Sadly, our pages have been filled recently with news that just isn’t very good. Much of it has to do with people making bad decisions who have ended up costing someone a life or badly injuring others.

I suppose I could say don’t drink and drive. Alcohol kills. Don’t overdrive a windy corner and certainly don’t drive over the legal speed limit, especially excessively. Speed kills. And don’t use drugs. Drugs kill or at least disputes over them can end in death.

Well, I guess I did just say that. Please don’t drink and drive, please obey the speed limit and please don’t use drugs. Of course, it’s up to you whether that means anything.

The three recent traffic deaths and one death apparently related to a dispute over a drug debt have led to a spirited public debate about responsibility. Much of that debate has been at rentonreporter.com. While it’s unfortunate that tragedy has sparked those comments, at least the opportunity to vent provided on our Web site has helped some cope with their grief or has provided a chance to sound off against those who just don’t seem to get it. Sometimes, those comments have become personal and they were removed from the site. We (and you, too, through feedback) need to do that sparingly because we don’t want to stifle debate. But we want civil discussion, too.

In any case, please be careful out there. Any of these recent deaths could have been prevented with a little show of responsibility. I hate to think what would have happened to the little boys in the fatal accident on SR 169 if their mom had not buckled them up in child seats. That’s a show of responsibility and caring, something that shouldn’t be unique to a mother.

Some good times, too

But, it’s also true that the pages of the Renton Reporter have been filled with good news. We enjoy bringing you the photos of the Renton high school seniors who are celebrating a monumental achievement this month – completion of 12 (and maybe 13) years of education. Graduation is a time of joy and of sense of accomplishment and we wish to congratulate the seniors, their parents and certainly the teachers in the Renton School District for this achievement.