Laurels and barbs

The Tribune-Democrat

October 03, 2008 10:44 am

— Laurel: We’ve been saying it all along and now the Commonwealth Court has made it official: Philadelphia cannot enact gun laws tougher than the state law. In dismissing a lawsuit against the Legislature, the court cited language in several gun ordinances the Philly council passed last year that the measures cannot take effect unless the Legislature were to let municipalities enact stricter laws. We’ll continue to editorialize against that happening.
Barb: A lot of folks were stunned at the arrest of Debra Zilch, the well-known administrator of Specialty Life-Care Service, an assisted-living facility in Kernville. She is accused of stealing more than $50,000 from a 91-year-old resident’s bank account. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I will repay the money,” Zilch said. We hope so. Please keep a close watch on the welfare of your aged loved ones. They are so vulnerable.
Laurel: For six years now, the Flood City Corvette Club has sponsored a large and popular car cruise-in, the past two years at Jennerstown Speedway. This year the club’s proceeds were donated to the Salvation Army’s “Bundle Up for Kids” project and to radio station WKYE-FM for its longtime “12 Wishes of Christmas.” Each received $750. The cruise-in is an entertaining event that benefits wonderful causes.
Barb: The story was a shocking one. Two girls, 16, were videotaped slapping and punching each other for five minutes in the basement of a Johnstown home, with the fight then being posted on the Internet. Denise Burt of Jacob Street, in whose home the battle is alleged to have taken place, is facing charges filed by the city police department. Burt allegedly told the two girls to “wait a minute” while she moved piles of laundry to make room for the fight. She then did nothing to stop the fight, police allege.
Laurel: The public will have easier access to Pennsylvania court data with a redesigned Web site: www.pacourts.us. “All our appellate court opinions are here as well as statewide dockets, annual statistical reports, court calendars, news releases and much more,” said Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille. Users will have direct access to court opinions for the Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth courts, as well as docket sheets for appellate, criminal and magisterial district courts. Check it out.