Diamonds to Wyoming Seminary and the YMCA for teaming to offer Summer at Sem, Explorations with the Y, a 3-week program that drew 113 youngsters to Sem’s Lower School Campus in Forty Fort for a wide array of science and learning expertly disguised as fun — oh, and some stuff that was just plain fun. Children learned the best way to make homemade bubble solutions, program LEGO robotics, and practice photography, among many other activities. Our area is blessed with many such opportunities for students of varying age groups throughout the year, but summer versions give parents a break, while letting kids socialize, learn, burn off energy and, well, get to enjoy childhood. Sem has been doing this since the 1990s, but joining with the Y opened the doors to students from other schools. Camp Director Sara Hargadon Michaels put it nicely when she said “It’s a beautiful partnership.” May we see many more like it.

Coal to the three men police say crashed a stolen vehicle that resulted in the closure of one interstate and partial closure of another. Two men, both 18, allegedly stole a Buick in Beaver Meadows, Carbon County, and eventually picked up a third man, 21. After it was reported stolen, a Mahanoy City (Schuylkill County) police officer came across the Buick, and a pursuit began, heading north on I-81. The chase ended when the vehicle crashed on the on-ramp to I-80, with the alleged perpetrators found hiding nearby shortly after the crash. The theft was stupid, the car chase dangerous, and the fact that they managed to crash at a location that impacted traffic on two interstates is almost astounding. We repeat an old suggestion for all criminals in cars: Once the police are onto you, just surrender. It’s one thing to endanger yourself, it’s an entirely different thing to endanger others on the road with you.

Diamonds to the return of the Noxen Rattlesnake Roundup, which, of course, involves much more than snakes. The four-day event included live music, educational displays, food, rides, and other family-friendly activities, including a big fireworks finale. Yes, snake wrangling is part of it, and according to the Noxen Volunteer Fire Co. Facebook page, this year’s participants rounded up 45 rattlers, 6 copperheads and 43 non-venomous. But the really important part of that last sentence is the bit about the volunteer fire company. This is their biggest fundraiser each year, and keeping volunteer companies in action with updated equipment is as essential as it is costly. Kudos to all those who helped make this another success, and we encourage everyone to support volunteer companies in their areas.

Coal to another one of those days that just pile up the troubling news in our pages. Tuesday’s paper included a story about a Plymouth man who pleaded guilty to physical and sexual assault offenses from a 2019 case that had several startling turns leading to a new trial. The same page had a report on a former Hazleton man pleading guilty to child sex offenses, a Fairmount Township man pleading guilty to corruption of a minor, and a couple being charged with child endangerment after two children were found in a Plymouth residence full of garbage. Heavy sigh.