Where there's a Will, there's a way

I was in Chicago Sunday so I missed the SJ-R's editorial on Hunter Lake. I can't believe none of my friends mentioned it to me until yesterday.

To my surprise, they supported most of the arguments made by those opposed to the lake that I wrote about in January. I've come to expect the SJ-R to take the same business establishment viewpoint as the Chamber of Commerce so I'm impressed to see them argue for a rational policy over the desire of a few people to make a fortune at the expense of CWLP ratepayers.

One thing they didn't mention is that the only major new demand for water is coming from proposed ethanol plants, which require large amounts of water resources. If the investors and developers of local ethanol plants want a second water source then they should pay for it themselves instead of asking CWLP customers to subsidize their cost of doing business.

The editorial makes me hopeful that we might actually see a new recreational area that would supplement the Lincoln-themed tourist economy. Having a good natural area nearby would help keep young people in the area, which is something the city needs to seriously think about if we're going to follow the Q5 plan to expand the local economy. Not having good places to go hiking is still what I miss most after moving back to my hometown. I know many other people feel the same way.

Added on edit: Thanks to the commenter who pointed out that Dave Bakke's column today covers the same issue.