GBU: Low standards, high gas

By Journal Editorial Board | Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

The Bad: Jails and prisons filled with repeat DUI offenders.

The Good: Innovative programs such as electronic monitoring bracelets that keep  convicted drunk drivers off our roads and highways by sending computer signals that alert law enforcement when one of the wearers has been drinking.

The Best:  A legislative appropriation that will provide another $400,000 to purchase an additional 300 bracelets, an investment that will save lives as well as the costs associated with incarcerating DUI offenders.

The Good: Gary Sinise and his Lt. Dan Band that performed for the airmen of Ellsworth AFB and their families on Feb. 1 as part of a USO entertainment tour.  Sinise is best known for the “Forrest Gump” role of the band’s name and his “CSI: New York” television series. This is the  actor’s 26th USO tour.

The Good: The $5,000 Opportunity Scholarships that help keep the best and the brightest of South Dakota’s high school students in the state for college.

The Bad: A proposal to lower the bar on ACT scores for Opportunity Scholars from 24 to 23 that passed the Senate Education Committee .

The Ugly: Lowering academic standards on one scholarship pool ultimately diminishes the value of the whole higher education system.

The Bad: High gasoline prices that hover around $3 per gallon and only threaten to go up, not down.

The Good: Eligible VA Health Care patients got an increase in their reimbursement for travel for medical care in the 2008 Veteran Affairs Appropriations Act which should alleviate some of the economic strain of traveling to and from VA facilities.

The Ugly: Until it was raised to 28.5 cents per mile on Feb. 1, the VA ‘s travel reimbursement rate was 11 cents per mile.

The Good:  The McLaughlin City Council’s approval of a domestic-violence shelter, the Pretty Bird Woman House, in McLaughlin’s downtown area.

The Bad: The  jurisdictional issues between tribal and city law enforcement agencies that could threaten security at the only shelter for battered women on the Standing Rock Reservation.

The Ugly: The lack of essential police services and the scarcity of law enforcement dollars that threaten the safety and security of all people on tribal reservations.



Correction

The Jan. 28 Good, Bad & Ugly incorrectly stated Rapid City Council President Malcom Chapman’s position on the public discussion of city travel expenditures. The Feb. 11 council retreat, where aldermen have agreed to revisit the travel policy, is open to the public.

Rapid Reply

Show Comments

No comments posted.

Send us your Rapid Reply

Name:

Email: (optional)

Comments:

Image Verification: (Case sensitive)   

The preceeding are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the views of the Rapid City Journal or Lee Enterprises.

The opinions above are from readers of rapidcityjournal.com and in no way represent the views of the Rapid City Journal or Lee Enterprises.

Rapidcityjournal.com provides this community forum for readers to exchange ideas and opinions on the news of the day. Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude language and personal abuse are not welcome. Moderators will monitor comments with an eye toward maintaining a high level of civility in this forum. Our comment policy explains the rules of the road for registered commenters.

If you don't see your comment, perhaps...

• you called someone an idiot, a racist, a dope, a moron, etc. Please, no name-calling or profanity (or veiled profanity -- #$%^&*).
• you rambled, failed to stay on topic or exhibited troll-like behavior intended to hijack the discussion at hand.
• YOU SHOUTED YOUR COMMENT IN ALL CAPS. This is hard to read and annoys readers.
• you named a business or identified a business in a way good or bad. Contact the business directly with your customer service concerns or your praise – they’ll likely appreciate your feedback.
• you believe the newspaper's coverage is unfair. It would be better to write Jerry Steinley at jerry.steinley@rapidcityjournal.com or call him at 394-8427. This is a forum for community discussion, not for media criticism. We'd rather address your concerns directly.
• you included an e-mail address or phone number, pretended to be someone you aren't or offered a comment that makes no sense.
• you accused someone of a crime or assigned guilt or punishment to someone suspected of a crime.
• your comment is in really poor taste.

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy