Ends and odds, 2/9/07

If you go to msn.com, there's a news story that asks, "What drew us to Anna Nicole?" Nothing drew me to Anna Nicole. I always thought she was one of these empty celebrities who existed to fill the pages of celebrity magazines. I'm sorry she died, mainly because of the little girl she left behind. I wish she had gone into seclusion long ago.

From Anna Nicole to downsizing state government...

Illinois is thinking about selling its state lottery. Really. Now West Virginia State Senator Vic Sprouse says West Virginia should take a big chunk of money from the racetracks, let them have their casino table games and get out of the gambling regulation business. And we should sell our state lottery, too. It's something to think about.

From there, back to the weather...

Tuesday's low of -2 came close to the record low for Huntington of -4 recorded in 1917.

And to a summertime and autumn question...

An article in the Point Pleasant Register on Jan. 27 noted that passenger riverboats have scheduled 21 dockings there this year.

That includes nine visits from the RiverBarge Explorer, eight visits from the American Queen and four visits from the Mississippi Queen. In fact, there are a few weeks this summer when boats will be docking every other day.

What would it take for Huntington to get some of that business? Maybe something for these passengers to see and do. Maybe a clean riverfront park where the passengers wouldn't mind spending some time on shore. Maybe the ability to walk off the boat and walk around town for a little while.

I've never understood why Huntington allows Harris Riverfront Park to be totally cut off from the rest of downtown by foot. Have you ever tried to cross Veterans Memorial Boulevard? There's no light to stop traffic. And you have to cross four or five lanes to get from one side of the boulevard to the other. We have that big taxpayer-financed parking garage at Pullman Square, and no way to walk from it to the park safely.

Now that I've fallen off that soapbox again, I'll rest for a little while.