Albert Gallatin school evacuated last week, reason why still unclear

About a week ago, I was lounging around my parents' house the day after seeing Echo and the Bunnymen with my mom, an Albert Gallatin district employee, when my brother looked at a notification on his phone and was like, "Huh, students and teachers from an Albert Gallatin school went to the hospital for breathing issues." And we were like, "Great day to take the day off, Mom!"

The school was Albert Gallatin North Middle School, which ultimately had an early dismissal due to the issue, and a Hazmat team was called in. It was called an "isolated incident" that took place in the school's library. Maybe old-book fumes were getting to people? (In all seriousness, I'm the only bookworm on the planet that doesn't like the smell of books, and I have a friend whose migraines can be triggered by it, so, I mean...)

Hazmat found nothing--all air-quality tests came back normal, as did tests run on those hospitalized (12 kids, two staff)--and staff checked the building over the weekend, so school resumed as normal the following Monday. 'Tis a mystery.

Here's a fun anecdote, though: some woman commented on one of the Facebook posts on this by the local news and was like, "If they don't know the cause, why even report on it?" Which indicates to me that this woman doesn't understand how the news even works, or why children being evacuated even when they don't know the cause is important. I mean, it is kind of a big deal and a potentially serious issue, which got me plenty of likes when I pointed it out.

Speaking of Facebook, things got interesting over on the district's page, where most people were applauding the school for how it was handled but others were complaining that the updates didn't indicate whether or not parents of sick kids were notified. Because, you know, that's totally your business, although I understand concerns about text alerts not being sent in a timely fashion. That said, when school officials are trying to handle 15 sick people, evacuating a school, and a Hazmat team, their first thought probably isn't, "Oh, hot damn, let me send some texts right quick." Students themselves are happy with how it was handled. In fact, Facebook updates asked parents not to call the school, as it was jamming their phone lines. And then there are the people saying it shouldn't have been posted on Facebook at all, because, you know, it's not like it's important to address or anything. Not like people who don't have kids there want to know what's going on. Nope.

All in all, though, glad all is well.

Uniontown man arrested for assaulting infant

A Uniontown man was arrested the other day after causing "significant injuries" to a five-month-old's face.

Police said Shallenberger admitted striking the child in the face and head Friday because he would not stop crying. 

Because, you know, aside from being cruel and abusive, hitting a kid to stop crying is also super effective!

Stay classy, Fayettenam parents.

Baby thrown off quad

On today's episode of "I hope your child is removed from your custody," an 18-month-old was ejected from a quad at the Laurel Mall yesterday.

A couple was drunkenly driving an ATV in the parking lot--with is a sketchy death trap for cars, let alone quads--when the cops showed up...and they tried to flee into the fields behind Rural King. Then hit a bump, which ejected their child from the vehicle.

Between the quad, Laurel Mall, Pechins Beer Distributor, and Rural King, this is, like, the most Fayette County story ever.

Both are charged with endangering the welfare of a child, fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault and DUI. Both were arraigned before District Judge Mike Defino Jr. and lodged in Fayette County Jail on $75,000 bail.  

They were both given 17 criminal charges, plus a bonus charge for the woman, presumably the baby's mother. The man, Eric Ritenour, is already on probation for drunk-driving and drug-possession charges and has also pled guilty in the past to traffic and hunting violations.

For her part, Hall has been previously charged with drug possession and has pled guilty to harassment and and public drunkenness.

Concert tonight!

If you see this post within the next couple hours and are looking for something to do, get down to Storey Square in Uniontown by 5:30 to see Polish Six Pack play, well, polka, with food and refreshments supplied by Hot Diggity Dogs.

Fall Festivals

Looking for fun stuff to do this fall? We have festivals galore, especially if you want to venture out of the Nam and into a neighboring county.

• Sept. 20 - Laurel Highlands Harvest Festival & Chili Cook-Off @ Christian Klay Winery, up the mountain in Chalk Hill.
• Ohiopyle's annual Buckwheat Pancake event should be coming up in October.

New TV show filming

A TV show is filming in town!

Sadly, it's not the long-ago pitched crime reality show, but it's a scripted show called "Outsiders" scheduled to premiere next year.

The crew filmed Wednesday at Joe Hardy's airport.

“Outsiders” is a 13-episode, hour-long drama series that tells the story of the Farrell clan, a family of renegades who’ve been in the hills of Kentucky since before anyone can remember. Living off the grid and above the law on their mountaintop homestead, they’ll protect their world and defend their way of life using any means necessary, according to show information provided by Mahon.

I mean, that's not gonna reinforce the "Pennsyltucky" stereotype or anything. Also, why do people pronounce/spell it as "Pennsatucky"? That doesn't make any damn sense. We live in Pennsylvania, not Pennsavania.

The crew chose this area, though, for its look. You know, woods and run-down houses and stuff, presumably.

The cast includes a bunch of people I've never heard of before and notably hottie Joe Anderson. I mean, he was in Across the Universe, a gorgeous musical structured around Beatles songs. It's basically amazing, in case you don't already know.



God, I don't watch that movie nearly as often as I should.

The Nam on Facebook: Restaurant Real Estate

If anyone's in the market for a restaurant--especially Double Dragon--you might make my cousin very happy.

The Nam on Facebook: Brownsville or the new Fallout game?

I love this joke so much, I wish I would've thought of it.

The Nam on Facebook: Confederate Flags on 119

This is an old post I saw in my Facebook feed, but thanks to unruly computers not wanting to install Flash updates, here it is!

Look, I'm willing to grant the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe someone moved up here from the south or that maybe they support the more southern defenses of the Confederate flag, but I do see the point of this status. The heritage defense up here only makes sense in pretty specific circumstances.

That said, I don't think the heritage defense of the Confederate flag is a strong one. It still ignores a major part of the cause of the Confederacy--slavery. And it's possible to be proud of one's heritage without supporting the uglier aspects of it, which the Confederacy certainly was for the south. It's like loving your racist grandpa while acknowledging that he says some things that aren't okay.

Upcoming Connellsville Events

Here are some things to keep you busy and enrich your life.

• Sunday--tomorrow--Unity of Connellsville is hosting on event about setting healthy boundaries with your parents.
• St. Rita's Christian Mothers are holding a Nationality Day on Friday, September 11, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Bucci Social Hall, featuring many of what I'm sure will be delicious Italian foods. Take-out will be available.
• On Saturday, September 19, Carnegie Free Library will be holding a yard sale from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. It will be held in the basement and will benefit the library.

Ewan McGregor visited Fallingwater and no one told me

You may know Ewan McGregor as Christian from Moulin Rouge or a young Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars prequels. Or maybe from The Island or Trainspotting or Velvet Goldmine. He also did some voice work in Robots. His new movie is Last Days in the Desert, in which he plays both Jesus and Satan. I've also been pretty much in love with him since puberty. Hey, I was a young aspiring writer and he was gorgeous, sensitive, and loving. What can I say?

He visited Fallingwater over the weekend and took a gorgeous selfie and called the house "beautiful." Because, I mean, it is.

Hope he also went to Pechin's and rafting down the Yough.

Singer Violet Rose releases new video

Here you go, hard workers--singer Violet Rose has released a new, nifty sci-fi music video for single "Working Hard." Check it out!