Butler County Community College continues to have a growing impact in terms of providing educational opportunities to people of all ages. The college's expansion to Brockway, Jefferson County, further indicates the college's unwillingness to stand still when new potential advancements are identified or present themselves.

But the college's involvement in training for rescues using helicopters was a type of educational opportunity most people never would have envisioned for BC3.

Yet on Oct. 11 the college became the base for such training when two U.S. Army helicopters were at the campus for rescue training at the BC3 Public Safety Training Center.

Rescuers were lowered onto the fire training tower at the center, then retrieved.

Pennsylvania has become only the fifth state to implement a helicopter-based water rescue team. It is a joint civilian/military initiative involving the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and Pennsylvania National Guard, overseen by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

It was that team that was conducting the local exercises.

That BC3 was able to be a part of the training and presumably also will be in the future illustrates the diversity of educational facilities and opportunities available at the local campus.

BC3 dubbs itself as “The Smart Place to Start.” Those in charge of the Oct. 11 training displayed smarts in recognizing the opportunity available at the local campus.

Drivers who have logged multiple drunken-driving convictions have rightly caused concern and anger among drivers who obey the law and don't drive after having consumed alcoholic beverages. Likewise, that concern and anger has spilled over to other people who are placed in danger by such irresponsible individuals.But there also ought to be public concern about whether the courts are dealing adequately with other repeat offenders, and a Lyndora man is one example.Ronald Lee Doctor, 49, a 10-time convicted shoplifter, was arrested again for retail theft on Oct. 13. This time he allegedly opened food items at the Kmart store in the Pullman Plaza shopping center, feeding the items to his child. He also allegedly hid other items in the child's stroller and attempted to leave without paying for them.While the items involved in Doctor's latest shoplifting case weren't of great value, only $16, sometime long before now he should have received punishment that would have deterred him from further thefts, including the latest one.That no such punishment apparently was handed down is a blot — even if not a major one — on the courts that have watched his offenses mount.Honest people share the costs of retail theft, and honest people's interests should be considered in the sentencing process.While a first-time offender should be granted leniency, if the theft doesn't involve a huge sum of money, people like Doctor deserve no leniency.The courts should wake up to that fact.

The Moniteau School District is carrying through with its decision requiring varsity and junior varsity football players and coaches to attend two sessions dealing with hazing.The school board approved the requirement on Sept. 10 in the aftermath of an incident in which three players were accused of student-to-student hazing and were disciplined for that inappropriate conduct.The first anti-hazing session for the football players and staff was held Wednesday, and the second session is scheduled for Tuesday.But to its credit the district is looking beyond the football incident. Superintendent George Svolos has announced that officials are working with organizations to provide anti-hazing education to the entire district.“We're an education institution,” Svolos said. “It's important for us to provide learning and education so we can make the necessary changes and make a difference.”That's the kind of attitude that ought to be in play in all school systems.Wednesday's session was presented by Brian Crow, a professor of sports management at Slippery Rock University. Crow has done research on hazing and has conducted more than 45 programs for high school and college teams across the country.“I just want to teach them respect for each other, respect for the school and respect for the community,” Crow said.That's the kind of message all schools should hear.By its anti-hazing initiatives, Moniteau is setting an excellent example for others.