Our take on the news

• We hope the community will support the Coulee Area Park and Recreation District’s bid for tax support. Since the early 1990s, community leaders saw a park and rec district as a tool that could be used to help solve many of the problems the area faces because of its multiple municipalities. We finally voted one in the mid- 2000s. Let’s supply it early in this decade with the ability to accomplish something.

• It’s a long time until the winter holidays, when we tend to think about giving to the food bank, but supplies are low now in the heat of summer. Let’s give it our help on Friday when volunteers from area churches are collecting for it at the grocery stores.

• The nut of the issue of the federal government’s chosen lack of interest in the local school construction project is in the statute quoted by Sen. Linda Evans Parlette in her letter encouraging such involvement. The law that established Coulee Dam as a town instead of mere government property states that it “is of prime importance to the Government that these communities continue to function as wholesome and attractive communities.” That law specifically authorizes federal help of this kind. As a community we need to help bureaucrats in Washington find the political will to step up.

• It’s always a good sign when people in business decide to invest aggressively in their position in the community. Jack and Lauretta Madsen are fine people who see so much potential in their new community that they’ve bought three gas station/mini marts and are working hard to improve their properties.

• We’re always heartened when our friends at city halls have to listen to someone other than newspaper types complain about openness in government or the lack of it. Kudos to Jeff Eiffert for encouraging such openness.

• Several stories are not in this week’s Star in print. These and more will be online at grandcoulee.com sometime in the next week:

- A big crane lifts equipment into a new building in Electric City.

- School district superintendent gets a raise.

- A woman turns what she loves into a new area business.

Scott Hunter

editor and publisher