07/10/2006

Editorial

Cheers

• To the hundreds of volunteers who made the National Cherry Festival's 80th celebration a great success. The festival, with its multitude of daily events, parades and entertainment, would be impossible were it not for the cadres of people of all ages who help make it happen. Thanks also to Mother Nature for almost perfect festival weather — not too hot, not too cold and lots of sun.

• To developer Ray Minervini for his methodical "one-part-at-a-time" approach to redevelopment of the former state hospital grounds. His vision and hard work have preserved the century-old Kirkbride architectural style of the old asylum and grounds. So far, Minervini has redeveloped a 45,000-square-foot section of Building 50, known as Southview, into three floors of commercial space and two floors of residential units. Another 25,000 square feet has been redeveloped in Cottage 20 with the same mix. Almost 300 people are now employed in the various businesses there. Current work includes another 100,000 square feet of Building 50. It's a big job, and Minervini and his companies are making it happen.

• To Traverse City Manager Richard Lewis for giving the Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Traverse two more months to try to resolve lingering financial problems before evicting the program from a building at 517 Wellington. The clubs rent the building from the city for just $2 a year, but are also about $2,000 in arrears on water and electric bills. The group closed the doors of the building in January and are looking for funding and making organizational changes.

• The Father Fred Foundation for hiring a new executive director to oversee the nonprofit's $1.9 million capital campaign, renovations of two buildings and increased coordination with other charities. Martie Manty, who lived and worked in Traverse City for almost 30 years before moving to Vermont three years ago, is well-known in area human services and counseling circles and is a great choice from the 50 applicants.

• To U.S. Magistrate Charles Binder, who recommended a halt to drilling plans beneath the Mason Tract, a wildlife preservation area along the AuSable River east of Grayling. He chided officials of two federal agencies for saying the proposed drilling would have no significant environmental impact, calling their reports "inadequate" and "an exercise of arbitrary and capricious decision-making". It's about time someone said the emperor has no clothes in this case. The final decision now will be made by U.S. District Judge David Lawson, who granted an injunction in 2005 to delay drilling.

• To the Traverse City Area Public Schools board for deciding to move the district's election date from May to November. The decision will save the cash-strapped school district an estimated $30,000.