Laurels & lances: Election, sportsmanship and honor

Laurel: To having your say. The people turned out and made their wishes known. Because of that, there will be a lot of change in the area come January.

Pittsburgh will have its first Black mayor in Democrat Ed Gainey, something not exactly surprising as the city hasn’t seated a Republican mayor in 88 years.

The GOP sweep of Westmoreland County offices and other municipalities is likewise not shocking in areas that have trended heavily red in recent years. It does mean seeing the end of long tenures in office for Coroner Ken Bacha and District Attorney John Peck.

The important thing here is not so much who walks away with a win or who holds a head high despite defeat. It’s that the people did their job, showing up at the polls or casting a mail-in ballot and making the choices that shape the government going forward.

Keep it up, citizens.

Lance: To bad sportsmanship. Armstrong School District students aren’t allowed at hockey games now. Students directed vulgar chants at a female goalie in a recent game against Mars Area. The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League is investigating.

Hockey can be a rough sport, but the blows should all come from fair play on the ice. There is no excuse for a player — any player — to take abuse from anyone in uniform or in the seats watching the game. The fans are there to support the team. Abusing someone doesn’t support anything.

Lance: To an untimely loss. Joe Wise died on Saturday, just three days before the election where he was the Republican candidate for a seat on the Allegheny County Council.

The Moon Township man was doing what more people need to do. He was participating in the process. He was standing up and volunteering to do his part to make the community a better place. It’s an admirable act that too few actually accept.

Wise should be honored for stepping up, and the best way to do so is for other people to get involved in his memory.