What is it with our public information officers?

Parents outraged after 9 students suspended for drinking at HS football game

The superintendent and school board directors refused to speak to the reporter about this. What about Cissy Bowman? Isn't she supposed to speak to the media? That's her job. What is it with our public information officers?

The policy on alcohol is here. Policy JICH Student Drug and Alcohol Offenses Evidently, parents are outraged because Mt. Lebanon is enforcing their policy. Entitlement at its finest.

Our kids are dying

Recently during Citizen Comments, I made an observation about Commission meetings.  Month after month, I sit through discussions about turf and deer. People have come up to the podium and would exclaim, "Our kids have no place to play toddler soccer.  We must have turf." or "Will it take a death to get you people to do something about these deer?" How many deaths does it take for Mt. Lebanon to do something about the drug problem here?

Mt. Lebanon has a heroin problem. We live in a community where all the fundraisers for Outreach revolve around alcohol. We had discussions here about how some parents think it is perfectly acceptable to bring alcohol to ball games. Parents encourage their children to go to Under 21 Clubs instead of supporting the School District's decision to enforce Snowball guidelines. We have Blaise's infamous "21 Club."  In the Municipal budget, $12,000 has been set aside to count deer, yet how much has been allocated to drug enforcement?

One "anonymous" commenter here announced that we need to eradicate the deer. Every single one. I believe we need to eradicate the drug dealers. They have moved into Mt. Lebanon and our kids are dying. Yes, folks, drug dealers are right here in this Norman Rockwell painting.

Upon news of recent drug overdoses, I called my children just to hear their voices. When I told my son about the bad heroin that has hit Mt. Lebanon, he said that there is no such thing as good heroin. It is heroin.  My daughter reminded me of classmates who died from drug overdoses.  This has been going on for years.

I continued at the podium to say that the commissioners have ongoing discussions about Sports Advisory Boards and Joint Maintenance Agreements. I asked them when they were going to take off their blinders and look around. When will we have a Drug Advisory Board? I asked if we could take Kristen Linfante's $12,000 budgeted deer survey and put it towards drug enforcement.

Whatever Mt. Lebanon has been doing, it isn't working. Our kids are dying. Thankfully, Kelly Fraasch has stepped up (again) to take on this mission. As the newly appointed school board liaison, Kelly met with Josephine Posti, the commission liaison, to discuss the drug problem in Mt. Lebanon. In her latest post, The concerns about drug use in Mt. Lebanon, Kelly shares how the Municipality and School District will join forces to form a drug task force to "send a message to the street that Mt. Lebanon is no longer open for business" as Josephine mentioned in her report last night to the school board.

I want to thank Kelly for taking on this serious issue and bringing it to the School District.  Finally, the discussion is getting away from sports, turf, and deer. I also want to thank the School District for working with the Commission.  In my mind, this is the number one issue in Mt. Lebanon.

Full count. Pass the bottle.

I have a little rule that I like to follow. When I hear a complaint from three or more people, I think it might be time to write about it. I am not very popular with the sports groups around here as it is, so this will definitely throw some people over the edge.

I have not been to a youth sporting event in Mt. Lebanon for many years. From what I have been told, things have really changed since I attended. I understand it has become common practice for parents to bring alcohol to their kids' games. I do enjoy a good margarita or a glass of wine now and then, but I have never brought alcohol to any of the sporting events. First, I don't think it is appropriate. Second, or maybe it should have been first, I don't think it is legal to drink in our parks or school grounds.

I just started a new poll about alcohol and youth sporting events. Please take a moment to vote.  Thanks.