December 31, 2000

Top story? Locally, it is schools to be built

This is the season that brings out the urge in people to look back at the past year and categorize, categorize, categorize.

One of the categories is top news story of the year.

In this country, it took little thought to determine the top national story for 2000.

The presidential election -- more than a month instead of the usual day -- is the obvious choice.

What about the top local story?

Here is our choice: New schools and the state program that's making them possible.

New Riegel is on its way to construction of a k-12 building. Bettsville also is moving along toward and expansion and renovation.

And Tiffin voters have approved the local funding -- about half -- of a new $15 million middle school.

The state grant program that is providing 50-80 percent of the money for these projects will continue, and other local districts will have opportunities for new or upgraded schools in coming years.

In regard to the Tiffin middle school project, there are several stories that are part of the year's top story:

• The state commission granting more than half of the cost of construction.
• The willingness of a majority of residents to vote for the local share.
• The long-range impact of having students in an increasingly technology laced world being taught in a building designed with the technology in mind.
• A shift in community attitude to recognize that the two buildings being replaced are no longer suitable to do the job.

Looking at the whole area, this new-school story could come back as the top story in more than one subsequent year.