Butler County is fortunate to have been experiencing a slow melting of last month's heavy snow. That alleviated some — but not all — of the fears about the potential for serious flooding, particularly along Connoquenessing Creek.

It's commendable that officials, especially in the southwestern part of the county, where the Connoquenessing generally poses a greater threat, were not lulled into complacency by the sunshine and slow-melting snow. Throughout the past week, they remained alert to the possibility of flooding caused by predicted rain later in the week and had a plan of action in place should flooding occur.

This county's location, away from the big rivers that pose flood danger to places such as Pittsburgh, usually doesn't require the sort of flood preparation that those high-risk areas must undergo. But Hurricane Ivan, the remnants of which wreaked havoc in parts of this county in September 2004, was an unhappy reminder that flood preparedness is necessary here too.

Don Pepe, Zelienople borough manager and emergency management coordinator for Harmony Borough, seemed to be exercising the right perspective when he observed, "We don't want to overly alarm everyone . . . but folks need to be aware and be cautious until this snow melts and we get through any rain that may come."

The heavy snow caused much misery in Western Pennsylvania. Too bad there is no guarantee that the warmer temperatures will spare this part of the state more trouble.

Gov. Ed Rendell announced last week that state law prohibits him from unilaterally taking steps to extend the March 1 deadline for homeowners to apply for residential property tax cuts financed by taxes on slot-machine gambling.Rendell's announcement came after state Auditor General Jack Wagner urged the governor to issue an executive order extending the deadline to April 15.It's laudable that Rendell is paying attention to the deadline set by law. But it is right to ask why Rendell has been an active participant in ignoring a dictate of the state constitution regarding approval of a state budget.Rendell has been a "co-conspirator" with the General Assembly — however unwanted — in preventing budget passage by the June 30 deadline.But granting an extension to some homeowners apparently is deemed by Rendell to be a greater offense than eroding an important provision of the state's constitution. In this instance, it appears Rendell's priorities have taken a wrong turn.This is not to imply that it's right for Rendell or the General Assembly to act contrary to any law. It is merely a reminder to the governor that while he said he would not violate the law setting March 1 as the deadline for applying for the residential property tax cuts, he has been less committed to other deadlines.The General Assembly bears much of the fault for what has become the annual state budget morass. However, Rendell has been equally responsible.Laws aren't meant to be broken, and the state constitution is not meant to be ignored.

Those who stepped forward to help a 32-year-old Butler woman whose wheelchair ramp was stolen last weekend from in front of her home are testimony to the compassion and generosity in this community.In the end, Courtney Wilbert of Standard Avenue, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, ended up with two ramps to replace the one that was stolen.Although compassion and generosity have overcome the criminal mind-set that threatened to make Wilbert's life more difficult, there still must be effort and determination by police to identify and bring to justice the individual or individuals responsible for the theft.At the very least, there has to be some type of community service available to give the thief or thieves a firsthand look into the hardships of people with disabilities. Whoever was responsible for the theft obviously lacked that perspective last Sunday when Wilbert's ramp was stolen while she and her husband were working at their home."We were kind of down in the dumps Sunday when it was taken," Wilbert said. "But, everyone has rallied around us."But such a response is not new to this community. The response to Wilbert's plight is an extension of what has been witnessed many times in the past when people have been struck by misfortune or been the victim of criminal acts.There will be times in the future when more generosity and compassion will be needed for others who experience hardship, and no doubt this community will respond.