People react to news in different ways. Let's examine a couple of them.
Out in Penn-Delco, the controversy over the antics of their school board
continues to simmer.
The taxpayers in Aston, Brookhaven and Parkside are giving a new meaning
to citizenship. Everyone complains about things they don't like. Not
many people actually do anything about it.
Not so in Penn-Delco. First they started complaining. Then they took action.
And they haven't stopped.
Wednesday night they were out in force again, hundreds of them. They
jammed a school board meeting at Pennell Elementary School just as they
have jammed community Web sites and local petition drives for months.
They remain irate at the actions of some past and present board members,
as well as other officials.
The current focus of their ire is district Solicitor Mark Sereni, who
has proposed the board hire an independent counsel to look into possible
wrongdoing in the district, as well as leaks involving several members
of the board.
The move has not been well-received by district taxpayers. These are
folks who have for months watched as one bombshell after another was
rolled out in the district. The highlights include the resignation of
school board President Keith Crego after an infamous private dust-up
with a female board member in which they both filed protection from
abuse orders against each other; a criminal investigation into the
district's relationship with Quick Start Preschools LLC; and then the
sudden resignation of Superintendent Leslye Abrutyn.
Everyone in the district is now waiting for the results of the county
investigation.
Wednesday night residents were looking for a pound of flesh. It was
Sereni who was in the crosshairs. He managed to survive, holding onto
his job by the slimmest of votes.
But this controversy is not about to die down, at least not until the
district attorney is heard from. The hope was that the probe would be
concluded and results aired before the end of the summer.
Meaning school could possibly resume with a clean slate. That's looking
more and more unlikely now.
Instead, the smoldering embers of the district likely will again hit a
flash point just as students, teachers and staff are returning to the
classroom.
*
Speaking of flash points, I have seen people react to news stories in a
lot of ways in the past 25 years.
But I have never seen anyone react the way Lawrence Richette did
yesterday. He is the 48-year-old son of Philadelphia Common Pleas Court
Judge Lisa Richette.
The son now faces charges of assaulting his elderly mother in a domestic
dispute.
Wednesday Monique Braxton and a camera crew from NBC-10 TV news showed
up at his house seeking comment. They got more than they bargained for.
Richette answered the door in his bathrobe.
"Is the camera on?" he inquired of the TV crew. When informed it was,
Richette opened his robe. He wasn't wearing a lot underneath.
"That's what I think of TV news," Richette offered. Hey, it sure beats a
"no comment."
Of course, the footage aired last night.
I guess that's what you would call a news flash.
Unbelievable.
*
Moving Beyond 10,000 Losses: An occasional look at why it's so difficult
to be a Phillies – hell for that matter a Philadelphia – sports fan. No,
that was not Cole Hamels on the hill last night for the Phils. And yes,
that was them getting clocked by the Dodgers. J.D. Durbin didn't pitch
all that bad, just bad enough. He then turned it over to the bullpen,
which got torched. Hey, it could be worse. We could be Orioles fans.
They only gave up 30 runs in losing to the Rangers last night.

The Daily Numbers: 79, age of Philly Judge Lisa Richette, who police now
believe was physically assaulted by her son. She's now offering a
different story, saying she fell.
75,000 dollars, amount believed ripped off by a Ridley man from his
grandparents. He is the son of two convicted killers.<br><br>
<b>2</b> inches of rain expected to continue soaking the region here
today. That's on top of the inch and a half that already has fallen. A
flash flood warning remains in effect through tonight. <br><br>
<b>200</b> people who showed up for the latest drama in the Penn-Delco
School District Wednesday night.<br><br>
<b>49.60</b> per ton, what Springfield will pay for salt to get them
through the winter season. <br><br>
<b>59</b> degrees, where our temperatures bottomed out this week. Summer
returns Friday and we should be back in the 90s for the weekend, which
will come as little solace to those who spent the week shivering at the
shore, and paying through the nose for the privilege of doing it. <br><br>
<b>22,</b> age of man killed in Delaware when he fell off the hood of an
SUV. Police believe it may be a case of "surfing," in which people try
to stand or sit on the hood or roof of a moving car. <br><br>
<b>42</b> percent of Pennsylvania Democrats who are backing Hillary
Clinton. That's up 7 points. Barack Obama has dropped a similar 7
points, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. He's now at 12
percent. <br><br>
<b>3</b> pit bull terriers who turned on a woman in her Frankford home,
mauling her and leaving her hospitalized in critical but stable
condition with bites to her face, ears, arm and leg. <br><br>
<b>94,565,</b> the amount Springfield Ford will pay to settle a
complaint that it charged higher interest to its black customers. <br><br>
<b>180,857</b> dollars in bonus money for Richard Willey, boss of
Pennsylvania's student loan agency PHEAA. That's on top of his annual
salary of $289,118. <br><br>
<b>19</b> Phillies who have made their way onto the disabled list this
year. None is likely to hurt as much as the lack of Cole Hamels for the
next couple of weeks. <br><br>
<b>1</b> game back of the Padres, where the Phils now stand in the N.L.
Wild-Card race. They finish up their series with a Businessperson's
Special this afternoon.<br><br>
<b>30</b> runs surrendered by the Orioles at home to the Rangers last
night. In other words, twice the output the Dodgers rapped out against
the Phils. <br><br>

I Don't Get It (with apologies to Jack McCaffery): Sometimes you just
have to wonder if young people and cars are a good combination at all.
Police in Delaware say a 22-year-old man may have lost his life via "car
surfing," wherein you try to stay on the roof or hood of a moving car. I
don't get it.<br><br>

Today's Upper: They say we may see the sun this afternoon. Honest. It's
not October just yet. <br><br>

Quote Box: "I have a little boy that cares about what people think about
his dad."<br>
-- Penn-Delco Solicitor Mark Sereni, during another impassioned defense
of his actions at last night's board meeting.<br>

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