Patrick L. Duncan, 30, of East Butler has been described as a "model inmate" at the Butler County Prison since his arrest last fall tied to a Butler hit-run accident that killed a bicyclist.

At a hearing Monday during which he pleaded guilty to charges that included a felony count of accidents involving death or personal injury, Duncan's defense attorney Michael Jewart told Judge Timothy McCune that his client had earned his General Equivalency Diploma and attended drug and alcohol programs in prison.

"He's one of the most trusted inmates down there," Jewart said.

Still, it seems unfair that Duncan, responsible for the death of another person, under a plea arrangement faces only a prison sentence of one to two years, minus a day, and fines and restitution of just $1,250.

The criminal justice system should value a life more highly.

Seven Fields Borough deserves a seat on the Cranberry Township police advisory council by virtue of its new five-year police services contract with the township, agreed upon last year.It's a positive step that the representation now is in place. On Monday, the Seven Fields Borough Council appointed Councilman Bob Messina to the advisory group, which will assist with the interview process for new police officers.Tom Smith, borough manager, said the council had had the growing belief that it was only fair that someone from the borough be a member of the advisory council."With the amount of money Seven Fields is expending on an annual basis for police services, we wanted some form of voice in the (interview) process," he said.He said the issue was crucial in the negotiations that had produced the new five-year pact, which also has a two-year option that could extend police coverage until the end of 2016.Having one Seven Fields resident as a member of the advisory council won't provide the borough with major clout on that council, but it will provide a forum for the borough's opinions to be heard.With the borough paying the township $307,000 this year for police coverage, it deserves the right to know what hirings are being considered, and the right to either express support for — or opposition to — those hirings.And, there could be instances when Cranberry might benefit from the Seven Fields viewpoint.

Good firefighters, whether they be paid or volunteer, don't assume anything when they arrive at the scene of a blaze.To their credit, the firefighters who responded to a fire triggered by a lightning strike early Thursday didn't assume that the occupant of the condominium unit that was the lightning victim had already left her residence. The firefighters broke into the unit, where they found Tonia Koltiska, 76, who lived alone, still inside.They brought her out of the unit safely.The situation was ripe for possible error. Neighbors had knocked on Koltiska's door, trying to alert her about the fire, but got no response.Since Koltiska sometimes visited overnight at her daughter's home in Cranberry Township, getting no response, the neighbors thought that might have been the case on this day.It wasn't and, thanks to firefighters' quick work, she was spared injury or worse.Early Thursday was a challenge for many volunteer firefighters in Butler County's southern sector who worked to help residents who experienced damage from torrential rain. Their response, as well as the response connected to the lightning strike, was exemplary.The actions surrounding Koltiska's rescue can serve as a valuable teaching tool for the fire departments on the scene, when those departments conduct training for junior firefighters or for individuals preparing to join the regular firefighting ranks.