Laurels & lances: Recovery & refuse

Laurel: To community resources. The storms that rolled through the region on Tuesday were harsh. Three people died, property destruction was widespread and downed trees and electrical wires left many in the dark.

The fallout of that has been difficult. Some schools cancelled classes, going to remote learning, but how does that work when the kids can’t access internet because the power is out?

While utility crews have been working hard to get lines repaired and power restored, that is only half the job. Other organizations took on the labor of supporting their communities while people waited for electricity to return.

Freeport Fire-EMS, Citizens Hose Company in Harrison, Kiski Township Fire Department and Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department are among those working to provide access to electricity to charge devices or WiFi to check email and other services. So has the Plum Community Library.

In South Buffalo Township, the Dynamic Community Foundation, NextHome Dynamic Realty and the South Buffalo and Freeport fire departments offered a free spaghetti dinner, even delivering it to those who couldn’t get to the fire hall.

That is on top of all of the community members pulling together to clean up the downed trees and branches.

Storms can test the strength of buildings and services, but they can also show how people weather them together.

Lance: To being trashed. Pittsburgh has a reputation as a gritty, industrial city but a rich tradition of beautiful and expressive arts pushes back on it. Among the greatest arguments is pop artist Andy Warhol, whose vibrantly colored prints endorsed screenprinting as an aspect of modern art.

The most famous of his multicolored images are those of movie star Marilyn Monroe or musician Prince. But Warhol also did a collection featuring female monarchs in 1985. The most recognizable was Queen Elizabeth II. Another was that of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands. She abdicated her throne in 2013 and today is Princess Beatrix.

One of the Beatrix screenprints has been lost by the Dutch town of Maashorst. It is unlikely a critique of Warhol’s work as 45 other pieces of art were likewise “misplaced” by the town during a renovation.

“It’s most likely that the artworks were accidentally taken away with the trash,” the municipality said in a statement.

It’s an ignominious end for one of the last pieces of Warhol’s career. It’s probably making some in Maashorst a little sick realizing that two Queen Elizabeth II prints from the collection sold for more than $700,000 apiece in 2023.