KEYSTONE CLIPS Funeral director gets in a last word

Lawrence County Commissioner Roger DeCarbo got the last laugh when a member of the audience at Tuesday's meeting decided to take him to task for comments made at a previous meeting.
DeCarbo had spoken about a Pittsburgh health system and its plans.
Robert Semler, who regularly attends commissioner meetings, decided he wanted to chime in on the subject, too.
As he shuffled to the front of the commissioners' meeting room Semler said: "I'll pick on Mr. DeCarbo today because my brother hated doctors, funeral directors and insurance companies."
DeCarbo, who also is a funeral director, quickly retorted: "I'll be the last one to let you down, Mr. Semler."
Best work: Westfield, a farm-based program that provides work for people with developmental disabilities, was awarded the title "Best Practice 2001" by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Pittsburgh Multi-Family Housing Program Center.
Located in Pulaski Township, Westfield promotes an independent lifestyle for people with developmental disabilities who are living and working there. They farm, work in a greenhouse and care for animals.
HUD cited the staff's innovative ideas and hard work. Westfield is a collaborative effort between Human Services Center of New Castle and St. Francis Hospital.
Business workshop: A free workshop for small business owners in Pennsylvania interested in learning about contracting opportunities with the state will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Pennsylvania Business Impact Center in Farrell.
The workshop will be presented by Mercer County Housing Authority and the state's contract administration and business development bureau.
Topics will include locating state contracting opportunities, how the state purchases goods and services, how to use state contracting to grow and state programs to help small businesses make the best use of contracting and subcontracting opportunities.
The workshop will also cover certification of minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
For more information or to register for the workshop, call Debbie Paul at (724) 983-1508.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Laure Cioffi, Vindicator New Castle Bureau, and Virginia Ross, Vindicator Correspondent.