Laurel: To the North Shore underpass improvement program. Just as Pittsburghers don't like to cross rivers, they abhor traveling through seedy-looking underpasses. And the city's North Shore has some of the seediest. But a $1 million project, a cooperative effort between the Sports & Exhibition Authority and the Northside Leadership Conference, seeks to remedy all that.
Plans are to spruce up underpasses on Allegheny Avenue and Federal Street and Anderson and Sandusky streets. Money's still needed to spruce up the Merchant Street underpass. It's a laudable effort worthy of the public's support.
Lance: To Jake Wheatley Jr. It turns out that the Democrats' endorsed candidate in the May 21 primary for the 19th Legislative District has a felony larceny conviction (out of Michigan a decade ago) in which he successfully served two years' probation.
Mr. Wheatley, 30, says he hasn't exactly hidden the fact on the campaign trail. But his campaign literature doesn't mention the conviction directly. True, Wheatley appears to have overcome his legal problems. Still, he should have been more forthright.
Laurel: To the Allegheny County Department of Public Works. Fast on the heels of a Trib investigation that showed traffic citations for speeding had not increased following fatal traffic accidents in county parks, the department has begun to install speed bumps.
Five already have been installed along North Shore Drive in North Park. More speed bumps - technically known as "speed tables" - are to be installed in South and Boyce parks by Memorial Day, weather permitting. Kudos.
Lance: To Pittsburgh City Council. It has given preliminary approval to a measure that would, effective June 1, begin fining motorists $95 for blocking Downtown intersections. Sounds like a reasonable plan, right⢠Wrong.
A far more reasonable plan would be to fine the Pittsburgh traffic cops who don't seem to know how to direct traffic and, thus, regularly guarantee that Downtown intersections are blocked. Where's Vic Cianca when you need him?
Lance: To Bob Casey Jr. The Democrat gubernatorial hopeful, responding to a debate question about possibly privatizing the state liquor stores, says the state must maintain control because, in part, skilled state clerks are needed to prevent underage drinking. It takes "skill" to check an I.D.⢠Well, maybe - for liberals !
