News Virginian
Published: February 1, 2008

A thumbs-up, thumbs-down assessment of news makers here and beyond:

THUMBS-UP: Rare are those people whose vision and energy affect not only the lives of others but mold the life of an entire community for generations. Margaret and Fletcher Collins were such people. The arts scene that pulses through Staunton today and makes the Queen City one of America's truly unique places is largely their heritage. Margaret Collins died Wednesday at 98, less than three years after her husband died at the same age. Both taught at Mary Baldwin College and more than 50 years ago founded the Oak Grove Theater to give the school's students a place to perform. That was among the touchstones in an evolution that led to Staunton's ascent as an arts hub. Margaret and Fletcher Collins do not abide alone in spirit. Their lives are intertwined with Staunton's and are extended so long as the arts thrive there.

THUMBS-UP: The City Council made official earlier this week what its members on two separate occasions late last year promised to do: approve bond referendum projects in accordance with the Nov. 6 election. The furor over that badly bungled election had long since died, but Monday's vote formally put the matter to rest. Now begins the work on lining up $10 million for stormwater system improvements, a new west end fire station and a library expansion. This is a rare instance of the divided council advancing on a front rather than quibbling about which way to go. Let's hope it develops into a trend. Our city desperately needs people of action to lead it.

THUMBS-DOWN: The dreaded abusive driver fees at long last are dead. Almost. The Senate has approved a repeal bill that also provides for rebates. Here is where the fun part begins, at least for those who work in the court system. To get rebates or to get out of paying the money, people who have been charged abusive driver fees will be required to petition the courts. That stipulation was key to getting the repeals bill passed. Senate Democrats wanted to simply mandate the rebates and dismissal of fees, but Republicans rightly pointed out that doing so would violate the state Constitution because it would have the General Assembly overturning thousands of judicial orders. We don't argue that there was a better way to go about repealing the fees, but we nonetheless lament that it translates to still more paperwork and bureaucracy.

THUMBS-UP: South Carolina lawmaker Fletcher Smith wants to allow service men and women younger than 21 to buy alcohol. Good for him. Smith makes the old argument that a man or woman old enough to fight for his or her country ought to be able to buy a beer. We concur. But we like most of all the spirit of Smith's proposal that would have a state take back some of the power to legislate itself that the federal government has long been siphoning away. States, for example, once set their own drinking age until the feds stepped in more than 20 years ago. If Smith's bill is approved, South Carolina could lose several hundred million dollars in federal highway money. The founding fathers intended the bulk of power to reside with states. Smith's bill makes a stand against the federal extortion tactics that have been used to subvert the founders' intent and wisdom. We hope his fellow lawmakers get behind it and others around the country take notice.