The South Butler School Board and South Butler Education Association don't deserve any awards for persistence in trying to end the current contract dispute over the summer vacation.

In the 77 days between June 22, the last day of classes for the strike-marred 2008-09 school year, and the start of 2009-10 classes on Sept. 8, board and education association negotiators met face to face just seven times.

That fact didn't project real urgency in trying to get a contract in place before classes resumed.

District teachers have been working under terms of a contract that expired on June 30, 2008.

Although the board and teachers began daily weekday negotiations Tuesday evening, after the teachers delivered notice that they intended to launch a new strike Sept. 21, district residents are justified in asking why daily negotiations weren't launched during the summer months.

So, barring a settlement, the stage is set for disruption of another year of education in the district. If a strike occurs, students who began a structured plan of learning will have that learning interrupted and will have to gear up again for classroom work once the walkout ends.

Perhaps the state legislature should be thinking about passing a law outlawing strikes except at the beginning of a school year, so learning isn't disrupted once it's in progress.

Meanwhile, if another South Butler walkout does occur, apparently it will again be business as usual for athletics. That's wrong. Athletics and all other extracurricular activities should be shut down while a strike is in progress.

Whatever the terms of the contract finally agreed upon, the district and its taxpayers will have to live with it. But, that said, it's unconscionable that most of the summer's negotiating possibilities were lost apparently because one or both sides put the emphasis on vacation rather than meaningful negotiations and compromise to reach a settlement.

What a learning experience that fact has provided for district students and taxpayers.

America's automobile industry is in need of any positive new ideas it can muster. General Motors deserves a thumbs-up for a new plan it has introduced to try to win back customers' confidence and regain lost market share.In a program dubbed "May the Best Car Win" that will get under way Monday and continue through Nov. 30, GM will allow buyers of new GM vehicles to return them, no questions asked, for a full refund within 31 to 60 days if they don't like their new Chevrolet, GMAC, Buick or Cadillac.Of course there are conditions: The vehicles must not have been driven more than 4,000 miles and the drivers must be current on their payments — and the program doesn't apply to leased vehicles.However, the program seems capable of attracting some customers who might have been leery of buying a GM vehicle, considering the automakers' past and current problems.New GM Chairman Edward Whitacre Jr. deserves praise for his willingness to approve such a notable and bold initiative.

MEDRAD, which has a manufacturing facility in Clinton Township's Victory Road Business Park, deserves special praise for its commitment to United Way's Week of Caring.The company authorized more than 800 employees' participation in United Way projects. MEDRAD, which, in addition to the Clinton Township plant, has its company headquarters in the Thorn Hill Industrial Park in Marshall Township, Allegheny County, as well as other facilities in the Pittsburgh region, said its employees would participate in 49 projects in Butler, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties.Although on a much smaller scale, but no less appreciated, other companies are planning to release employees for United Way-related work during the coming week.The Week of Caring, which officially begins on Monday, will continue through Sept. 18. United Way of Butler County's National Day of Serv-ices and Remembrance was held Friday and began with a kickoff at 6 a.m. in Butler's Diamond Park.The Week of Caring not only is beneficial in terms of bringing about needed improvements, but it also enables workers in various facets of the Butler County economy to gain a better understanding of the county's economy in general, during conversations while work is under way.Participants will be showing their dedication to their community as well as serving as ambassadors for the companies they represent.As MEDRAD's large contingent of workers demonstrates, that's a win-win situation.