Spot a hazard? Point it out

It was just a routine outing: a few snowmobilers en route to a barbecue. Then one of the machines took an unfortunate turn. Turns out that on Wednesday, the first mild day in a while, muddy patches appeared along the Confederation Trail. Russell DesRoches simply followed the tracks of earlier snowmobilers who had avoided the mud.

By then, however the improvised trail had developed a waterhole, and his machine nosedived into it. That’s how quickly mishaps can happen.

This mild weather is welcomed but it can present its challenges: clay roads turn muddy, ice thins on rivers, water running makes it dangerous to walk across snowcovered ditches.

Bottom line here is, keep an eye peeled for danger and, if you spot a potential hazard mark it and tell people about it.

We need to watch out for one another.

Winter’s hardly over

Despite the potential hazards it can create, this mild weather would certainly be welcomed by many, coming right on the heels of practically a full week of snow storms. Just don’t count on it lasting. This is only late February. There can, and likely will, be more hard lashes before this winter makes its final pass.

Opponents to school closure recommendations have found their voice

Seven hours.

That’s how long some supporters of the We the West campaign to save two West Prince schools recommended for closure stood their ground Tuesday night at Westisle Composite High School. A scheduled 7 p.m. meeting seeking public input on the school review process ran until shortly after midnight, but many of the people who stayed until the end had actually arrived at the school prior to 5:30 p.m. so that they could participate in a rally in support of the schools.

That says a lot about the conviction of those opposing the recommendations to close St. Louis and Bloomfield elementary schools: It’s a long, hard fight and they’re prepared to fight it.

As speakers indicated, the campaign to save the schools has found its voice, and that voice is intent on being heard.

It’s important to note the opposition is not just coming from parents, students and staff of the two schools but from the entire Westisle Family of Schools.

Of course, the fight extends far beyond West Prince as three other Island schools are subject to the same closure recommendation and the fight to save each and every school on the list seems to be far from over.