Is that him?Is he still a councilman?No.No, he's not a councilman no more.But yeah, that's him.His dog's way behind him.Hey, Sloan!Come here.Uh-oh. Uh-oh.I didn't do it.No, you didn't do it.What can you tell us about what's going on with that?Sit.
What do you know about Yancey?Ain't talking.
We really don't know nothing.We don't.We don't know what's going on.When we see the paper, that's what we're going to read.
The thing is, we all have stuff in our closets, and then they come out election time like his did.Now, if it's true, it's true.I don't know.I don't know them that well, and I hope it's not true.
But until he's convicted or non-convicted, he's going to have an office on city council.It is what it ain't.Can't say it is what it is.It is what it ain't.Because that ain't is what keeps us wondering.
It's been less than a month since the primary election, when we last saw Yancey Taylor at his victory party.He won big.He got more votes than anyone. And exactly two weeks later, this happened.
Mr. Taylor, did you take that woman's money?The state attorney general says Taylor gained the trust of his victim, 69-year-old Karen Fedro of Lancaster County.
Officials say Taylor told the victim to make investments where she would earn money and receive a guaranteed return.
Investigators say that in reality, Taylor took the victim's money and gambled with it.
Now he's being charged with two felonies.
Taylor told the victim that the mafia was involved.And so she had to keep paying more money or else.It was her life's savings that she was scammed out of.
Shapiro says he believes Taylor had additional victims and is asking them to come forward.
We want to hear from you, and you are not alone.
I'm Jean Marie Laskas, and this is Cement City.Chapter 5.Great societies crumble from within.
It's antsy.What do we do?
I don't know.Want to try talking? I mean, we're not going to get another chance.
If you were alone, I'd feel a lot better.
I don't know.I don't know.I mean, this is the moment if we're going to do it.I don't feel... I don't know how to address this. You're gonna have to do the talking here.
Oh yeah, I can do it.Just be dumb.You guys are out there.
Aaron and I are outside Yancey Taylor's house.We were driving by when we spotted him on his front porch.Out on bail, I guess.Or however this works.There's never a dull moment in life.He's slumped in a lawn chair next to a friend.
It's June, but it feels like August.He's sweating.We're all sweating.I don't know why I'm so nervous, but I'm nervous.Just maybe not as nervous as Aaron is.
It's up to the Crow Club, like we have, like, fallen in love with that place.
I can feel my voice tight in the back of my throat.For some reason, it's coming out, like, three octaves higher than it normally would.
Aaron's really getting up there, too.What are you guys up to?
This is my first indictment.I've never talked to an indicted person before.Not that I know of.I'm not sure what the protocol is here.
When are you guys going to be done with your series?
Oh man, we're just getting started.It gets better and better every time we come.
That's awesome.You guys are awesome.
You guys are very awesome.
Yeah, well this town is awesome, let me tell you.I'm trying to figure out how to broach the subject.And there's something familiar about this little predicament.It kind of feels like a breakup.You know it has to happen.What's this Book of Mormon?
Who's that?Maybe you both know. But you're the one who has to bring it up.And pretty soon, you're talking about the Book of Mormon.
It just feels embarrassing for everyone.
We might have met her.I'm not sure.
If I was you, I would not park your car there.That's a bad spot.Especially going down there toward that Murray.
Yeah, we'll move up by the Crow Club, don't you think?
I want to know why, why am I reading all this crap in the newspaper about you?
Yeah.I can't talk about that right now, but you're doing okay.Yeah.Yeah.I just can't talk about up to my lawyer handled it.Yeah.Yeah.Just more to the story.I just can't discuss it right now.
You got a good lawyer.Like you feel pretty confident.
Yeah.I can't, I just can't discuss nothing about the case.
Yeah.You too.Absolutely.Yep.I can't say nothing until he handles everything.
Well, as long as you got a good lawyer, that's key.
I'm not sure what we were expecting from this moment.Of course he can't talk about it.Of course he has a lawyer, a good one.As long as you got a good lawyer, that's key.
I sound like my mother, trying to console me when she had no idea what she was talking about.Honestly, I don't know what I'm talking about.And we haven't really learned anything from this conversation.
at least nothing about this alleged crime, or who did or didn't do anything, or what the consequences might be.But fair enough, if I were Yancey, I wouldn't want to talk to us either.
What up, Kev?What's up?Nah, I'm just me and Chris Costa sitting on my porch talking.Yeah.
Yancey takes a phone call, and we're just standing here, stupidly, not really sure what to do next.We start making small talk with his friend Chris, Chris Costas.
Apparently, his family used to own Costas Restaurant, the old diner Jim McDonough's fixing up.Chris used to work there when he was a kid.
But he's being kind of coy about where he works now, hiding the logo on his work shirt like he's daring us to ask.
Now you got me curious, though.
Oh, right down there.He works at the sewage plant.
He's worked there for 32 years.
What kind of work do you do?
Wow.What does that entail?
I move shit around.That's all I do.Keep all the tanks moving.
You mean the stuff in the tanks move?Yeah.Wow.And they're like buttons you're pushing or what are you doing?
Yeah, push buttons, the pumps do all the work, but I move everything around.
I didn't know I wanted a tour of the sewage plant, but suddenly I do.
Yancey's on the board there, so he has a direct line to Tom.
Hey, the two ladies are here.They're doing like a feature on Denoir.They wanted to know if they could come down and take a tour of the plant and stuff.Whatever you need, yeah.Okay, all right, all right.Thank you, bye-bye.You're welcome, bye-bye.
It's that fancy, you got it.
You want to call me when it's come or whatever and I can direct y'all down there.
I can come down.I can meet you down there.Yeah, I can meet you down there, whatever.You have a great tour.Seriously, you guys will like it. You'll like it.Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful place.Nice people.You'll see when you go down there.
It's really, really nice.Really nice.
So exciting.Thank you.All right.
See, I knew there was a reason to stop.
All right.I'll see you guys.Anything you need, just let me know.I'm still here for you guys.I'm not going to change.Yeah, no problem.
Nice to meet you too.Bye.
Aaron and I say our goodbyes and we head back to the car, which is apparently parked in a bad spot down there near Murray.We walk past the chain-link fence next to Yancey's house.It looks naked.
There used to be this giant campaign sign hanging there.Yancey Taylor for Donora Council.
Um... We have just scheduled a tour of... The sewage plant.The sewage plant.
With... Yancy, Y-T, who is on the board.I just... I mean, seriously, there's... Beautiful.
I feel, intuitively, that something's about to happen.Something's about to flip in this town.Not to use a funny word, a renaissance. Seriously, I do.
There's a lot of momentum that I don't want to see die.It's Thursday.We're at a council meeting, sitting in the crowd waiting for this thing to start.I'm talking to this guy, Butchie.Everything's cyclical in life.
You know, nature follows a sine curve almost.Maybe it's our turn to be at the top of the sine wave.
That's such an optimistic view.I love hearing that.
And I'm a pretty pessimistic guy.That's why I'm in quality control.I get paid to think of everything that can go wrong.
I would so love to believe that something's about to happen.Something's about to flip in this town.A renaissance.But as things stand, I'm not quite feeling it.And I'm a pretty optimistic person. I mean, I was totally feeling it.
What with the community college, the iron worker with his diner, the clean sweep.But ever since Nancy's indictment, that clean sweep isn't looking so clean.
— I remember you.What's your name again?
— Parkett. We're starting to recognize people at these council meetings.This guy in particular.He's here every month.Sitting front and center.Ed Parkett.The guy with the briefcase.And the trench coat.And the pageboy haircut.
Last we saw him, he was walking off into the sunset.Pulling his campaign signs out of the ground.Defeated.
— I did end up getting on the Republican ballot for the fall, actually.
So this is kind of confusing.Election season was supposed to be over with that primary.Everybody on the Democratic ticket, whoever won, basically got in.The general election was just supposed to be a formality.
But it sounds like Ed found a loophole.
He's back on the ballot through some kind of Republican writing campaign.
I didn't see that coming.
Normally, none of this would even matter.A party-hopping writing candidate like Ed would basically be a footnote.But now with the whole Yancey situation, there may be an opening.We have no idea how this works.
— Hey, Ed.— How are you?— Alright.— Did I miss anything last week?— Not very much, you know.The agenda was about a couple pages long, yeah.
— That's Ed's friend Beau.He's a few years younger, a college sophomore.Another Donora Council groupie.— Can I have a look?
— Yeah, sure.— Thank you.
— The two of them met here at a council meeting. They both come every month and sit side-by-side.A few seats down for Mr. Ciberna, a guy with no teeth, who yells at everybody to talk louder so he can hear.
— There was some more vandalism this month, over at the old elementary school, unfortunately.
I'm sitting here studying the agenda items.Tax report.Bill report.A vacancy on the Zoning Board of Appeals.And suddenly Yancey walks in.He's with his friend Chris.They're heading in our direction.They take a seat in the row right behind us.
I'm not sure what to say.
So I decide to pass out gum.
The whole thing feels really awkward.But it seems like I might be the only one feeling awkward.No one else has even turned a head.
I'm trying to figure out how to read this situation.
I mean, Ansi's just sitting here, chit-chatting with his buddy Chris, like they were on the porch the other day.It's like it's absolutely no big deal to him that he's here.
It's like it's absolutely no big deal to anyone here that a guy who's just been indicted for scamming a 69-year-old retired schoolteacher out of her life savings, telling her the mafia was going to get her if she didn't pay, is just waltzing around town, perusing the council agenda, like nothing whatsoever has happened.
Like this is all totally normal. And so the meeting starts as it always does, with the pledge, led by Mr. Gutierrez, council president, also known as Denny.He's the man with the gavel.He basically runs the show here.
Bless our meeting tonight and give us the wisdom to make good decisions and to work together with each other to make our town a better place to live.Amen.
Then he's the only one up there dressed in a suit.It's gray and it's baggy and he wears it to every meeting.Same suit, same tie, every meeting.
Mr. Kevin Davis is a regular here at Public Address.There are a handful of regulars, but this guy is consistent.
He's kind of a fixture. — You told me to wait until the weather breaks.The weather's been broke since the end of April.
— He's here every month, standing up there at that podium.He's here in regards to the steps.
— Where's the problem?I called Channel 11 News, Channel 4 News, Channel 2 News today.School starts in two weeks, and I still have no steps.
— He really needs these damn steps.
— Tim, you came in, you said you could probably do that project for $500.— I said if I could. — You're asking me?
— Yeah, this ain't supposed to be in a public meeting.First off, I told you, when I saw you down six-pack, what'd I tell you, Mr. Davis?
— That's Councilman Gilbert P. Zakel Jr.He goes by Gibby.This one's a hothead.
— We never discussed it.He told you it was a public meeting.
He's got these sunglasses.He's always wearing them flipped upside down on the back of his head.You can see the residual tan line around his eyes, kind of like a bandit mask.Spoiler alert.Mr. Kevin Davis will get his steps, eventually.
It will take another 10 months for counsel to finally pass a motion for the replacement of the 13th Street steps. On that day, Mr. Kevin Davis will present council with a $300 contribution to the cause in the form of a personal check.
Make a triumphant exit, and everyone will applaud.
Thank you for your time.Thank you, Mr. Davis.All right.I will be in touch.
There are two other people who come to every meeting, me and Aaron, because this is who we are now.We're people who go to Denora Borough Council meetings every month.
Last week I put a request in to abuse the borough building for a spaghetti fundraiser for someone who has cancer.
It's comforting being here.It's like a ritual.There's a certain rhythm to it.You know what to expect.
So I would just like you to publicly tell me why my request was turned down.
And mostly what you expect is a lot of nothing.Because it feels like nothing ever happens in these meetings.There's just so much nothingness.It gets kind of existential. You start to wonder why these people are here.
You start to wonder why any of us are here.In this room, on this planet we call Earth.There's a meditative quality to these meetings.All these droning voices.You get lulled into almost a sleep state.Then again, maybe you are falling asleep.
At some point, you begin to sink into your body. You become one with the room.Every sensation.Every sound.The gentle rustling of Denny's papers.The soft squeak of Gibby rocking back and forth in his chair.Ed's pen scratching at his notepad.
Mr. Soberno smacking his gums. All the sounds start to blend together, a cosmic harmony.It's like a wave washing over you, cresting, falling, and returning.You have reached a state of present moment awareness.That's where I am right now.
I am present.I am aware.I am. I am confused.
I was pretty sure the meeting was over, but now they're calling for new business.We've never seen new business before.
New business is not on the agenda.
Mr. Zakos got the floor.Gilbert P. He's the guy with the bandit mask.He sounds like he's prepared for this.It's almost like he rehearsed it in front of the mirror.
It's hard to tell where he's going with this, but he's definitely got everybody's attention. We're all just holding our breaths.And then?
Boom.He drops the bomb.He appears to be ousting the president.This guy.Denny.The guy with the suit.Or at least he appears to be trying.
At this point, I'm starting to feel incredibly uncomfortable.
It's like you're at your friend's place for dinner and a family starts fighting.It's not an overt fight.It's passive-aggressive, which is even worse.They're shooting daggers.It's personal.It's none of your business.
And you're just sitting here cringing, wishing it would end.
And then they start another round.
I won't fully understand what's going on here until later, but here's how it breaks down.This was all part of a grand plan.A regime change in two motions.Kick Denny out, get Gibby in.And apparently, they were almost all in on it.
— I got a comment.I think you're all just afraid of him because he does his job and the rest of you aren't. — And I think this town is very unfair, and to get people in, you're pushing people out of this town, not into it.
— The crowd's getting pretty worked up.This does not appear to be a popular move.
— And I think this town is going for the rude awakening.
— I'm trying to figure out how I'm supposed to feel about this.I'm looking over at Donnie, Mayor Pavelko, in his camo vest.
— OK, let's have a vote here.Mr. Bender, call the roll.
He's sitting there at the end of the platform, looking down, fixated on his little plastic nameplate.Like, here we go again.What a shit show.And Mr. Gutierrez, Denny, the ousted leader, he's suddenly tiny, slumped and shrunken in his suit and tie.
He's staring forward blankly into the beige abyss.Looking from Donnie to Denny, Denny to Donnie, I just feel bad for them.It's demoralizing.It's humiliating. It's hard to imagine why anyone would put themselves through this.
— Five yeas, two nays, motion passes.
— I make a motion to adjourn.— Second.
— And just like that, Mr. Gilbert P. Zackel Jr.gets voted in as the new council president.
— I just turned back the norm 25, 30 years.
— We're going to motion to adjourn.Motion adjourned.I'll second it.
— Could you help me understand what happened in there?— What happened up there?
You know, great societies crumble from within.That's all I could think of.
— We're standing outside the Barrow building, post-meeting, debriefing with Butchie.
— I thought we were adjourning, and then all of a sudden it's like, oh no, we're overthrowing the government.
— It blows me the fuck away.
— People are filing out, looking shell-shocked.Throngs of disgruntled citizens.Even Yancey's at a loss for words. Over by the door, there's a woman off by herself.Another council regular.
Chantal, the town do-gooder, who's always scolding everyone for missing her clean-up days.She's got a flair for the dramatic.You okay?You're worked up.She's shaking her head in disbelief.She looks like she's about to cry.
I don't know the whole backstory, but I could tell it was not something you were not happy about.
And it's the ones that are doing all that that are the most corrupt. And they're taking Denny out because they are threatened by him.Because he's actually wanting a change of town.How do you take out a threat?You eliminate it.
Thank God they can't vote me out, but they've been doing everything in their fucking power, excuse my French, to do that.
They just made the biggest mistake they ever made.
SACWA is a record this big.
SACWA is a criminal record this big.Yes!
Oh my gosh. And he doesn't do shit, even at the back to school bash.He's supposed to help out.He didn't even move one fucking thing.The ladies had to move all the tables and everything.He didn't do shit.You can't even help out with your church.
How are you going to help out with our own borough?It seems like there's like- It's a corruption.It's absolute corruption.And there's honestly no hope for Jenorno.
Look him up, Gabe's app.We're going to see on Google his rap sheet. And that's where we're going to have a city council president?
Look, a zackal is a real animal, like a coyote.
Wow!A Polish term derived from French... It's just coming up, all this Polish language.Erin and I are at Duke's Cafe.It's the post-council meeting hangout.It's also the only restaurant in town.
We're in the back room finishing up two chipper salads and two blue moons.— Come on, look at that name.— Googling Zachoff.— It's beautiful.— People were throwing around a lot of accusations back there.About this guy Gibby, the new council president.
We're trying to see if any of it checks out. Okay, the first thing that comes up, first is the Facebook thing, second thing.And it does.And I am not even reading the article.
Although, motorcycle shop scuffle is not exactly what I was imagining when we were talking rap sheets this big and allegations of corruption.Then we have the next one.
Police beat Observer reporter charged with harassment Gilbert Sackle of Bentleyville was charged with harassment by state police. The next one is... Still, I can't help but get a little caught up in the drama.
I mean, it is the first thing that comes up.
This is all new for me.It's as much about adrenaline and the thrill of the chase as it is about Gilbert P. Zachal.Well, it's all not looking good for Gilbert.
I mean, if you put in, like, most people's names, you don't get... Oh, is this our check?
For the past three seasons of Gone South, we've covered one story per season.We tried to figure out who killed Margaret Coon.
She told me, I'm gonna kill you.I said, well, do it, bitch.Go ahead and do it.
We delved into the violent world of the Dixie Mafia.
I'm an outlaw, and I was a thief, but I'm far from being the psychotic nutcase that I've been made out to be.
And we tracked a serial killer in Laredo, Texas.
Just turn around, please.Turn around.
Now, Gone South is back for a fourth season.But this time, we're doing things a little differently.So, in Gone South season four, we'll be bringing you new stories every week with no end in sight. I'm Jed Lipinski.
Welcome back to Gone South, an Odyssey original podcast.Listen and follow now on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts for new episodes every week.
I've never seen that sign.Oh, that's new.Have you ever seen that sign?
I mean, there was a sign there that said André's Deli, but it didn't look like that.I feel like that's new.Yeah.
A few weeks have passed since that big explosion on Council, when we stumbled into André's Deli.That's André's with an O and a Y. Hey, how are you?
We've never been here before.We just popped in to check it out.I'm in the back grabbing a drink, when Aaron runs into this guy. It's that college kid who sits next to Ed at all the council meetings.
That last meeting was crazy.I had to get out of there.I didn't mean to push you out of the way there.
Oh, that's OK.So did you go talk with them people afterwards?
I went up to Denny, the guy that they impeached, and I shook his hand.And I said, Denny, you tried.I'm going to miss you.And thanks for your service.Because it was an internal thing.They're $100,000 short on their budget.
The president, former president Denny, what he wanted to do is he wanted to open an investigation into the finance committee.So that's how they got him.They impeached him.
Because he didn't want to be investigated. — That's crazy.
— It is crazy.It's also really hard to parse.Of course, if you ask Denny why he was ousted, he's going to say one thing.And Gibby will probably tell you something totally different.Everybody's got their own story.
The one thing I know is true is that they are $100,000 off on their budget.I read about it in the paper.It's a pretty big shortfall for a pretty small budget.Whatever's going on with this council, they're clearly a mess.
And I have no idea who's to blame.At this point, we're still just trying to figure out who's who, and who we can trust.
Okay, and remind me of your name again, because I've spaced out.
The French spelling, without the X. Don't believe a thing Bo says either.They're all a bunch of assholes.That's why we're in a deficit.There was one person on there that said to raise taxes.You knew who that was?Me.
I knew this deficit was going to happen after 12 years of never raising taxes.It's got to hit you.You can't operate on zeros around here.I told him it was going to happen.It did happen.And it's only going to get worse.All I got to tell you.
Jim Corder.I'm on council too.
There are a lot of Jim's in this town. This is like our fifth Jim, although his real name's Jimmy, with an I-E.Jimmy B. Coulter II.Not James, never James.It's Jimmy, with an I-E.
That's something we'll learn a few months from now, when we find ourselves Googling Jimmy Coulter, much like we were Googling Zackle the other night.
Yes, sir.A quart of milk.A quart of milk.How much is it?I don't think I have quarts.I got half gallons.$2.60 for a half gallon.
It's all I got.All I got.I only got 60 cents.
You don't have 60 cents, huh?Well, let me see. I got 60 cents.
The best way to describe Jimmy Coulter is this.Listen to his voice.He looks exactly like that.Worn and crackled, with these bright blue eyes that jump out and grab you.
Have a good day.Okay, you too.Jim, do you own this place?That's awesome.
Coulter owns Andre's Deli, although it seems like more of a convenience store than a deli.Chips and Cheetos, a soda fridge, cigarettes behind the register.He runs it with his girlfriend, who makes chili dogs in the back.
Occasionally, his son with special needs helps out at the candy counter.Coulter spends all day here, then goes home to his two little wiener dogs, Zippy and Dookie, who leave presents for him in the yard.He calls it duck picking.
It's been working out. — You have pretty good business.
— Yeah, just like before you come in.I think we have to make nine hoagies, you know what I mean?It just goes in and out, in and out.But it's nice, you know what I mean?And people are nice.— How long have you been on council?
— Coulter's been on council for four years, only one term.He's council vice president.
But he'll be stepping down at the end of this year.What he doesn't mention, and what I don't even consider, not till later, is that he's not retiring.Coulter's not leaving by choice.He's one of the incumbents who lost in the primary.And he lost big.
For whatever reason, people really don't seem to like this guy.
We had a difference of opinion.I didn't like what they were doing.You could see there was corruption from Jump Street. Do I think there's other corrupt people here?Yes, I do.And I think if you stay around long enough, you'll see what I see.
Coulter's leaning over the counter, over the Laffy Taffy, in the bucket of Slim Jims, three for a dollar.
The way he's talking, and with those eyes, it's like he's teasing me, luring me in just far enough to keep me wondering what he knows that I don't know, that clearly I should know, for my own good.
Like he's doing me a favor here, stringing together a highlight reel, like a movie trailer.It's like Nancy Taylor.
That man spent about $14,000, $15,000 on an election.For what reason?Tell me why you would spend that much money on an election.It doesn't pay nothing.You get paid, after taxes, $88 a month.That's what you get.
Why would Yancey want to... First of all, how did you know he spent that much money on his campaign?
Because I could see what was out there.I mean, come on, you've seen all of his pictures. I mean, he had them all over the place.And, you know, he had these people working for him.
He had all these people... — So Coulter's clearly just speculating here, with this $15,000 figure.I have no idea how much Ansi spent on his signs.And I sort of doubt all those people were being paid to campaign for him, certainly not his sister.
But I'm curious to see where Coulter's going with this.Because he's an insider on Council.He's one of the first insiders we've talked to.And I guess I'm still stuck on why someone would even want to do this job.I don't mean just Yancey.
I mean anyone.Okay.Contracts.
Okay, so we'll just say hypotheticals, okay?Garbage contract.He gets that guy that garbage contract, might say, hey, come on, kick me 10, 15,000, you know what I mean?I'm doing this for you, you do this for me.
Turns around and we'll just say there are four or five different contracts.Say he picks himself up 60, 70,000.
These numbers Coulter's throwing around just keep getting bigger and bigger.I'm not sure what to make of them.I'm not even sure what or who we're even talking about with all these hypotheticals, all the kickbacks and no-bid contracts.
Coulter certainly seems to know a lot about this stuff.But even just in theory, it's really making me think.I mean, of course, it's totally naive to think civic duty is the only reason people might run for office.But this is a small, dying town.
I guess they assume there's really nothing to fight over.I wouldn't have thought of garbage contracts.
— That's what I'm saying, you know, you get some of these people, look at Jimmy Bryce's wife.
— Coulter seems to be pointing fingers at just about everyone.Even Cindy Bryce.— Think about that, why?
— Why do you think she wanted to be on?— Protect her husband, the superintendent of police. That's what it is.It's to protect her husband.That's all that is.
Do you think he needs protection?
Yes, I do.Yes, I do.Where's that shirt?Hey, you know what the rule is? The rule is no shirt, no service.So next time, you get a shirt, because I'll tell your dad.All right, little duff?
A handful of kids just came in.They spread out all over the store and start picking through the shelves.I know all these kids.You've got to keep them straight.One of them seems to be having trouble deciding which color Gatorade to get.
How y'all been?Act like gentlemen in here.Act like gentlemen, because that's what you enjoy. Am I right?You got it.
I'm watching Jimmy Coulter with these kids, and I'm struck by how sweet he is with them.Sweet in a tough love kind of way, maybe.But he notices them.He knows their names.
They're all over the place, in and out of the soda fridge, spinning the chip racks.They're counting out the pennies and dimes in their hands.But he's patient with them.He's letting them bag their own Cheetos and Cokes.
I know that.It pulls away from that, honey.So you know it's always the back piece you want. Doc, what do you have?Go get a drink.I'll get you that off your dad later.Go get a drink, buddy.They're all good kids.They are.
A lot of them are misunderstood kids.We'll see you guys.OK.
All right.I'm going to only ask you one more question, because I know you're working. What the heck went on with the very last minute of the council meeting?Did you know that was going to happen?
That's why voters know both times.Here's what happened.Gibby Zichal, Dale Charley, Marie Trauza, and Karen Pacabla had a plan.They wanted to take Dennis out from being president. Believe it or not, Dennis has done a good job as president.
For a first-time guy, I think he's done a remarkable... Maybe his ways are not the best ways, but Dennis sure did go out there and do what needed to be done.
Why then would Gibby and the others want to replace him?
Because Gibby wanted control of everything.And believe me, he's just a knucklehead.Believe me.When I say a knucklehead, he's a knucklehead.You don't understand.These people are vicious people.That's what I'm telling you.
The longer you're there, the more you'll see.I'll show you a good one.And you can see for yourself. You know the gentleman, Ed, oh, God's, that- Young Gun.Yes.I'll tell Ed on Thursday, if he's there, to open his briefcase.
You know what you're gonna see?You're gonna see a jail picture of Gibby Zachal.Of him being arrested.That's what's in the briefcase?That's what's in the briefcase. Every time something goes wrong, he goes to open the briefcase.
When he goes to open the briefcase, there's a picture in there.How many people know this?Bo told me.Bo told me.He said he gets ready to open it up.What do you need, honey?
Quarter of a pound of Swiss cheese.
Quarter of a pound of Swiss cheese.Okay.All right.
No.But I mean I mean I have no idea what's true and what's not true with all these people.I mean you just just like it's so tangled.And you know his version is very specific of who the good guys are the bad guys are very specific.
But there's something really genuine about him.Like there was he's not asking for anything.I mean he is not Why did he want to tell us all that, you know?I mean, he was... he was... I don't know.
There's just really something about him I found refreshing.
Yeah.Yeah, I agree.I mean, I also...
Looking back on this moment, a year from now, two years from now, the thing that will strike me most isn't the mugshot at the briefcase, or really anything we learn from this guy with the blue eyes that jump out and grab you.
It's how eager I am to take people at their word, to believe they're good and honest.Because why wouldn't they be? It's not just Jimmy with an IE.Or the other Jim with his diner.Or Yancey Taylor.It's people.It's how much I want to believe in them.
I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.But it's definitely something I never knew about myself.Until Donora. Oh my God, and the thing about the guy with the briefcase.Oh my gosh.I'm like, what's he gonna do?He's gonna say, aha!
You know, like, remember this?And like a mugshot or something?I mean, and what is that gonna do?I mean, like, I just, that's so funny.That's so funny.
I can't wait till the city council meeting.I gotta get to him in that briefcase.I gotta say, please let me peek.Ed.Ed.Ed and his briefcase.Oh my God.
Like, you can't make that up. It's Thursday, post-council meeting.Technically, it's the pre-meeting meeting, where they talk about what they're going to talk about at the meeting.
And we've just been kicked out for an executive session, whatever that is.We're walking down the ramp at the borough building with Jim McDonough, the de facto mayor-elect.He's here with Cindy and Janie, de facto council members.
They're all just fresh off their wins in the primary.They spend the whole meeting sitting on the sidelines, taking furious notes with these big smiles on their faces. Flashing each other knowing looks, like the cool kids in the back of the class.
Now they're walking elbow to elbow, whispering and cracking jokes.And then there's Ed.Ed with a briefcase, trailing behind them.
— All right.Sackle knows I don't agree with what he did last month.He knows as soon as I get on there, I'm going to try to remove him. I'm half watching this little exchange out of the corner of my eye.It's awkward.
I'm sensing a little tension between Jim and Ed.I'm not sure where it's coming from.
Mostly, I'm focused on Ed's briefcase.
— All right, ladies, I'm late for band practice.— You're late for band practice.See ya.— I got to change hats.
Have a good night.— 8 a.m.— Where did you girls park?— I parked down here.
— Jim walks Janie to her car and heads off to band practice.Cindy lights a cigarette and sticks around.Ed takes a hard right and shovels off.He takes his briefcase with him.For a moment, I consider running after him.
But it's clear we missed our window.
Shit, what is that?Here's the thing.I've been here for 34 years, and I've never seen a council that sits down and makes policies that have nothing to do, you wasted an hour of your time on something that has no business being in here.
And as you can see— —Cindy's pretty fired up about this meeting we just sat through.Which, honestly, didn't strike me as all that fiery.But that's the thing I'm learning about Cindy.
—That's what the nepotism was about.That's what the cell phones was about.I'll see ya.
—Cindy sees things that other people probably miss.
—Who is she?—She's the secretary for the borough.
—And that we certainly miss.Somehow she's always got the backstory.The ethics investigations.The personnel disputes.
—And ever since she testified, they cut her hours.
—I guess that's one of the perks of being the police chief's wife. Or else it's just Cindy.
— Boom.Who is related to who here?One guy is married to the secretary.It don't take no genius to figure out what all that shit was about.So you see what I'm saying?
— To be honest, I don't see what Cindy's saying.But that doesn't seem to matter to Cindy.She's just standing here, puffing away, and going on and on about this meeting, and what a crock of shit it was, and why are they wasting all their time.
And what's with this nepotism policy all of a sudden?She's really stuck on this nepotism policy.Who needs a friggin' nepotism policy, says the wife of the chief of police.
— And if you didn't know this, you'd have paid attention.Who spoke up about it?Bingo.— Wait, who?— Who spoke up against?— No, no, against it. who was pushing for it.You know what I mean?It was easy to tell.Who's that?A council member.
And then, you know, they got violations against them.It's a fact.You've been charged with eight ethnic violations.I don't even know how you're still on council.
And do you know who the council person is that she's talking about? I don't either.
I can't.Just give a letter.You don't have to tell me anything.Listen, the thing of it is, is it's like an ongoing investigation.And just because they've been charged doesn't mean it was in the valley.You can look it up.
Cindy takes a drag on her cigarette.She's staring at me with this devious glint in her eye, like she's daring me to go dig up that back issue.And I will.I think she knows I will.
I'm just trying to say, quit it.Quit doing this stuff to Donora.You know, if you don't have Donora's best interest at heart, get out.Just get out.Okay?Enough's enough.
But I'm not on there yet, and I'm going to run in November, just like everybody else is going to run.Hopefully I'll be on council, and hopefully we can make some changes, some headway.Anthony's Pizza.I stand here all day long.
— At this point, we still have no idea, genuinely, who this council person is that Cindy's talking about.But I will go home and look it up tonight, in the Mon Valley Independent. and it'll all be there, in print, just like Cindy said.
Those ethics violations, there were actually six of them, the ongoing investigation, and the name of the councilperson being investigated.It's Jimmy Coulter from the deli.Jimmy with an I-E. Cindy exit stage left and we're about to head out.
When a big gray pickup pulls up next to us with a window rolled down.It's Jimmy Coulter.
Hey there.Hey, if you get a chance tomorrow, stop up the store.I'm going to give you a very nice story.What's going on here?Oh, I got you a good story. where this burrow is manipulating the community on gambling devices.Oh, yes.
They're charging people.See, it's a long story, I'm gonna have to tell you, but it'll be something that'll be well worth it because the superintendent of the police is involved, her husband.It's basically a cover-up.
That's what all this is about, is covering things up.You see what I mean?Yeah.But I'll tell you the story.You'll like it.It'll be well worth it.
Thank you.You're welcome.We'll see ya.Thanks.
Coulter peels off, headed the opposite direction Cindy just went.And I'm standing here trying to process all this.
The blood just keeps sticking.
When Aaron spots Donnie Pavelko pulling out of the parking lot across the street, he's in his shiny red F-150 with the vanity plate that reads, D. Mayor.And as we're running across the street, dodging cars to catch up with him, I realize something.
I think I'm starting to grasp, on a deep, visceral level, what Donnie warned us about with this council, why he wants to leave it all behind him.The whole shitshow shebang.
We want to make a plan to come talk to you sometime.What's your schedule like?
I'm winding down.But, you know, I have been wanting to talk to you. You were at the meeting when they switched council president.Now all of a sudden, the council president had said all this year that the mayor is the problem.What did he say?
He said, Mr. Zachel, you've been the problem here all the time.So I actually feel vindicated.You know, I've been very down in the dumps for quite some time now. I just feel like the truth is finally coming out and just getting better and better.
Now I'm starting to sort of feel bad that I'm leaving now. No, I ain't.I'm definitely... I've had enough.I've seen enough and more than I wanted to see the last year and a half.
So... Yeah, we want to talk to you about all this.
Oh, there's a lot more coming, too.That gentleman, that criminal you were just talking to, stick around for a while.He's going to the big house.
Your friend in the truck. Oh, he's in trouble with so many agencies, it's unbelievable.Not just the ethics committee now, he's in trouble with everybody.
I really can't say anything right now until this comes out, but stick around for a while and I'm hoping before December 31st you'll find out about that gentleman there, that criminal there. So give me a call.
All right, because maybe you could help us understand.There's a lot of moving parts to this whole story, isn't there?
You know what?I used to say I can probably write a movie script.I can do The Sopranos.Six, seven seasons.And I don't know if that would be enough to get it all in.In a little broken downtown in western Pennsylvania. Ladies, I got to go.
It's NFL kickoff tonight.
You've got to go.Get out of here.We'll talk to you next week.Yeah, give me a call.Thanks.
We watch the mayor drive off, Donnie Piglet Pavelko, in his shiny red F-150, with a vanity plate that will, in a matter of months, read, D.X.Mayor.
Freaking whiplash.One truck and then the next truck.
In this moment, I feel compelled to quote John Adams.Remember, democracy never lasts long, he once said.It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself.There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.
And for emphasis, I would like to quote Butchie.Great societies crumble from within.Boy, I don't... It's just, it's too easy to say the... The good people are moving in.But it does sound like they're going to clean this joint of these people.
Yeah, I know.I mean, who knows?Who knows?Like, at this point, I'm like, who do we trust?I have no idea.All right.OK.Can I turn this off for now?
Yeah, yeah. We will go back to Coulter's Deli, and he'll tell us his story about gambling devices and cover-ups.Not a lot of it checks out or amounts to much.And for the record, it has nothing to do with Cindy's husband, the superintendent of police.
But it is a very nice story.It'll take us a while to recover from all this, and we never will quite figure out who we can trust.
But one thing that's becoming abundantly clear is that Yancey's indictment, that whole scam artist thing, isn't the anomaly we thought it was. There seem to be an awful lot of skeletons in these closets.It's almost a question of who doesn't have one.
to see a nice town go down the road.Especially when people sit there and lie to you, to your face.
They'll sit there and they'll say, oh, I'm doing this, and I'm gonna do that, and I'm gonna do this, and you're gonna look down and you're gonna say, can I get on my knees and bless your feet?You're such a, you're a holy person.
And you find out they're nothing but a freaking liar.Then that's what gets you mad. But you know what I always tell people?Find out on your own.Then come back and tell me what you think you know.You doing this too?No.Oh, okay.Okay.That and that?Okay.
Okay, we're gonna let you get back to work.Okay.Thank you.We'll be back.We'll sit and talk.
Okay.You girls have a good weekend.
Okay. We make something out of all this.
It's a lot to understand.
Cement City was written and produced by Aaron Anderson and me, Jean-Marie Laskas, for Odyssey with Cement City Productions.Our story editor is Michael Benoit. Sound design and engineering for Cement City is by Mike Woolley.
Production assistance by Kira Witkin.Research and fact-checking by Tim Maddox.Our credits music is by Genora.Cement City is an Odyssey original podcast from executive producers Jenna Weiss-Berman, Leah Reese Dennis, and Maddy Sprung-Kaiser.
To learn more about our series, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and X, at Cement City Productions, or visit our website at cementcity.org.
Nice to each other, I like Nice to each other
I can't even begin to tell you how bad it was.It was Lord of the Flies in a building.It was called Straight Incorporated.
This is the story of Straight Incorporated, an experimental drug rehab for teenagers that infiltrated communities across the country in the 1980s during the height of the war on drugs, where kidnapping, brainwashing, and torture were disguised as therapy.
It's the origin story of the troubled teen industry, which continues to profit from the desperation of parents and the vulnerability of their children.And its roots can be traced back to a cult called Synanon.How do I know this?
Because I lived through it.My name is Cindy Etler, and this is Season 2 of The Sunshine Place. Listen to and follow The Sunshine Place, an Odyssey original podcast in association with Robert Downey Jr.and Susan Downey.
Available now on the free Odyssey app and wherever you get your podcasts.
Sign in
