29, apparently intended to use the proceeds of the Suboxone sale to buy heroin.State attorney general's agents say Miller called the informant and offered to sell the prescription step-down drug designed to treat heroin addiction. Miller allegedly told the informant he was now using heroin and wanted to sell the drugs because he needed the money.The informant says there were previous occasions when Miller had sold him drugs while in uniform at the county courthouse.It's safe to assume Washington County pays top dollar to recruit and train deputies, and to perform extensive background checks; even then, Deputy Miller's character, aptitude and training in law enforcement were no match for the allure of a cheap, abundant heroin supply in Western Pennsylvania.We need to eradicate this scourge.