Editorials

Republicans, Democrats and defenders of the First Amendment are decrying the decision by the Justice Department to secretly subpoena two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for The Associated Press.

Most lawns around town are either yellow, or else the grass is completely gone. Our dreary yards are a testament to the severe drought this area has suffered over the last several years.

The city has been in Stage IV water restrictions for more than two years, meaning that use of potable water to irrigate lawns and outdoor plants is prohibited. Those restrictions have paid off. According to the city, we currently use 1.4 million gallons of water a day, about a million gallons less than we were using in 2011.

THUMBS UP! HIGHLANDS MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA

On the same day that hundreds of Highlands University supporters hailed the dedication of the sparkling, high-tech Student Union Building, regents voted to increase tuition and fees at this beloved institution of higher learning.

It’s hard to argue with inflation: The administrative, professorial and support staffs justifiably need to be paid, if only to keep up with inflation; the cost of the new facility went beyond the original budget, and the university’s health insurance costs and retirement contributions continue to rise.