Today's Opinions

Jim Reynolds, the man whose three buildings were destroyed in the fire in Shelbyville three weeks ago, has wasted no time in planning to replace those buildings, and we wish him Godspeed in that endeavor.

Mr. Reynolds, who expressed tearful devastation in watching the buildings burn and then seeing them swept away into a line of Dumpsters, has been moving around Shelbyville in the past week, not only discussing his ideas but sharing with Historic District Coordinator Fred Rogers sketches of his actual plans, concepts of which Mr. Rogers spoke effusively and hopefully.

When you hear the word workshop, you might envision a carpenter’s bench, hammer and other tools where products are crafted. I know because I dabble in construction as a hobby.

However, I do more than dabble when I visit schools in Shelby County on the lookout for a workshop classroom.

Let me explain.

Today to you is the first day of spring, arriving on the calendar if not exactly aligned with the forecast this week of lows perhaps near the teens. Just when the daffodils start to feel welcome, they get smacked with snow, ice and more petal-numbing temperatures. Maybe this is the confernal equinox.

But I’m not here to talk about the weather, no matter how easily that topic has been known to consume dead air, recourse dragging dinner conversations and fill the blank pages of uninspired typists. But those aren’t me.