There have been few people in our area who have impacted and been more respected in their respective communities than Tyrone's Pete Dutrow.
You may have read earlier this week that the Tyrone Area School Board voted in a replacement, Cynthia Banas, to take the place of Dutrow, who is relocating for most of the year to Florida.
Dutrow not only served as a school director, but he was also Tyrone's longtime athletic director and wrestling coach and was a part of many Tyrone causes.
On Tuesday morning, at the end of the weekly 7 a.m. Kiwanis meeting at the Bull Pen, club members rose as one to honor his past contributions and wish him well. With a tear in his eye, Dutrow shook hands with those in attendance.
He departed for the Sunshine State, where he and his wife Patty found a deal they couldn't pass up, the next morning. (FYI: Dutrow was reminded temperatures in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area dipped into the 20s last week.)
Dutrow will return in May to play in the golf tournament honoring his late father, and he'll spend most of the summer and fall surrounded by his orange and black comrades.
But he won't return to the day-to-day Tyrone leadership he's helped provide for the better part of three decades.
And that will be missed.
Deerly beloved
We get a few complaints at this time of the year about publishing successful hunters with their trophy deer.
While we believe there is a passionate hunting audience out there and will continue to put the photos in the paper, be advised that we try to be selective in not displaying overly graphic pictures of dead animals.
Switching gears: The deer feed in my backyard, laced with molasses that I was assured would help attract my furry friends, has gone virtually untouched for three weeks.
Employee of the year
Please note the deserving recognition today on Page D2 of 2010 Mirror Employee of the Year Beth Claar, a pillar in the Mirror's circulation department and trusty right (and left) hand for Dan Slep.
Claar, who has worked here for 28 years, is a second-generation member of the Mirror family, having followed in the footsteps of her dad, Ed Frank, a former wire and copy editor and a friend to us all.
'The good, old days'
Since we're all busy at this time of the year, this is only to plant a seed on a 2011 idea, and we'll provide more information later.
The Mirror is gauging interest in a special section called "The Good, Old Days" that will feature old photographs and stories/memories of favorite local places. An example would be the Ivyside swimming pool or the Cricketfield ballfield.
Where will we get much of the material? From you.
If there's enough interest, the end result will be a combination of our yesteryear page and Jim Wentz-type storytelling.
If you have ideas for a contribution, please contact me - in early 2011.
Rudel can be reached at 946-7527 or nrudel@altoonamirror.com
