01/15/2007

Cheers

• To Wings of Wonder, an Empire area raptor rehabilitation center, for its work with bald eagles and other injured or sick birds of prey. The center planned to release a juvenile eagle named Sky over the weekend after five months of nursing it back to health. Sky, about a year old, was brought to the center in August after she was found in Pellston suffering from seizures and other symptoms of West Nile virus. Sky will soar again, thanks to the center and director Rebecca Lessard.

• To Third Level Crisis Center for opening Pete's Place last week. The nine-bed shelter for runaway and homeless teens will serve 14- to 17-year-olds from Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties. It is operated by the crisis center and located in a wing of its own at the Goodwill Inn's new $4.7 million homeless center on Keystone Road south of Traverse City.

• To Ken Borton, who with a $50 camera bought in 1998 and a plywood snowman gives the world a 24-hour view of the weather in his backyard in Gaylord. His Web site was selected as one of the 25 most-liked Webcams of 2006 by Earthcam, a leading Webcam network and authority on the Internet camera industry. Earthcam judges called it unique and "endearing and a contrast to streaming vistas and stunning videos offered by other Webcams.”

Jeers

• To the Blair Township woman who allegedly was driving drunk when she rolled her vehicle on Silver Lake Road last week while taking her 3-year-old son to day care about 8:30 a.m. Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputies said her blood-alcohol was over the legal limit. Fortunately, both she and her son were wearing seat belts.

• To the local court system for allowing a former Charlevoix County sheriff’s deputy involved in an off-duty road rage incident to resign, plead to a lesser charge, pay $200 in fines and costs and get a reference letter that “will not disparage Brian VanMeter,” which means he can get a police job somewhere else. Originally charged with felonious assault and reckless driving, he was allowed to plead to two misdemeanors, which are considered civil infractions. Officials say marital discord was involved in the matter. A lot of people have marital problems without resorting to lawbreaking activities. The legal system isn’t delivering justice in this case. It’s handing out preferential treatment. Police officers are not above the law. Indeed, they should meet a high standard of behavior.