Laurel: To heroes of the storms. Last weekend's historic snowstorm and even more snow on Wednesday were no match for the mettle of Western Pennsylvanians. From those who helped their neighbors dig, plow and snowblow out of the mess to others who checked on elderly neighbors or picked up groceries for those snowed in, all deserve credit for going the extra mile during extraordinary circumstances.

Lance: To schmoes in the snow. With all this wintery weather, you'd think reckless drivers would have learned by now to slow down when conditions warrant it. Nope. Too many with all-wheel drive still think they're invincible until they lose control -- like the moron we witnessed Friday last in Unity who went careening across Route 30, drove up an embankment and nearly flipped. Some people seem determined to learn snow physics the hard way.

Lance: To the State Ethics Commission. It sent the wrong message by reducing, from $64,475 to $12,000, the penalty for the former Western Westmoreland Municipal Authority treasurer, who was accused of bilking ratepayers big-time for conference expenses for himself and his spouse. In return for the reduced penalty, Robert Eathorne, 72, has agreed not to seek future public office. Now there's a deal. Where's the full penalty for abusing the public trust -- or the lesson for others tempted to help themselves to the public's purse?

Lance: To the "surprise" drug search at Greensburg Salem schools. Apparently the spontaneity of a recent raid was lost when high school students beforehand saw police and dogs gathered nearby at a fire station. Police found no illegal drugs at the high school or middle school. If anything, the exercise provided some insight into how not to prepare for subsequent drug searches.

Laurel: To skillful rescue workers. Using ropes and rappelling gear, emergency workers descended a steep hillside to reach a truck driver whose rig crashed through a guardrail and tumbled off the Pennsylvania Turnpike near New Stanton. Within two hours the rescue was completed. It's another demonstration of the fine training and skill utilized by local emergency personnel.

An observation: More and more public school teachers, sensing the coming storm over a huge spike in school districts' pension contributions, are demanding "fairness" under a system they've paid into -- but which is anything but fair. Was it fair that idiotic state lawmakers handed teachers and other state workers a 25 percent pension boost in 2001 on the presumption of a perpetual strong economy• Is it fair that most folks, who typically bear the brunt of their own retirement plan losses, must bail out these state plans• Sadly, the public pension bite that awaits taxpayers in 2012 has precious little to do with fairness.

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