Spring standouts
Cheers and good luck to the various high school athletes competing in state tournaments. Talent provides opportunity, but hard work makes the difference between potential and success. Last-minute advice: Winning honors is less important than winning honorably.
Working together
Cheers for progress toward an agreement among Coos Bay, North Bend and the Coquille Indian Tribe on running the local visitors bureau. After a contentious start, they appear to be moving toward a fair and workable partnership to promote local tourism.
Oregon votes
Cheers to everyone who voted this week. Turnout statewide was at least 41 percent, and Coos County was almost 10 points better. Our state did better than Kentucky, Arkansas and Pennsylvania, all of which had high-profile U.S. Senate primaries.
Don’t call them losers
Cheers to all the political candidates who didn’t win on Tuesday. Our republic depends on courageous people willing to risk defeat. Without competitive races, future office holders wouldn’t have to answer questions from voters or defend their ideas. Thank you for running.
Landscape de-sign
On the other hand, jeers to candidates who haven’t taken down their yard signs. Before Election Day, those signs are the sacred raw material of democracy. After Election Day, they’re litter. Clean them up.
Please empty your pockets
Cheers to Star of Hope for plans to open an Oregon Connection/House of Myrtlewood shop at the North Bend airport. The shop will encourage visitors to leave more money in the Bay Area, while supporting the organization’s worthy programs.
A plucky survivor
Cheers to 66-year-old Sally Ray of Fairview, one tough cookie. Awakening from a nap to discover a wall of flames, she bailed out of a window and dropped eight feet to a barrel below. C&J wishes her a speedy recovery.
I do not consider myself a loser so thanks for the support, and all but one of my signs was down the day after.