New Castle residents may breathe a little easier, now that arrests have been made in a series of arsons.
But criminal charges filed against six adults and two juveniles hardly constitutes the end of the story or a reason to assume there will be no more fires. For one thing, the individuals charged are innocent until proven guilty. Second, police say their investigation is continuing and more arrests may be forthcoming.
Still, last week’s roundup of suspects is good news in a community that can always use some. The arrests appear to be the result of an alert citizenry, old-fashioned police work and perhaps a little luck.
We also should mention that the city is fortunate there were no serious injuries from these fires. Things could have been much worse.
While there may be good reason to celebrate the break in the case, we must stress that the underlying conditions behind these arsons continue to be concerns in New Castle. Abandoned houses, dilapidated properties and a financially distressed local government and populace were all factors in this series of crimes. The potential for more mischief is quite real.
We note there has been a positive response to these fires. Not only have the city and its departments been diligent in fighting the fires and targeting the culprits, but the public also has been engaged.
The I CARE House in particular has sought to find a silver lining in the arson cloud by bringing residents together. The non-profit organization has encouraged people to take a broader view of the challenges New Castle faces and develop ways to address them.
Working to minimize some of the factors behind these arsons will produce multiple benefits. These mesh with proposals to create stronger standards for landlords in the city.
So long as New Castle has a glut of older homes, and they are not being improved or properly maintained, they will continue to be what the law terms “attractive nuisances.” Allegedly, at least some of the arsons in the city were linked to efforts to remove copper plumbing from abandoned houses. This is an ongoing crime, often attributed to drug users seeking quick cash to fund their habits.
It’s not unreasonable to see New Castle’s arsons as the tip of a larger iceberg of community problems. Stamping out these fires must be seen as part of a broader effort at civic engagement. We hope that recent efforts along these lines will continue.
Editorials
EDITORIAL: Clearing the air
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Congress acts to close information loophole, but is it enough?
It’s generally recognized that knowledge is power. That’s why some knowledge deserves equal treatment. Perhaps that assessment is most appropriate when it comes to information held by government. Government data and the collection of information, after all, comes courtesy of tax dollars, so everyone should have equal access to its benefits.
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High court forces lawmakers back to drawing board
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s decision to throw out a legislative redistricting plan exposes a fundamental truth: The mapping of House and Senate districts in the commonwealth have nothing to do with representation or serving the people.
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Our Opinion: City hurts businesses by ticketing during lunch hours
Most of the candidates running (and now elected) for New Castle City Council and mayor last year said they believed downtown redevelopment was important. This was a common theme during editorial board meetings at the New Castle News prior to last spring’s primary and before the general election.
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Citizens offer to take open seat on New Castle City Council
It’s good to see there is so much interest in serving on New Castle City Council. On Tuesday, council interviewed nine citizens who have expressed a desire to fill an existing vacancy. The only unfortunate part is that most of these people weren’t interested in the post last year, when it was on the ballot.
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Second thoughts
County commissioner decides to take charge of prison board
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Our Opinion, Part 2: Mayor’s hiring of his son raises more serious questions
If you ask New Castle residents to identify the biggest problem in local government, one word will stand out:
Nepotism. The term, of course, refers to the hiring of one’s relatives for positions, regardless of the fact others are equally — or more — deserving of available positions. -
Our Opinion: Why didn’t council keep Chief Tom Sansone?
Last week, a majority on city council refused to confirm Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo’s appointment of Tom Sansone to continue as police chief. For the moment, the city has no police chief, and city residents are left to wonder why.
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Writers reveal ignorance of school board politics
Editor, The News: In a recent edition of The News there was a letter by James Smith that caught my attention.
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Fairness is consideration in Jameson Hospital’s request to city
Jameson Hospital wants New Castle to give it a break. And it’s something city council should consider — if doing so makes sense, and if it is fair to all.
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Proposal to cut size of Legislature moves modestly ahead
Efforts to streamline Pennsylvania’s Legislature took a step forward this week. But plenty of additional steps remain in what promises to be a daunting process.
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Congress acts to close information loophole, but is it enough?
