It has been a hard week.
The bombings in Boston and the subsequent bloody chase after the killers that goes on even as I write. The massive explosion in Texas where the bodies can't yet be counted. The defeat of modest gun control legislation, supported by nine out of ten Americans, that underscores the dysfunction of our politics. The madman leading North Korea and threatening nuclear attacks. The spring that just won't show up and the floods that have arrived.
So, I thought I'd close the week with two pieces of long-term local good news.
There's little more important to our community than our lakes and our public schools. And there's encouraging news this week on both fronts.
Check out Isthmus this week for my cover story about a breakthrough on lake cleanup efforts. I interviewed scientists and community leaders and found that there is new hope for rapid progress on the most obnoxious of lake problems: algae. It's possible that if we make smart investments over the course of the next several years, we can see noticeable progress in our lifetimes. Previously, we had believed it would take much more money over a much longer period to achieve any improvement.
And with regard to the schools, Madison's new Superintendent Jennifer Cheatham is getting off to a strong start. She put together a powerful task force of nationally-acclaimed education experts to help her evaluate the state of our schools. Even the crusty teachers' union leader John Matthews praised Cheatham for that move. And she has started school visits and listening sessions all over Madison, recognizing the nature of a city that wants to be heard.
It has been a week filled with horrors. But at least there are two bright spots on significant parts of the local scene.
Have the best weekend you can. The sun will shine on Saturday.