Category: General Nonsense || By

It was just three weeks ago when the Almanac wrote:

The clock on the "Daily News" sign used to be tied to a set of electrically-controlled bells on the roof that struck the hours with the "Westminster chimes." I think the workings are still on the third floor, or possibly in the equipment room on the roof.

I don't suppose we could get that fixed, too?

Imagine my delight this morning when I opened up the paper to read this:

Hot buttered damn!

The scary thing, of course, is that someone at Trib Total Media and I apparently had the same thought about restoring the chimes. (If anyone needs me, I'll be at Doug's Motel.)

Since my Christmas wishes are apparently coming true (remember, last year I asked for the Daily News to put back the neon Christmas decorations in the windows) I'm going to make another Christmas wish that Don Farr Moving would please do something to fix up the old G.C. Murphy Co. home office Downtown between Fifth Avenue and Lysle Boulevard.

The dun-colored buildings are currently used for storage. Paint is peeling, windows are broken or hanging open, and there's trash strewn all around the sidewalks. The buildings --- which are visible from much of Downtown --- cast a terrible pallor on the city's main street.

I realize that the complex was never very attractive, even when Murphy's was still in business, but it's become a real embarrassment. The "official mover of the Pittsburgh Penguins" can surely afford to make the outside of the building more presentable.

After all, one of Don Farr's competitors is also located Downtown, but James Moving & Storage, which uses the old R&J Furniture Co. warehouse on Market Street, seems to keep its property well-maintained.

Oh, and Santa Claus, if you could bring a new owner for the People's Bank Building, that would be swell, too.

. . .

Wait'll Next Year: Congratulations to the Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers, who won the Class A state high school football championship in Hershey yesterday with a decisive victory over McKeesport's Serra Catholic Eagles. I'm sorry that Serra didn't win, but as a Serra alum, I'm glad the team finally made it to a state title game, and a 15-and-1 season is nothing to be sad about.

I just hope it doesn't take another 43 years for Serra to make it back to Hershey. I'll be ... well, I'll be pretty old. (OK, older.)

The Mon-Yough area didn't go home completely empty-handed, as Thomas Jefferson High School's Jaguars rolled up an easy 28-3 win to capture the Class AAA state championship.

Further updates on Monday, or as events warrant. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think my ears are ringing. (The bells, bells, bells, the clamor and the clangor of the bells!)