OUR VIEW: Week in review: The best and worst

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OUR VIEW

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CHEERS to the Mike Miller Classic, which on Saturday concluded its third stint in Mitchell.

The event this year featured 13 teams from across the nation, showcasing some of the top schoolboy basketball talent in America.

It’s unfortunate Mother Nature deems it necessary to dump snow on the region every year as the Classic is about to tip off, but we still appreciated the Corn Palace crowds and the boys who came here to play over the weekend.

Speaking of snowfall and Mother Nature, CHEERS to the precipitation that came our way last week. Although we suspect those dry, fluffy flakes didn’t contain much moisture, we still are happy to see some snowfall cover our parched landscape. Between now and April, the region could use some regular rain or snowfall, and perhaps last week’s gentle storm was an omen of good things to come.

CHEERS to the free Christmas banquet that was held last week at the Mitchell Masonic Lodge. Organized and run by volunteers, the event was a way to get a free meal, socialize and enjoy the holiday.

We were told that a record number of attendees partook of the meal. Perhaps some could see that as a bad sign — poor economy, higher rate of poverty, etc. — we choose to see it as a good thing.

We commend those who took the time to work the banquet, those who made donations and those 474 souls who took the time to attend.

HISSES to the sad story from Newtown, Conn., where more than two dozen — mostly children — were gunned down at an elementary school.

Meanwhile, CHEERS to the students and faculty in the Mount Vernon School District.

That Davison County school saw students and teachers pose in a grand photo last week, with nearly everyone wearing green and white as a tribute to the victims at Sandy Hook Elementary.

The photo, published in The Daily Republic, really shows that people in our region have taken to heart this tragedy and truly care about those it has affected.

CHEERS to 2012 and to its coming offspring, 2013.

It’s hard to hear those numbers roll off the tongue, showing that time really does fly. Life is good, dear readers.

Life is good. Enjoy these times, and please do so safely and responsibly. Tonight, call a designated driver or cab if you’ve been drinking.

And through the coming year, be sure to count your blessings.

Tags: opinion, updates, editorials