Friendly skies
To commercial aviation. We're as annoyed as anyone else by long security lines and extra charges to stow a suitcase.
But the odds of getting the one thing all passengers most desire -- a safe arrival -- has never been better. The past decade has been the safest in the nation's aviation history, with two deaths for every 100 million passengers on commercial flights.
That compares with 133 out of every 100 million passengers in the decade from 1962 to 1971, according to The Associated Press. Even then, air travel was safer than driving.
Crime fighters
To Tri-Cities Crime Stoppers and especially to the citizens who provided information that led to the arrests of 92 fugitives featured in "wanted" bulletins.
Crime Stoppers pays cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to a felony arrest, but most tipsters aren't looking for financial benefit.
At least 530 tips provided to authorities through the Crime Stoppers program last year. Only 15 people collected any money. All involved help make our community safer, however.
It's right at the Reach
To the Richland Public Facilities District Board for naming longtime Tri-City businesswoman Lisa Toomey to serve as its interim CEO.
The board identified the exactly the right qualities required in the leader of the next phase in development of the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center -- someone well known in community, someone with fundraising experience and someone who can bring passion and energy to the program.
"I believe we have found that person," board President Joel Rogo told the Herald.
We agree.
We have one concern -- Toomey's departure from Columbia Basin College could weaken the school's renewed focus on its agriculture program. Her colleagues at CBC need to make sure that doesn't happen.
Much ado
To the flap over a YouTube video featuring some nasty fouls in the basketball game between Connell High School and Cowiche's Highland High School.
The segment went viral, reaching sports fans and others across the nation. In the process, all involved deserve a share of blame for a bad situation turned worse.
Certainly, the kids committing the fouls caught on video, along with the coaches and officials who were lax in controlling the game, are on the list of bad actors.
We'd add to that the adult who gave the video a wide distribution without giving thought to the reactions it would provoke.
But the worst behavior comes on the part of online, and mostly anonymous, critics who attached vicious and ignorant comments to the video.
We didn't like what we saw on the video, but realize we don't know enough to pass judgment on the overall character of any of these individuals.
That thousands of YouTube viewers were willing to do so based on five minutes of edited videotape is appalling. They better hope others are more generous the next time they're caught making a mistake.
Unacceptable spin
To Bill Wade, chairman of the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, for attempting to link the murder of a young ranger in Mount Rainier National Park to a loosening of firearm restrictions.
It's fine if Wade wants to reopen the debate over a 2010 law that made it legal for people to take loaded weapons into national parks.
But to use the New Year's Day tragedy as an excuse is as shameful as it is foolish.
The killer was a heavily armed and violent fugitive, fleeing a shooting that left four wounded. The notion that he might have altered his behavior if a gun ban had been in effect at Mount Rainier is inane.
