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DART: To Cliff Wilson. The very next day, the state party chair blistered the top Delco Dem for his tactics in ousting Upper Darby party boss John Furth.
LAUREL: To Albert Snyder. The York, Pa., father had to endure the heartbreak of losing his son in Iraq. Then he had salt rubbed in his wounds by members of the Westboro Baptist Church. The Topeka, Kan.-based group has taken to protesting the funerals of U.S. soldiers. They believe the U.S. casualties in Iraq are the retribution of an angry God because of the country’s tolerance of gays. Snyder is fighting back. He has filed suit to halt the picketing. The bottom line is the group has a constitutional right to speak their mind. And we have a right to call it what it is: Simple hate with no redeeming value.
DART: Speaking of incredibly harsh stances, how about that Ann Coulter. The conservative columnist has a new book coming out. In it she attacks the positions of the widows of 9/11 victims who pushed for the commission to investigate the terrorist attack. She has every right to do so. But in the process, she claims, "I’ve never seen people enjoying their husbands’ death so much." That’s over the edge. Way over the edge.
LAUREL: To Habitat for Humanity, and all those financial backers and volunteers who created the "Miracle on Melrose" this week. They erected four new homes on what was a vacant lot at 10th and Melrose streets in Chester. It represents everything good that is happening in the city.
DART: To the knuckleheads who police believe engaged in a gun battle on Tuesday at a garage at Third and Kerlin streets. Surprise -- police believe it stemmed from a feud among warring drug factions. It represents what’s wrong in the city and the image they still must overcome.
LAUREL: To Glenn Graff and the men like him. They are the heroes who stormed the beach at Normandy 62 years ago on D-Day, and started the process of retaking the European continent from Nazi Germany. More than 60 years later, their numbers are dwindling; their stature is not.
DART: To those who spent this important date wondering about the satanic possibilities of 6-6-06 and, in the process, not remembering the incredible sacrifice of so many young men on D-Day.
DART: To David Downey. The Montgomery County businessman is on trial for his role in the death of a teen escort who came to his home. Prosecutors say he gave her a fatal dose of cocaine and then left her to die on his sofa. His defense? The fact that he did nothing to aid her, or the realization that he might have handled things differently, does not make him a malicious murderer. Nice guy.
LAUREL: To Nicole Wilson. The new manager at the Delaware County SPCA is charting a course to bring the troubled shelter out of the shadows and into a new era of service and responsibility. It’s a daunting job. We hope she’s up to it.
DART: To the folks at PHEAA. They’re the people who run the state’s student loan program. They like operating in secret. In fact, they are steadfastly refusing to turn over documentation to statewide news organizations. They seem to forget who pays their salaries. That’s right. You do. It’s public money, and the public’s business. Too often public servants lose sight of that fact.
LAUREL: To the memory of Dave Smith. The man they called "Mr. Media" was remembered in a packed Media Theatre this week. He was memorialized for his efforts in business, political, professional and entertainment circles. The tragic accident that took his life clearly has not diminished his legacy.
DART: To anyone who would vandalize or defile a cemetery. They call it a final resting place for a good reason. It’s supposed to be permanent. Shame on those who instead would tread on such hallowed ground, then rip off what they can to try to make a quick buck.
LAUREL: To Upper Darby police Superintendent Mike Chitwood. The camera-loving top cop held a press conference this week. That’s not exactly news. But he also showed off hundreds of guns just before sending them off to be melted down. They were used in a variety of crimes and getting them off the streets makes Upper Darby a safer place. Well done.
LAUREL: To Springfield lacrosse star Sarah Geary and her sister Lauren, for proving what athletics and sibling support can really mean.
DART: The Phillies. Win some, lose some. Make up your minds, guys. This winning streak followed by a losing streak is going to get us exactly nowhere.
