Sometimes we wonder if we should stop associating our places of residence from the Pittsburgh area. It seems there is no end to the chuckles we can get by saying 30 miles north of Pittsburgh or just outside Pittsburgh.

Of course, we are used to the Pittsburgh Pirates jokes about our minor league team, but the laughter had just died down about the bus getting swallowed by the city street and now Pittsburgh makes national news by having another bus suspended in the air as part of a bridge collapse.

This is only funny because neither incident (not accidents) caused any deaths, and it did make for good photo opportunities for elected officials. Some used it to pitch infrastructure bills; others used it to show off their best workout shorts; some took the opportunity to boast about the parks department; and the Pirates were glad it distracted from anyone thinking about them and the next 100 losses to come.

Conspiracy nuts raced to crazy conclusions, such as the Democratic Party of Pittsburgh sacrificed a bridge to help show the need for the infrastructure bill and Republicans staked their claim on that there were fake cables used to hold the bridge just long enough to let it last until the day before the president would arrive.

We are glad to not have a dog in this fight because they all seem to be struggling with rabies, distemper, old dog syndrome or maybe they drank too much Mad Dog 2020. Let’s hope they keep it south of our borders.

Meanwhile in the city of Butler, some of our youth were practicing some of the positive things they are learning at home and at school. A neighbor in need was beyond pleased with the three young people who came to her door to volunteer to clear her sidewalk and porch of snow and ice. It is great to see that parents and teachers are teaching kids the art of giving to the less fortunate and gaining a sense of accomplishment and pride for having done so.

And city council welcomed a newcomer to their board and to civic involvement on Tuesday night. Of course, by the end of the week, someone will be shouting in his face about being overpaid (pay is almost nothing) and accusing him of being biased, connected to the wrong political clique or maybe wearing the wrong size hat.

Mr. Daniel Herr is a retired state trooper and has been in Butler for 30 years. It sounded like he said all the right things, but since his appointment flies in the face of the mean girls and mean boys on Butler’s finest Facebook pages, since they were all about predicting with their normal accuracy about politics who was going to be appointed, and it wasn’t him, the keyboard warriors with nothing to do since they were denied elected offices will soon start their attacks.

We expect with his (real) law enforcement background that he will have thick enough skin to handle the town simpletons and go about his assigned duties to the betterment of Butler and the fine people who live here.

Everyone be careful on the roads and watch out for those tricky bridges. They have been talking about them falling down in London ever since we can remember.

— RV