Opinion, Editorials and Letters to the Editor - News for Denton, Texas - The Denton Record-Chronicle

Other Voices: Revenge of Village People

As a singer and songwriter for the 1970s disco group the Village People, Victor Willis scored multiple hits that helped define that era for the baby boom generation.

Food drive on a roll

The annual Postal Food Drive is a great idea that just keeps getting better and better. You can’t beat the drive for convenience. What could be easier than placing a bag of food items near your mailbox for pickup by your postal carrier?

Truck for helmet one great trade

We’ve heard of some great trades in our day, but the one between Denton and Jet Works Air Center that was made Wednesday at the Denton Airport has to rank right up there with the best of them.

A lot at stake in state primary

Considering all the publicity surrounding the Texas primary earlier this year, most folks are aware that May 29 is election day.

Anonymity issue gets resolution

Readers have long complained about the anonymity allowed on our website, www.DentonRC.com, and have queried us on why we allow it.

Other Voices: Protect young from diabetes

They used to call it adult-onset diabetes, because it only occurred in adults. Most often caused by obesity, it is now at record levels, affecting almost 26 million Americans.

News coverage offers options

In early voting and on Saturday in the City Council election, 3,944 residents from the 57,345 registered voters in Denton cast their ballots. The results were announced both in Sunday’s newspaper and online Saturday in our first “Cover It Live” event.

Other Voices: Haiti’s cholera crisis

The cholera epidemic in Haiti, which began in late 2010, is bad and getting worse, for reasons that are well understood and that the aid community has done far too little to resolve.

Remember mom on special day

We’d like to take this opportunity to send our best wishes to mothers everywhere. Here’s hoping that Mother’s Day will bring you joy and many blessings, and that if your clan decides to cook breakfast for you, that they will remember to clean up the mess.

‘Field of Honor’ an inspiring effort

With Memorial Day approaching, a new program announced recently by members of American Legion Riders, Post 71, caught our attention.

No reason not to cast ballot

Election day always put us in mind of that old joke about the weather. In the days leading up to an election, a lot of people talk about change, call for change — even demand change — but it often seems that too few of them bother to take one step that’s necessary to bring about change.

Where to vote

Area City and School Board Elections

Area teams playing to win

Area sports fans should have plenty to talk about during the next few days, with six baseball teams and two softball squads from Denton County high schools poised to continue their postseason journeys.

Project could improve schools

The Denton school district’s “Project EIC (Educational Improvement Council)” campaign could bear fruit — if it’s given a fair chance.

High schools earn theater honors

Theater students at Denton and Guyer high schools deserve to take a bow for their star-studded showing in the Dallas Summer Musicals High School Theatre Awards program.

Other Voices: Medical schools vital for healthy future

University of Texas regents gave the effort to establish a medical school in Austin a $25 million a year push last week, a vote that put the idea within shouting distance of becoming reality.

New group inspires harmonious hope

We hope a new Denton orchestra strikes the right chord with audiences. Odysseus Chamber Orchestra, a nonprofit professional ensemble, performed its first concert Friday, and artistic director and conductor Jason Lim is serious about making the project a success.

Highway project welcome news

Area motorists got some good news Thursday. Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation announced a project plan to widen a seven-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 380 west of Denton, extending from the Wise County line to a point west of FM156.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates diversity

Denton’s second festival in as many weekends will be a one-day event, but that doesn’t mean it will be short on fun and entertainment.

Students’ drive helps feed hungry

Young people can sometimes show adults how to get things done. A recent food drive conducted at L.A. Nelson Elementary School in Denton is a good case in point.

Pioneers continue outstanding effort

Monday’s announcement that the Texas Woman’s University Pioneers had earned an at-large bid to the NCAA South Central Regional softball tournament was great news, and we’d like to congratulate each member of the team and head coach Richie Bruister.

Detective receives honor for efforts

Law enforcement officers will tell you that few jobs are tougher than working child abuse cases. Such investigations exact an extreme toll and require unique dedication. Our community is privileged to have several of these committed officers protecting local families.

Other Voices: Cozy deal for drug makers

Congress long ago shirked its responsibility to provide the Food and Drug Administration with sufficient money to do its job. So the companies that make drugs and medical devices — complaining that it took too long to win approval for their products — offered to pay “user fees” if the FDA would hire more people to evaluate their applications. Critics charge that those cozy cash-fed agreements have given industry far too much influence over the regulatory process. Industry says that without the money, patients would have to wait far too long to get access to new treatments.

Voters’ wait almost over

The wait is almost over. Early voting begins Monday for the May 12 municipal and school elections, and across Denton County, residents will be able to visit an early polling site to cast ballots in their respective city council and school board races.

Murals with a message

Using art to call attention to an important environmental message seems like a natural combination in a city like Denton.

A warm welcome to UNT’s new coaches

The University of North Texas made its second major coaching announcement in a little more than a week on Wednesday, introducing Tony Benford as the new men’s basketball head coach.

Crowd favorite to fill park

If you want to enjoy great music, fine art and creative crafts this weekend, then there’s really only one place for you — the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival.

Perfect road trip destination found

We thought that an effort by Rand McNally and USA Today to collect reviews from travelers to help find the best small towns in American would yield some great travel destinations, and we were right.

Time ripe to go ‘green’

Hopefully, companies that once thought going “green” was a fad are now in the minority. A recent report by the Knoxville, Tenn.-based Shelton Group revealed that 65 percent of consumers say they are buying or searching for “greener” products and that companies appear to be responding.

Other Voices: Common-sense solution

North Texas’ air quality problem is already so serious that the last thing we need is to let a new source of pollution run wild. So the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to clamp down on emissions associated with gas drilling is a wise one.

Mayoral forums to offer insight

Denton voters will be offered two opportunities this week to learn more about the candidates running for mayor in the upcoming city election, and we encourage them to take full advantage.

Church celebrates 150th anniversary

Anyone who thinks church history is tame hasn’t been keeping up with recent monthly newsletters from Denton’s St. Andrew Presbyterian Church.

Make tracks to Relay for Life

A lot of your neighbors will be walking all night to fight cancer during the annual Relay for Life of Denton, which is set to begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at the University of North Texas Fouts Field track. Why not plan to drop by the stadium to cheer them on?

Exemplary officers receive honors

Denton County Sheriff’s Office communications officers are the first responders in every emergency situation, which means their dedication is one of the most vital aspects of the entire department’s performance.

Take weather alerts seriously

The Emergency Preparedness Summit and Fair conducted Saturday at Guyer High School covered some serious topics.

Argyle parents do right thing

It is apparent the work of miscreants is behind recent events in the Argyle school district. First, we heard of an unauthorized survey sent on the alleged behalf of the school district to parents of students under high school coach Skip Townsend and his wife, Sammye, an assistant.