That certainly is interesting. I got a buddy that lives in town there and he heard that they were clear cutting that and going to put townhouses there. He said there was a demand for more types of that kind of housing. I am not sure what he exactly meant. If you find anything out please let me know.

I also heard that those ladies were bad seeds. Me and my friend did have some dealings with them in a bar in town and, to say the least they were a bit on the mean side to us. I heard that they controlled what got done and who was allowed to help. My buddy tried to help with one of the parades there and he said they were really mean and made fun of him and another lady that wanted to help. I don't know, bro, but that might be a good thing, them getting dumped. Just my expereince.

Did you have any delaings with them? just wondering.

Thanks for keeping us updated on the town. Keep up the good work.

As i sit here and read weekly all the happenings that people post on here it saddens me to look at what Trafford has become. I grew up in this town and I was always proud to say where i came from. I came from a town that wasn’t littered with trash and houses uncared for. Trafford was always a well maintained community. Trafford people were proud people. People could walk the streets at night and know everyone that they came in contact with. Not have to wonder if they may have walked up on someone that was in the mist of vandalizing another’s property. A town that knew the police officers by name and where they lived. A police department that didn’t harass the community with speeding tickets. I remember when all Charley had to do was wag his finger at you and you knew he meant you better slow it down. Our officers back then knew everyone and their kids. That alone kept the kids in check. We respected our neighbors. We shoveled snow for our elderly and didn’t expect anything in return. Not to say that we didn’t make some extra cash shoveling snow or cutting grass or doing odd jobs for people. But we also gained self pride and respect within ourselves knowing we did something good.. I felt good to help others. I grew up in a town that had paper boys and girls and we all did a good job at it. We looked after our elderly that way. When "Mrs. Smiths " papers stacked up we knew to notify someone that something might be wrong. We loved playground days and looked forward to going to Blue Dell pool. We loved all our candy stores. We loved walking with all our neighborhood kids to CCD on Monday nights. We had sled ridding on the middle school steps. . Swimming at the Bend. Fishing at the BY pond. Parking at the BY after dusk and having the police come to check on us and know it was OK to be there. Not out on the streets but in a safe place in OUR COMMUNITY. A community that had every kid in a baseball or softball uniform. Walking to their games in herds of green blue orange red etc etc colors. Gloves and bats in hand. A community that blocked of the street for its annual fireman’s fair. A community with the best display of fireworks around. A display that brought surrounding communities together. The 4th of July fair. A fair that had every organization in town with a booth for their cause. Ethnic foods, games, fireman’s water dunk. Fairs that had so many people in attendance that there was parking that had to be directed all over town. We used the middle school steps back then. We walked to school on them. We rode sleds there. We rode our bikes down the beaten path along the steps. We all walked to our ball games there. We utilized the tennis courts. OR we just played tennis ourselves hitting tennis balls off the side of the school building. We knew every inch of this town. We all had to be home by the sound of the Westinghouse whistle. Or at least on our block. It wasn’t out of the ordinary to hear your mother hollering out the front door for you. Because she knew you where with in an ear shot after that whistle. We played out doors all day. We used our tree filled empty lots as our playgrounds. There isn’t one kid that grew up in this town that don’t know how to make forts out of what ever we could find laying around. And people didn’t mind. We were not out vandalizing. We where being kids. Kids cant be kids in this town anymore. No one trusts anyone anymore. I think the kids feel that they are all marked for bad. When you don’t have anything for the kids to do your going to have trouble. We are taking away from the kids. Building town houses in what little tree lined property we have left isn’t going to save this town. Its taking away form it. We need to focus on what we love so much about our town and that’s what we grew up on. Why cant we give our future ( our kids ) what we had. I know we don’t have all the business, and yes the Westinghouse is gone but we cant blame everything on the Westinghouse. Our organizations are dwindling. People fighting within the community all the time. Nothing but fighting at the council meetings. Our kids hear what goes on in those meetings and learn from that. Do you want your kids to grow up hating people that are trying to create and better community. I could go on and on and those of you who know where im coming from with all this can add a lot more of what you remember about growing up YOUR TOWN. A town that you can can grow old in with fond memories. Don’t you want your children to post remarks about what they loved so much about HOME!.. With what’s happening in this town we are forcing people out. People that are the blood that makes the heart beat in this town are leaving. They are scared of what its becoming. I just want my town back. The town i call home!

Not that it's her fault but Heidi left out some of my quotes from the phone interview that we did the other day. I do admit I rambled on quite a bit and for an interviewer to digest all of that at once is kinda tough. I took short hand in high school and that was weird.

Anyhow, the main thing I wanted to have quoted was that the borough wants to tear down a tax revenue producing business to put in a parking lot and a tax revenue consuming facility. If you question it, you'll hear words like "grant money" floating around. I just want to remind the great people of this town that grant money comes from tax dollars. Some family from State College, Philadelphia, Sewickley, North Huntingdon, and so on...have paid for the current buildings that are now in place. And I know they are going to ask me: "Then how should we pay for it if you are so smart?!" That's a cop out. A way to distract you instead of coming up with other solutions first. Don't be fooled by their attempts to create "a better community." It's their vision, not ours. Don't let the worker tell the boss to clean up his office.

The borough's pet project over the past few years was getting itself out of the red. I get that. I completely agree with that. But why take actions that will reverse what they have been trying to do. And another thing is what about the other buildings here in town? What about Harlich's building where the roof was caving in? What about Rose's flower shop? What about the apartment complex across the street from the old Harlichs? What about the old Mellon bank building? People may think its a big joke and that nothing will ever happen to their building/business. Wise up folks. And if it comes down to it, I will stand up for your business as well. Economic development will save this borough, not chasing business out or tearing down their walls.

I really enjoyed the comment made about "if your house is pink..." Tell me, really? Who's to judge that? Who have we lent our powers to? Just remember citizens of Trafford: We're the boss. The people. Never trust government. Instead, be the government. Like I said, we are the boss and to have our "employees" arrogantly talk back to us like we are in pre-school is unacceptable. How would you deal with an insubordinate worker?

Last point. I mentioned before that there are certain people buying up alot of land in the borough over the past few years. Of course they would be concerned about property values! Most of this town belongs to them! Watch for upcoming Bed & Breakfasts to be built soon.

Kris

p.s. Still waiting for that cop car to be broken in and catch speeders driving through the Middle School zone. And speaking of Middle School...I'm sure there are alot of businesses on Cavit that would like to see a Youth Center instead of concentrating on just a "Senior Center" when you know you can get votes from the Seniors.

Just a few freebies for ya. Please take them and do well for the community.