Cheer

If you’ve been in Butler any time this weekend, it would have been virtually impossible to have missed the muralists at work at various points around the city. By now you likely know they’re called Walldogs, and are a collection of artists from across the nation that have volunteered their time and energy to add a touch of flair to 10 different buildings around the city.

We’ve watched over the past several days as the muralists interacted with interested people, and as residents and visitors enjoyed touring the mural sites and watching the artworks’ progress toward completion. The weather, which deluged the city with rain for a portion of Thursday afternoon, hasn’t always cooperated, but the Walldogs have made the most of it anyway.

Their generosity and talent will shine on long after they have left. So will fond memories for those who took the time to chat with them, or watch as they exercised their art.

Thank you, Walldogs, for your work and enthusiasm. Both are wonderful additions to Butler’s legacy.

Jeer

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane got some bad news Thursday, when Montgomery County Judge Wendy Demchick-Alloy ruled that she can’t argue that she is being prosecuted to stop her from revealing a pornographic e-mail scandal. Kane’s trial on accusations of leaking grand jury information to the Philadelphia Daily News and lying about it under oath begins Aug. 8.

It’s an obvious call on Demchick-Alloy’s part; Kane’s theory does absolutely nothing to explain why she allegedly lied to a grand jury regarding the leaked information. It’s also more bad news for Kane, who came out on the losing end of a series of rulings by the judge Thursday.

Kane clearly cares little for the dignity of the office to which she’s brought uncertainty and a circuslike atmosphere — from her alleged criminal conduct in this matter to allowing her office to conduct a job interview with the son of a key witness against her.

Why she steadfastly refuses to step down as Pennsylvania’s top prosecutor is a continuing mystery and a shame.

Cheer

It wasn’t as flashy as murals going up on buildings, but in case you missed it there was more painting going on late last week in Butler. Volunteers from the Mount Chestnut Nazarene Family Camp took it upon themselves Wednesday to paint curbs along Main Street, in an event group leaders said was meant to bestow some “love on Butler.”

The group rallied about 100 volunteers to paint “no parking” sections and pass out free water and Beanie Babies to children.

The painting is a nice finishing touch to the repaving of Main Street, which was completed earlier this summer, and city officials say they hope the group will finish Main Street and work on some side streets as well.

It’s been more than three years since Butler’s curbs last received a fresh coat of paint, and the only reason it’s happening now is the goodwill and generosity of yet another civic-minded group of people.

They probably won’t sign their work, but we hope people remember the group’s efforts and thank them for their contribution to sprucing up the city.