EDITOR’S DESK: A beautified block

       It's not always easy to know what might be a “grabber” sort of news article. The one this issue about the planned beautification to the block of Bijou Street west of the interchange falls into that uncertain category. Some of you might say, “So what! It's just one block. When's the city going to fix mine?!” But I'd also like to think that some of you might say, “What do you know about that? The city's actually going to make our side as nice as the downtown's when the Bijou bridge is done. And maybe, once motorists have been attracted into turning west on Bijou, they'll go beyond just that one block, exploring our quaintly blessed realm, enjoying the Westside's natural and man-made wonders and shopping the spectrum of its stores!”
       In any case, we owe our thanks (once again) to County Commissioner - and fellow Westsider - Sallie Clark. Without her persistence, the bridge's design inequity would most likely have gone unnoticed, except at some future point when it would have been far too late to do anything about it. And there we would have been yet again, feeling like red-headed stepchildren (though personally, I much prefer the sensation that we got our fair share for once).
      
       Those of you aware of our insistence that the Pioneer only contain Westside news may wonder about our article on the Colorado Springs Utilities' electric-energy planning efforts. The answer is simple. The meetings are over here. (And, it's certainly true that we all pay utility bills. )
       I was intrigued by the results of the Utilities survey, with such a huge percentage calling for cleaner renewable energy sources, even if procuring them means higher electric bills. Would YOU support that? At the same time, I'm curious how many such zealots would sacrifice certain luxuries to keep demand down. At the Feb. 20 Utilities public meeting, more than 20 people said they had automatic garage door openers, but only two or three were willing to give them up. Would YOU?

- K.J.