Editorial

Shelter Island Reporter Editorial: Bouncing back to good news

ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES/iSTOCK Things are looking up on several fronts.
ILLUSTRATION: GETTY IMAGES/iSTOCK Things are looking up on several fronts.

Bad news, it’s been said, travels at the speed of light, while good news travels at the speed of molasses. Going uphill. In the winter.

But we’re here to put some acceleration behind several pieces of news that have come down the track lately.

First up is the successful summer a great majority of Island businesses enjoyed. Owners of retail businesses and restaurants raved about how well they did, coming back from a horrific winter as the economy here, as with most places across the state and nation, strongly rebounded.

We’re at the beginning of a presidential election campaign — if you didn’t notice — and so it’s not surprising that one party is not talking about bounce-backs or good summers. We’re reminded of the last Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney, who boldly predicted in 2012 that if he were elected president he’d have the unemployment rate down to 6 percent by 2016.

Paging Mr. Romney: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate as of last month was 5.1 percent, just about the same as New York State.

Good news came for a couple of pieces of Island infrastructure badly in need of repair, when Supervisor Jim Dougherty announced that $100,000 is ticketed for the Island from state coffers. A specific request was pushed by our state representatives, Assemblyman Fred Thiele Jr.  (I-Sag Harbor) and Senator Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) to secure funding for a new roof on the Medical Center and repaving and re-configuring the parking lots at Town Hall and police headquarters.

The funds won’t cover the entire price tag for the work, Department of Public Works Commissioner Jay Card Jr. has said, but it’s a very good start.

Also the prospect of good news on the major challenge facing the Island — clean ground and surface waters — is getting a little closer to reality, with the Island participating in a program that could bring a state-of-the-art septic system to the school.

Town Engineer John Cronin has been out in front of the issue of clean water here and has been a strong champion for the Island with governmental bodies to get what we deserve.

He’s helped shepherd a new and effective septic system for the American Legion and now has applied for a county-sponsored experimental system at the school.

We applaud Mr. Cronin’s expertise and energy, and for our town representatives who have backed him to pursue methods of keeping the Island’s waters as a pure and sustainable resource.

Speaking of good news, it’s not too early to participate in one of the Island’s great annual traditions, the Lions Club Scallop Dinner. This fun — and tasty — community event will be held Sunday October 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Pridwin. All proceeds go to the Shelter Island Preschool program. Get your tickets — $30, $15 for kids ages 10 and younger — at the library, call 209-7452 or email [email protected].

It’s all good.