Laurels & lances: Air show and shelter

Laurel: To a high-flying event. For some people, summer starts with the end of school. For others, it’s Memorial Day or that day on the calendar when the solstice officially begins the season. But, for many in Western Pennsylvania, the kickoff is about airplanes.

The Shop ’n Save Westmoreland Airshow over the weekend was a defining event for summer in the area. A record crowd of about 100,000 turned out at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity for the annual opportunity to get up close and personal with some aircraft and to see remarkable demonstrations by others.

The two-day air show is not just a chance to be thrilled by the U.S. Air Force F-16 Thunderbirds. It also is a real boost to local businesses. Restaurants can see traffic increase by 30% or more. According to the Westmoreland County Airport Authority, there were about 500 combined overnight hotel room bookings.

“There has to be millions in economic impact to the region when you start to add it up,” authority Executive Director Gabe Monzo said.

Between the Taylor Swift concert in Pittsburgh and the air show in Latrobe, the weekend was more than just a fun start to the season. It was a high-flying financial success.

Lance: To a sad reality. The Smithfield United Church of Christ shelter in Downtown Pittsburgh closed after Tuesday night.

The shelter is a refuge for the area’s homeless population. While it usually is operated in the coldest months of the year, Allegheny County officials announced in March that the doors would stay open longer this year.

The weather certainly is warmer than it was in March, when the Department of Human Services reported about 100 people per night were staying at the shelter. However, officials have placed numbers recently at about 125 consistently using the location.

The high numbers point to a critical need to find long-term solutions to the county’s homelessness problem. Temporary solutions are good for temporary problems, but the speed with which the Second Avenue Commons shelter filled up when it opened in November 2022 points to an ongoing issue that needs attention.