John Hayes at it again.

I called it. Another article from the PG's John Hayes full of misinformation. Hayes is the so called reporter who estimates that we have THOUSANDS of deer in Mt. Lebanon. Because we have thousands of deer, he has a photo of deer in Allegheny Cemetery. Our deer are so elusive that they can dodge press photographers.

Hayes writes in today's PG:

The public is invited to attend the commission’s work session at 6 p.m. Monday at Mt. Lebanon High School Fine Arts Theater. But they will not be permitted to speak. Or shout. Or chant and carry signs as did many during the protests prior to and during a controversial deer cull that was abruptly ended in March. So now we aren't allowed to carry signs either? Whose rule is that?

Hayes continues:

A few loose ends:
• In May, the Mt. Lebanon commission paid cull contractor Wildlife Specialists $3,000 — $500 for each of six deer killed in the 11 days of the aborted cull. 

And $12,000 to come up with Wildlife Specialists' plan. 

• There have been no arrests made in the vandalism and sabotage of contractor equipment, or for after-hours trespassing on park property during the culling program. 

From a Right To Know, police reports show that some of the police calls were for the silver truck that Benner's henchmen were using. Police reports also show that some of the calls included the killers trespassing on church property.

• Gardening expert Sandy Baker was paid $2,500 for several workshops and speaking engagements in April intended to help Mt. Lebanon residents deer-proof their gardens. 

Not $2,500, Folks. Sandy Baker was available the entire day at Earth Day in Main Park. She also gave three seminars at the Mt. Lebanon Public Library, lasting on average two hours each. Another presentation was made at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills. By comparison, Anthony DiNicola is charging Mt. Lebanon $2.000 to attend tomorrow evening's farce.

• Venison from deer killed during the cull was donated to Hunters Sharing the Harvest, a non-profit program that provides meat for food pantries and shelters. 

Sorry, John, it was donated to a virtual church in cyberspace, Link in the Chain Ministries. 

• $1,270 donated on a crowd-funding website to Citizens Against the Deer Cull was spent on supplies, food, a phone bank party and other support for anti-cull volunteers.

A phone bank party? Seriously? I had to fight with Kelly Fraasch to get reimbursed for the Sandy Baker dinner. Don't forget the 7.9% fee and 30¢ per donation, John.

• In April and May, 41 deer-related incidents were reported to Mt. Lebanon police.

Incidents are not accidents, John. Through a Right To Know, our former police chief said that the deer incident report is being used erroneously. 

 In "Mt. Lebanon to tackle deer problem again," our newest commissioner, who spoke as a private citizen during citizen comments in November that she was pro-kill is mentioned:

The latest wrinkle in the deer debate is the appointment in April of Coleen Vuono as a Mt. Lebanon commissioner. A former commissioner and president, she filled the seat of Kristen Linfante, who resigned in February for health reasons. Having watched from the sidelines as the community exploded in March, Ms. Vuono says she’s been updated on the details and is ready to roll up her sleeves.
“I was so disappointed and surprised at how this was handled. I want to have my input,” she said. “I think, yes, there is a deer problem. The goal is to reduce the number of traffic accidents caused by deer by 50 percent. Sterilization and some other things that have been discussed will not cut the deer population now. … We have all the information we need. It seems to me there is only one alternative and it’s to cull the herd.”
Ms. Vuono says she loves animals, but she loves her town more. The number of deer in Mt. Lebanon, she said, is many times higher than when she served on council from 1988 to 1991.
“People on both sides had some of the facts, but not all of the facts,” she said. “This is how it is now. There are just too many.”

Spoken as a true dictator. Where is the democracy? This is who your commissioners appointed unanimously, Mt. Lebanon.

Hayes interviewed a former New York Times reporter who has never been to Mt. Lebanon.

Jim Sterba says he’s seen it all before. Rancorous public meetings represented by at least 10 factions. Demands for a population count. Assurances that “too many” means deer are causing problems. Contradictory experts. Government dithering. Neighbor vs neighbor.
“And I’ve never even been to Mt. Lebanon,” said Mr. Sterba. A former New York Times and Wall Street Journal reporter, his coverage of many community deer conflicts led him to write “Nature Wars: The Incredible Story of How Wildlife Comebacks Turned Backyards into Battlegrounds,” published in 2013.
“These fights are far more widespread than most people imagine,” said Mr. Sterba, who lives in New York City. “They’re going on in literally hundreds — maybe thousands — of communities or townships or counties or state parks.”
In the late 1800s, when timbering and hunting were uncontrolled, there were very few deer in highly populated states, he said. Wildlife management agencies like the Game Commission were formed, and the habitat grew back in new configurations — lush suburban landscapes with no natural predators, no hunting and an unlimited supply of food. By the 1980s, urban deer populations had begun to grow out of control.
“Urbanites who didn’t grow up in rural areas generally don’t like killing the deer and are concerned about public safety with hunters out there,” he said. “Politicians, rather than upset voters on both sides, do nothing until the problem gets so out of hand, they’re forced to do something drastic.” 

So, how does the story end? 

“The same thing usually happens. The fights go on five or 10 years as they go through what will work and what won’t,” he said. “In most cases they fight on and on and on until they reach a tipping point, until they get past all the non-lethal means … and the people who don’t want to kill deer get an education in the consequences of a lack of civic responsibility. Finally, somebody makes a political decision and once they do, the kerfuffle dissipates fairly quickly.” 

So there you have it, Mt. Lebanon.  Our demands for a population count is just "kerfuffle." We will fade away. Soon, neighbors will be holding hands while sitting around our chimineas and singing "Kumbaya." The End.