Nothing Sacred

This is enough to make me sick to my stomach a lot.

TYRONE (PA)- From the broken window of a Sunday school room to the blackened pulpit of Christ United Methodist Church, the two juveniles police allege set fire to the church left behind telling evidence of a thrill-fueled rampage that ended in arson.

The fate of the church, a fixture at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue since 1913, remains in question.

High above the sanctuary floor, littered with hymnals and debris, the fire's tremendous heat left ceiling fan blades twisted and smoke- blackened light fixtures.

Is this not amazing? Is nothing sacred? Having family living in Tyrone, I am privy to a few more details than the Altoona Mirror gives in this online snippet (oh, and by the way, Mirror, tell your webmaster to NOT use frames for crying-out-loud!). I have learned that the kids in question are 17 and 16, and the DA is on record saying that he wishes he could do more, but he has to charge the two of them as minors. The DA reportedly feels sick that the kids will get off with worthless sentences that will be expunged in a year or two, as the case may be. (When links to those statements become available I will post them.)

Usually I hate sounding so sinister, but there is perhaps one saving grace here. Tyrone is a very close-knit town, for starters, with people looking out for one another. It is also a fairly conservative, religious, working class town, and a good many of the people are hunters. Many residents of Tyrone are not willing to forgive the actions of these kids, and have different views on justice than the liberal laws provide. These kids very well cound have to move soon, because their names will get out, and many people will know them. Things will likely be unpleasant for them in the meantime.

As soon as I discover their identities, I will likely pass them on to other interested parties, perhaps. I just may be a bit of a gossip at the weekly bridge club... or something.

Update: Here are some more links to news on this heinous crime. More will be added as available.
State College.com -- (This will probably scroll out of the news fairly soon, but you can still search for it.)
phillyBurbs.com