Help for the Krobaths

Gary Krobath reports that he and his wife Trish just located the last of their four cats. They all went running for cover when the Delco SWAT started shooting tear-gas cannisters into their Trainer home during the stand-off with murderer Mark Geisenheyner.

They were at the vet this morning getting the cat checked out. He was hunkered down way back in the attic and still a little shell-shocked.

Gary said the DA Mike Green has approved them staying five more days at a hotel while they figure out where they are going to live in the coming weeks.

They rented the home on Post Rd. from their immediate neighbors but its in no habitable condition.

Many Daily Times readers have expressed interest in seeing to it that the couple get some help.

This morning I spoke with Tara Mead, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and asked her about the state Victim Compensation Assistance Program. Last year, VCAP helped more than 5,600 crime victims shelling out almost $15 million, including for "crime scene clean-up."

She suggested the Krobaths quickly contact them or a local victims help agency soon. A claim can be filed online by logging on to www.pacrimevictims.com.

More later.

UPDATE: I have just been informed that Delaware County (in conjunction with Montco) will take responsibility for all the damages done to the Krobath's home and property. The Krobaths will be put up in a hotel or other housing - and will even get a food allowance - until the home is restored to liveable condition.

UPDATE II: Another fund has been established to help the family with their immediate needs. Checks can made payable to the Krobath Benefit Fund, account no. 5894233542 at Wells Fargo Bank.

UPDATE III: Tara Mead has asked to be redesignated from "spokesman" to "spokeswoman" because, as she points out "Last time I checked I was female :) (my husband will vouch for me)."

It is becoming more and more routine to be more gender specific in describing people in professional positions. It used to be quite common and acceptable to refer to the "chairman" of a government committee, even if that person was a woman. Now some writers and others refer to that person as a "chairwoman" if she is female. Others have reduced that particular position to "chair," to de-genderize it. It also dehumanizes it, turning the person into a piece of furniture.

Interestingly, it is no longer politically correct to refer to female movie stars as "actresses." They want to be called "actors" and refer to themselves that way. Of course, you would never refer to a female "handyman" as a "handywoman" or "handyperson." But "spokeswoman," I suppose, works and probably better than "spokesperson."

In my business, it used to be that female reporters, especially tough ones, were honored to be called "newspapermen." Now, we're all asexual "journalists." So it goes.