Sports and other extracurricular activities provide many proud moments for school districts, and are part of the total educational experience.

But even isolated incidents of inappropriate conduct connected with those activities have the potential to damage what districts work so hard to achieve, including a positive image in the eyes of the public.

An incident shortly after 7 p.m. Monday on a school bus carrying Butler School District baseball players was not the kind of situation any school district condones. It is reassuring that the Butler district — as confirmed by the administration — has acted quickly to address the unbecoming incident, which involved "mooning" of traffic behind the bus and taunting of a motorist or motorists behind the bus as the mooning was going on.

The situation began when the bus was stopped at the traffic light on Route 8, loaded with players returning from an "away" game. It continued as the bus was crossing the Picklegate Bridge, and apparently after the bus turned onto Whitestown Road.

What happened was observed at some point by a police officer, who followed the bus to the school district complex and reported the incident to the bus driver and coach on the bus.

Michael Strutt, a district assistant superintendent, said Thursday that the situation has been appropriately addressed.

All students need to be reminded that their conduct reflects on their school district, and that when they are participating in activities in other districts, or traveling to and from those activities, how they conduct themselves reflects — either positively or negatively — on all the good things their districts strive to instill.

The students involved in Monday's incident should feel a sense of shame — not because they were caught but because they now have a broader understanding of the seriousness of what occurred.

Indecent exposure is in fact a crime.

Some might pooh-pooh the incident on the grounds that "boys will be boys" and the fact that such pranks are not new.

But the school district's image wasn't enhanced by what happened, and it's the responsibility of district officials to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.

It's unfortunate that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has decided to close the Three Rivers Ecological Research Center in Pittsburgh, but there is a positive aspect to the action.The commission said its decision was based on the facility's inability to sustain itself financially. With a serious state budget challenge at hand, the commonwealth is seeking any way possible to save money.While the closing of the research center won't make much of a dent in resolving the money crisis, no savings must be ignored. Many smaller-scale savings will add up to a significant number.The center opened in 2006 to assess river conditions and do research on fish species in the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers. Although the center will close, such activities would seem possible at other research venues.The state should explore the possibilities.There is public perception in this state that once something is implemented it is here forever, even if it isn't necessary or is not cost-effective. A prime example is the Johnstown Flood tax, enacted in 1936 as an emergency 10 percent tax on alcohol sold in the state to help rebuild that flood-ravaged city. Today, the tax remains — and has grown to an 18 percent tax.As demonstrated by the decision to defund the research center, perhaps a positive rethinking of attitudes in Harrisburg has begun to evolve, and that's good for the state's taxpayers.

The start of the "missing" Interstate 79 ramps project on Monday means that a mistake that occurred when the highway was built will finally be rectified — abeit not until the construction is completed in November 2011.The fact that the project was on hold for nearly 10 years doesn't speak well of the state's ability to address such needs expeditiously. But now is better than never, and for that the state Department of Transportation merits positive words.Yet within the parameters of the convenience and improved access that the ramps will provide are grounds for concern. That concern was reiterated by Harmony fire chief Tim Sapienza at a meeting Wednesday at Seneca Valley High School at which PennDOT made a presentation regarding the project.Sapienza expressed concern about PennDOT's decision not to install two traffic lights that the state agency said would be included in the project. The fire chief reminded PennDOT that the intersections where the lights were to be installed already are hot spots for traffic accidents and that the problem most likely would be exacerbated by the larger traffic volume after the ramps are completed.It would seem that the state transportation agency should give additional consideration to the issue. Change orders within existing contracts are not uncommon. And in this situation, where public safety is involved, it seems reasonable to return the traffic signals to the ramp project.Still, the start of the ramps project represents another positive transportation step in a high-growth county that needs many more road improvements.Although the state is experiencing serious highway funding issues, it should not stop looking for ways in which it can allocate available resources here.The start of the project is good news for this county.