Cheers & Jeers
Jeers: Yet another sad case of animal abandonment made the news this week, this time involving two young puppies left along Interstate 79. A Good Samaritan who witnessed the unknown culprit’s callous act retrieved the animals and took them to a local veterinary hospital. The two are now being fostered by Pet Search volunteers and will be available for adoption after their medical histories and personalities are determined. Said Pet Search director Sherry Knight, “They were traumatized. They were very scared.” Aside from being cruel, abandoning a dog is against the law, and can carry a fine of between $300 and $1,000, plus court costs. Do the right thing and surrender unwanted pets to an animal rescue organization, who will make every effort to find the animal a good home.
Cheers: At a time when some police departments are struggling to fill vacancies, Indiana University of Pennsylvania has finalized an agreement to locate a satellite municipal police training academy in Southpointe. IUP’s Criminal Justice Training Center will launch on a part-time basis May 10, with a full-time class anticipated in March 2026. “There is a definite need for trained police officers in our region and in our commonwealth, and we are very pleased to provide this additional training site to help to meet this critically important workforce need,” said training center Director Marcia Cole. More than 99% of graduates are hired as officers in municipalities across Pennsylvania. Cole hopes that the new satellite center at Southpointe will help fill the gaps for departments in the Pittsburgh region.
Cheers: While it’s still months off, the business incubator in Waynesburg moved another step closer to opening its doors at the Silveus Building on High Street. Last week, the Greene County commissioners’ approved a request for proposal from eHive, an entrepreneurial and innovation hub at Waynesburg University, to complete an operational and strategic plan for the project. The $55,000 cost will be covered by grants from the EQT and Benedum foundations. While the RFP notes working with Waynesburg University and West Virginia University student entrepreneurs, the project also targets existing small business operators who want to grow as well as cultivating new start-ups. The project could also provide an avenue for retaining young talent in the area, noted Commissioner Betsy McClure. “You walk out of the university, you walk into the incubator space with what you’ve been working on for four years, and then you walk into the community, and we retain you here because you have tools to be successful.”