If Cole Harvey's determination rubs off on his Butler Golden Tornado teammates, Butler High School's football fortunes during the upcoming season will be bright indeed.

Harvey has overcome difficult odds since being diagnosed with Crohn's disease in late April.

Crohn's is an inflammatory bowel disease that attacks the intestines. After the disease was diagnosed, Harvey underwent surgery, having seven inches of perforated intestine removed.

Through it all, the Golden Tornado signal caller lost more than 45 pounds, and for a time it seemed that he would be unable to participate in his senior-year football season. In fact, a couple of doctors suggested that he not play.

But Harvey was determined not to sit out the season, and through hard work and a commitment to get back to playing form, he again is ready to lead the Tornado's drive for what hopefully will be a successful season.

"Seeing that determination to get back on the field and be with his teammates, you can't help but be inspired by that," said senior wingback-safety Eli Christy.

No doubt other members of this year's Golden Tornado squad are experiencing similar feelings.

But in reality, the team's fortunes this season are secondary to Cole Harvey's story. He has achieved a remarkable personal health comeback — and in a short span of time — that many young people like him could not have accomplished.

He is an inspiration to other young people facing difficult health issues.

The purpose of a prison is not only to punish inmates for their criminal activity and to segregate them from law-abiding people. Prisons also have a responsibility to make programs available that hopefully will discourage future criminal activity once the inmates are released.To its credit, the new Butler County Prison aims to expand the General Educational Development (GED) program that was in place at the old Vogely Street prison, now that there is space available for that expansion — and now that all Butler County prisoners are housed at the new prison.It is to be hoped that the program, which is geared at enabling prisoners to receive a high school diploma, will help turn around the lives of more prisoners than was possible before.In an Aug. 19 Butler Eagle article, Warden Rich Gigliotti was quoted as saying that "in a small way, it (broadened GED availability) will help with (decreasing) recidivism," the tendency to commit another crime.Small way or not, any program that helps people get their lives on the right track and reduces crime should be supported and promoted.Butler County Prison officials merit praise for their determination to expand the program.

The headline of a July 24 Butler Eagle editorial said that the county commissioners must take the lead on resolving the dispute concerning recognition of the Merchant Marines on the county World War II Memorial in Diamond Park.Now, about a month later, there's still no indication that the commissioners intend to do any such thing.But, as the top elected officials of the county government, they should.It hardly fulfilled leadership expectations when Commissioner Dale Pinkerton said after Wednesday's commissioners meeting that he was disappointed that the lengthy conflict between the mariners and World War II Memorial Committee remains unresolved."At this moment, I don't know what we're going to do," Pinkerton said.While it was under a previous board of commissioners that the memorial project began, the ongoing mariner recognition issue now has become a matter for the current commissioners board to resolve or to officially divorce itself from.The board was elected to make difficult decisions as well as easy ones. On the mariner issue, the board clearly has not lived up to its responsibility.The July 24 editorial began with the observation that "the Merchant Marines deserved better treatment on Butler County's World War II Memorial in Diamond Park than they've received." The editorial observed that the recognition accorded the mariners on the local memorial is a pittance compared to the mariners' recognition on the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.The July 24 editorial concluded, "The commissioners finally must take a public stand respecting both the committee and the mariners." Pinkerton's disappointment puts the issue no closer to being resolved.<B><I> — J.R.K.</B></I>