You can run, but you can't hide

"Fast Eddie" Gingerich, our local Amish manslaughter convict, and his band of brothers are facing trial in connection with concealing the whereabouts of Gingerich's daughter, Mary.

The Erie Times-News reports today that a rift has developed between the New Order and Old Order Amish living near Cambridge Springs. Apparently, things are getting a little crazy in the community, with incidents of harassment, trespass and disorderly conduct.

I've always been a little weirded out by the Amish--and I know they're trying to be different and don't really care what I think--but it's odd for me to think of them as people who would resort to violence and harassment. But I guess at the end of the day they're just people--prone to the same feelings of jealously and anger that we all sometimes are.

Local man found guilty of sexual assault of minor

The Erie Times-News reports that Cambridge Springs resident Brian Catalano was found guilty today of eight of ten sexual assault charges he faced. It took the jury under four hours to return the verdict. Sentencing is set for July 23; 49 years is the maximum he could face.

On trial

As you've probably heard, 43-year-old Brian Catalano of Cambridge Springs is on trial for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl at his Spring Street home in 2005. (Prosecutors are expected to rest their case today, according to this Erie Times-News story.)

Whether he's found guilty or not, the situation is a good reminder that there are six registered sex offenders living in the 16403 zip code (not including residents of SCI Cambridge Springs). More information on those citizens is available from the PA State Police Megan's Law website. It's scary to think how many more are in the area that we don't know about.

Speed Trap Springs, PA

The local section of today's Erie Times-News had a color photo of a Cambridge Springs Police cruiser sitting on Brink Drive waiting for unsuspecting motorists to zip through the 35-mph zone on Route 19. (The story was about seat belt law enforcement.)

I figure, for the most part, those speeding and paying the fines are out-of-towners, since local residents know where the cops are sitting. If that's indeed the case, the police should be pulling over double or triple the number of people that they are now. With all the extra revenue, they could lower the 1.9 percent earned income tax or water/sewer/garbage rates in town. Since that will never happen, they could use the extra money to clean up ballfields or parks or maybe even hire a bomb squad. Maybe it's a dumb idea, but when there's a potentially significant source of revenue out there, why not tap it?

Gimme drugs, kthx

The Erie Times-News published a story today about the newly opened Cambridge Springs Pharmacy.

I don't knows 'bout you, but I'm a little wary of getting my prescriptions for Viagra, Xanax, Paxil and Valtrex filled at a small town pharmacy. People talk too freaking much in this town, and I don't want anyone thinking that I have problems. My herpes is my business.

First Annual Firefly Music Festival

If you're into music (and maybe camping), check out the First Annual Firefly Music Festival website. The festival runs from Fri., July 27 through Sun., July 29, and will be held outside Cambridge Springs on State Route 77 next to Greenhill Cycle.

Three votes

The rumor mill suggests that I may have secured three write-in votes for the Democratic nomination for Crawford County prothonotary. There were no official candidates on the ballot.

I'll have to wait 'til all the votes are counted to see if I beat other write-in favorites Mickey Mouse and Osama bin Laden.

Write me in for Crawford prothonotary

GoErie.com has posted the slate of Crawford County races for Election Day tomorrow. County commissioner looks to be a heated race, as well as prothonotary, which is apparently a very well-paid clerk position. Five Republicans are vying for that nomination, while no one is running on the Democratic side of things.

If you're a Crawford County Democrat and would like to write me in for prothonotary, email me and I'll send you my name. My only campaign promise will be to make fun of Republicans, which I'm pretty sure will be an easy promise to keep. I would post my name here but I fear reprisal from the Cambridge Springs political machine.)

Don't forget to vote!

Recycling vs. lazy behavior

When the blue recycling bins were still in town, I was a pretty good recycler--especially of cardboard, newspaper, and plastic bottles. Now that the bins are gone, I've found out just how lazy I can be. Newspapers are piling up in a corner of my living room, plastic is going straight into the garbage, and I'm actually burning cardboard--which I'm not 100 percent sure is even legal to do in the borough, not to mention that it's increasing my carbon footprint.

I know that the blue bins were costing too much financially, but was the point of having them just to break even or make money? Wasn't the idea to help the environment in some little way? We taxpayers subsidize all sorts of other programs that in my view are far less important than recycling.

I guess if I were really that concerned, I'd be hauling my recyclables down to the bins at the Wal-Mart in Meadville. But if the town/county were serious about recycling, they would make it much easier for local residents to do--even if it ends up costing us a little bit of money.

Another bomb threat; no evacuation?

The Meadville Tribune reported that there was a bomb threat at Cambridge Springs High School this morning. Some 12-year-old boy/doofus admitted to scrawling the threat on a restroom wall.

The building was searched and nothing was found. According to my daughter, they didn't even tell the kids what was going on (she didn't know about until I called her after school); they just announced that students would be staying in classrooms a little bit longer than usual and told teachers to check their email.

Something about this doesn't sound right--it was serious enough for the police to search for a bomb, but not serious enough to evacuate the kids from the school?

Time to close Cussewago Elementary

It appears that, based on the number of cars parked outside Cambridge Springs High School tonight, there was a fairly big crowd at the community meeting to discuss the future of Cussewago Elementary School. It's a shame the decision has to come down to money, but an 106-student school in 2007 is no longer economically viable, to borrow a phrase from the guy with the sign outside the bank in the Michael Douglas flick Falling Down. I feel for the families who would be affected by a closure, but the possibility of it always had to be (or should have been) in the back of their minds. It's not as though talk of closing the school hasn't been going on for at least a decade--so long bus rides and bigger class sizes have always potentially been just around the corner. And it seems like we're pretty close to going around that corner.

Poker run to benefit Make-a-Wish Foundation

The Crossbow Inn and the Make a Wish foundation are presenting the First Annual Danielle Mitchell Poker Run, Sat. May 26 Rain or shine. Registration is from 10 a.m.-Noon. All proceeds benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Drivers $25--Passengers $20 Price includes T-shirt, Pig Roast, Live Entertainment and Door Prizes. We would like to see a good turn out for this event in Memory of Danielle Mitchell. Anyone with questions may call Scott or Jess at 398-8116.

Cambridge Springs Pharmacy

I see that a "Cambridge Springs Pharmacy" sign has gone up on the former Ken's/Quality storefront--anyone know when it's scheduled to open?

Pipe Bombs and Morons

Haven't posted here in too long--apologies for that (if anyone cares!).

But this whole parent-bringing-a-pipe-bomb-to-school thing is just shameful. There are people who make mistakes everywhere around the world, but sometimes I think Cambridge Springs was given an extra allotment of foolish decision makers. Or there's something in the water clouding people's judgment.

Read more about the Cambridge Springs school pipe bomb evacuation saga here (Meadville Tribune) and here (Erie Times-News).