Believe it or not, there actually is a vote scheduled Wednesday in the Pennsylvania State House Government Committee on House Bill 1572, which would ban the straight-ticket voting option.
In other words, voters would no longer be able to go to vote, hit one button, and vote for all Republican or Democratic candidates without even knowing who those people are.
This is long overdue, but it’s also a long way from becoming law. Even if it House Bill 1572 passes out of committee, the full House would have to approve it and then the Senate would have to vote in favor before it would reach the governor’s desk.
But at least it’s a start toward eliminating the mindless straight-ticket voting that has produced some awful election results.
And now on to another topic: Jim Cantafio. The veteran and highly successful high school football coach recently resigned at Cedar Cliff High School after six years to take a position at Spooky Nook Sports Complex near Manheim.
Cantafio’s record in 32 years of coaching is 263-95-2 with 12 section titles at Conestoga Valley, Wilson and Cedar Cliff. He also coached at Wyoming Valley. He won district championships at three different schools, something no other coach in Pennsylvania has accomplished. Cedar Cliff is the only team to have beaten Bishop McDevitt this year; the Crusaders will play for the state AAA championship in Hershey Friday night.
While Cantafio’s focus will be director of football operations at Spooky Nook, where he will look to expand his football camps, he said he’d be interested in working for a Lancaster-Lebanon League team as an offensive coordinator or quarterbacks coach.
Cantafio cited his commute from his Lancaster County home to Cedar Cliff, just south of Harrisburg, as a reason for his resignation.
Wonder if Cantafio would consider a commute to Cedar Crest?
While Cantafio said he’d like to work as an assistant, it sounded like he was leaving the door open for a head coaching job when he was interviewed by Lancaster Newspapers’ Tim Gross.
“The excitement of Friday nights is what brings you back,” Cantafio said. “You never miss the long practices and the long hours every week, but you miss Friday nights.”
Cantafio said he is looking forward to seeing some of his former players compete in college.
“If I’m not a head coach, I can go see those guys play,” he said.
But if he is a head coach … hmmmm.
HOOPS NOTES: So far, so good with most Lebanon County boys’ basketball teams. The six public schools and Lebanon Catholic have compiled an 11-4 record, with Lebanon, Cedar Crest and Northern Lebanon claiming weekend tip-off tournament championships. League games begin this week. … Those Palmyra girls just keep rolling along. After going 29-1 a year ago, the Cougars won the Northern Lebanon Tournament to open this season and will be a force in league and district play. Lebanon gave the Cougars a good challenge Saturday and might be the most improved county team. And good for Patti Hower, whose Lebanon Catholic Beavers are off to a 2-0 start despite having just six players on the roster.
As always, follow along on Twitter @sesnyderleb.