Feds call out Amtrak safety issues
A look at the week that was, the issues and people who made headlines, and a few darts and laurels for those who deserve them.
DART: To Amtrak. The National Transportation Safety Board this week released their official findings from the April 2016 crash that took two lives in Chester. The results are not pretty. The feds blasted Amtrak for a culture that put safety on the back burner, with being on time taking precedence. Amtrak officials say they have already put several measures in place to rectify the problems. Too bad it took a loss of life to accomplish that.
LAUREL: To the NTSB. They did not mince words or spare anyone’s feelings in detailing what was going on at Amtrak. Simply put, they said this tragedy “could have been prevented.” It also should be noted that these kinds of in-depth investigations and reports take time. This one was a year and a half in the making. LAUREL: To Springfield firefighters. After responding to an accident scene, several members became intrigued with the plight of the Blackburn family, from North Carolina. They were in the area so their young daughter could continue treatment for eye cancer at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. They had a car crash in Springfield, and the firefighters were so moved they decided to raise money to help them out, as well as the Ronald McDonald Houses, which allow families of those receiving treatment to stay in the area. Well done, folks.
LAUREL: Speaking of firefighters, a huge thumb’s up to all those who responded to the raging inferno that swept through the Barclay Friends assisted living center in West Chester late Thursday night. Hundreds converged on the scene to evacuate more than 100 residents, many of them still in their beds or wheelchairs.
LAUREL: Speaking of a great reaction, special kudos should go out to the West Chester community for the way they rallied around the elderly victims of the fire. Neighbors and residents showed up once news spread of the fire with everything from blankets to help residents keep warm in the evening chill, to hot coffee and other sustenance. Now that’s a true sense of community. LAUREL: To one campaign ending, and another starting. That’s right, politics never sleeps. Now that Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan has won a seat on the county Court of Common Pleas, that means there will be a vacancy as the county’s top lawman. The appointment to fill the rest of Whelan’s term will be made by the county Board of Judges. Most political insiders believe County Councilman John McBlain is in line for the job. But this week we heard from someone else who would like the job. That would be R. Craig Williams. The former federal prosecutor is not new to politics. He lost in a run for Congress vs. Joe Sestak. Williams has sent a letter to GOP leader Andy Reilly indicating he would like the job, and wants to run in 2019. What happens if the appointment goes to McBlain could be very interesting.
DART: To Mike Turzai. The Speaker of the Pa. House of Representatives from Allegheny County confirmed what most already know. He wants to be governor. This after another budget disaster in which House GOP leaders again refused to consider a severance tax on natural gas drilling in the state, instead backing a plan to borrow a ton of money and expand legalized gambling in the state, none of which will do much to shore up the serious fiscal woes the state faces.
LAUREL: To Braddock Mayor John Fetterman. The hulking progressive made a lot of commonsense points in his run for the U.S. Senate vs. Pat Toomey and Katie McGinty. He now has his sights set on Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, who has not exactly endeared himself to Gov. Tom Wolf, who took away his security detail after reports of abuse by Stack and his wife.
DART: To all those political signs still littering the landscape. Yo, folks, the election’s over (and not a minute too soon for the Delco GOP). Let’s collect all those signs. You might want to hold on to some of them as collector’s items, as in do you remember when the Democrats won two seats on County Council and swept the three row offices?
LAUREL: To Martha Stewart. Not for any special reason, but the domestic diva did not make a stop in Delco recently for a tasting and book signing out at Terrain at Styers in Glen Mills. The place was packed.
LAUREL: To Cracker Barrel. We’re not sure if Martha is a big fan, but there were no shortage of people lined up before dawn Monday for the official opening of the county’s first Cracker Barrel, on Stewart Avenue in Ridley across from the Boeing plant. A big thumb’s up to Cassidy Macomber, who was first in line to get into the place.
DART: To another fee in Chester. Yep, just what home owners and businesses in the struggling city need. Most home owners will be looking at a new $15 monthly fee slapped on them by a new Chester Stormwater Authority. But for businesses and larger properties it could be more – a lot more. As you might guess, lots of people are unhappy about it. The city got a $1 million grant to cover some expenses and get up and running, but residents and businesses will be picking up the tab with the monthly fee.
LAUREL: To the folks at the Boothwyn American Legion Post 591. They showed that there are many aspects to this whole First Amendment issue last weekend when they decided to send a message to National Football League players who have taken to protesting during the playing of the National Anthem before games. The post blacked out football for the day, instead airing highlights from the 1980 Phillies World Series championship.
DART: Uh, guys, we did notice that it just happened to be the Eagles’ bye week. Wonder if the game will still be blacked out Sunday night when the Birds invade Dallas for a prime time encounter.
LAUREL: To longtime Philly radio guy John DeBella. Once again this year he’ll be doing his Turkey Drop to benefit Cityteam in Chester. It’s the 16th year the DJ has run the event, collecting frozen turkeys, cash checks and supermarket coupons, all to help the needy in the region. Well done, John.
LAUREL: To all those who took part in the 29th annual Special Olympics Fall Festival held weekend at Villanova University. They proved once again it’s not necessarily the final score that makes winners. They’re winners in our book. LAUREL: To the Eagles. Everything is breaking their way. Even when they’re not playing, the gain ground. All three of their NFC East rivals lost last weekend. And yes, go ahead and raise your hand if you could not hold back a smile as the Falcons smacked around the Cowboys. LAUREL: Fresh off the bye week, the Birds now have another prime time date. They have the chance to show the rest of the country what all the excitement in this 8-1start is all about.