On the political campaign front, at least in terms of the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate seat up for grabs, it appears as if it is going to be a very long summer and fall.

Instead of focusing on the issues that such an important contest ought to be debating, the campaign has become nasty, sidetracking incumbent Republican Rick Santorum and his Democratic challenger, Pennsylvania Treasurer Robert Casey, from the national topics that should be in the spotlight.

The voters don't deserve such tactics and should demand better. Indeed, both of the candidates should pledge to put the "nasties" aside and run positive campaigns, regardless of how difficult that might be at this juncture.

The Santorum-Casey contest is being watched across the nation because of its importance as a barometer of voter opinion regarding the Bush administration's performance. The campaign shouldn't provide a bigger blotch on this state's politics than what the Pennsylvania General Assembly already has been so successful at doing.

Pennsylvania is lucky in having two very-qualified candidates for the Senate seat. That fact alone should be capable of keeping the campaign within the parameters of what campaigns should be about.

It's time for Santorum and Casey to step back, rethink and return the contest to the issues dialogue that the voters deserve — and should demand.

If not, by summer's end, some voters might be inclined not to vote for either of them.

The nine members of a Moniteau High School academic decathlon team that captured third place in the nation not only exhibited exemplary knowledge and talent but, by way of their success, also honored their school and the teachers who have taught them over the years.Moniteau competed online against 22 other school districts in math, anatomy, language and literature, music, art, essay writing, economics, plus a variable subject, which this year was the Renaissance. The Moniteau team captured first place in the state competition, winning the right to vie for the national title.Dana Thomas was the Moniteau adviser who worked to prepare the team for competitions leading up to the national event. Moniteau has been fielding a decathlon team for at least a dozen years.The competition requires year-long preparation — not an easy task amid other schoolwork responsibilities and extracurricular activities.Members of the team were Cory Campbell, Jesse Delach, Ryan Eberlein and Michael Pope, all seniors; Mark Holselder, Matt O'Malley, Travis Shaffer and Cody Slater, all juniors; and Paul Thompson, a sophomore.The competition, which is sponsored by the United States Academic Decathlon, is open to students in grades 9 through 12.

Chalk up another success story for the American Red Cross.It was the life-saving technique learned during a Red Cross infant CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class that enabled Braelene Miller of Buffalo Township to save the life of her 3-year-old daughter, Kinzie, on Mother's Day.Kinzie began choking on a piece of fudge, and her mother applied the method she learned in the Red Cross class to dislodge the fudge, allowing the child to resume normal breathing."I credit God and the American Red Cross with saving my daughter's life," Braelene Miller said.Their story should be an incentive for other mothers and fathers to sign up for Red Cross CPR classes when they are available.In fact, everyone should receive such training so they'll be able to respond swiftly and correctly, not only to emergencies involving children, but for anyone who might be choking.The ending to the Millers' story was a happy one, because of the skills Braelene learned. Too bad there are times when the ending is tragic, because there is no one present with training on how to respond to such an emergency by way of CPR.<B><I> — J.R.K.</B></I>