Laurel: To voter choice. Public dissatisfaction with Harrisburg's money grubbers coupled with a push by Operation Clean Sweep to get candidates on the ballot will give Westmoreland County voters something they didn't have in the last state election: a choice . Two years ago almost half of the state's incumbents ran unopposed. This year the status quo may face multiple challengers in the May 16 primary. To wit, Rep. Jess Stairs, a 15-term incumbent Republican from Acme, has two potential opponents. The same goes for Rep. Ted Harhai, a four-term Democrat from Monessen. Prospective candidates have until Tuesday to file nominating petitions. Let the races begin. Lance: To Mt. Pleasant Borough officials. Municipal meeting minutes from 1828 to 1901 and July 1966 to January 1994 have been reported missing. Even if these important public records turn up -- and here's hoping they do -- they shouldn't have gone missing in the first place. Of course, public records should be accessible. But a better protocol for their safekeeping is warranted. Laurel: To Murrysville officials. Recreation Director Michele Clark and police Chief Tom Seefeld have initiated a series of classes for parents and teens that examine the problem of juvenile crime and potential dangers to teenagers -- issues of which parents and teenagers may be unaware. In addition to disseminating information, the classes are intended to get parents and teens to talk to one another. Certainly most parents would agree that's a worthwhile goal. Lance: To the miscreant who shot a 13-year-old East Huntington girl's pet goat. What kind of sick mind derives pleasure from illegally killing animals, which more often than not turn out to be treasured pets• Even more disturbing, why are these sorry incidents becoming increasingly common• An observation: The case of the McKee Elementary School first-grader who brought a Swiss Army knife to school -- supposedly for "show-and-tell" -- raises questions. For starters, what's a 6-year-old doing with a knife• It's not a toy. Moreover, schools' zero-tolerance policies on weapons (and we're not talking about nail clippers) have been clear for years. Disciplinary action by the Jeannette City School District shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.

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