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Taking a measure of value

Published/Last Modified on Saturday, Sep 13, 2008 - 05:29:42 am MST

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Cheer: Prostate awareness

It’s likely, men, that you’re not going to miss UsTOO International Sierra Vista Chapter’s current prostate awareness campaign if you’re using a public restroom in Cochise County.

The group is working to make sure men are aware of prostate cancer and the symptoms that lead to it.

And the group is doing so by placing laminated fliers in bathrooms in restaurants, movie theaters, churches and many other locations — 300 in all.

UsTOO doesn’t plan to stop there. It’s considering an education campaign for women, and it likely will keep up its education campaign after the 300 signs are distributed.

We applaud the dedcation of this prostate cancer survivor group. Their efforts hopefully will spread the word about prostate cancer and maybe help some detect a problem early, thus getting them to medical help before it becomes too serious.

That makes the group’s efforts a potentially lifesaving message.

Jeer: Starr’s rate

Is Ken Starr worth $910 an hour?

Arizona House Speaker Jim Weiers thinks so, so much that he’s reportedly approved that rate for Starr’s help in arguing to the U.S. Supreme Court that lower court judges should stay out of decisions on how the state Legislature funds education programs. The fight is over the Equal Education Opportunity Act.

Only problem is that the rate for the Washington, D.C.-based attorney, who is probably best known for heading up a congressional investigation to impeach President Clinton in the 1990s, hasn’t been approved by the state Department of Administration. The department says it has only approved a $335-an-hour rate.

Weiers says he has promised to pay Starr the $910-an-hour rate. His spokesman didn’t tell Capitol Media Services this week exactly how Weiers would pay for the difference if the Department of Administration didn’t approve the rate.

First, Weiers reportedly still has to make an argument as to why Starr is worth $910 an hour.

We can’t wait to hear it.

A $575-an-hour difference is a big one. In tight budget times, it seems like frivolous spending until someone can make an argument that it isn’t.

Beyond that, the Arizona Legislature’s legal wrangling over education and language is getting tiresome. So much money seems to be put into the legal arguments, while less attention is put into how to get money into the classrooms to help our students.

Cheer: Sept. 11 events

It is important to remember the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and honor those who died in them.

It not only helps Americans remember the threats to our nation, but also the brave men and women who serve our nation in so many ways. And remembering allows our nation to continue a healing process that will go on for years to come.

Today, we thank the local agencies and people who organized Sept. 11 events on Thursday. Such events were the walk-down in Tombstone and the fire and police ceremony at the Southern Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery.

Their efforts gave people a place to go to honor and remember the events of that day — a day that truly did change the course of events in our world.

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To Cheers wrote on Sep 14, 2008 8:17 PM:

" Out of the five daily papers that I read, the Herald is the only one the decides what comments on articles get posted. It is also the only paper that has a feature called OYM, where they also decide what gets printed. You'd think that editors and publishers would be for freedom the the press. That doesn't happen here in SV. Unless it is favorable to them, or agreeable with their frame of mind. "

To Cheers wrote on Sep 14, 2008 11:13 AM:

" It would be nice to read unbias news, instead of what the Herald feeds us. Also some in depth stories even though it may step on some of their advertisers toes, and follow ups to previous stories. Supporting local events isn't the main purpose of the press. "

Cheers wrote on Sep 13, 2008 8:06 PM:

" The Herald supports a lot of community events. Why are you so negative? It's unfortunate that people only want to read news that agrees with their biased point of view. "

Jeers wrote on Sep 13, 2008 6:40 AM:

" To the uppercrust at the Herald for their high pay scale, when they aren't worth near what, many editors and publishers of major newspapers get paid. It is hard to call the Herald a newspaper, it is more like a community feel good bulletin. "