EDITORIAL

Signs of season’s change all around us

Posted

Summer won’t officially end until later this month, but the passing of Labor Day and the onset of September symbolically signify the turning of the seasons.

You could feel it in the air recently – at least before this week’s heat wave – as temperatures dipped into almost chilly territory during the evenings. Other signs of autumn’s impending arrival are plainly visible.

Across the area, children are back in classrooms. School buses are again a constant presence during morning and afternoon commutes, as are crossing guards and groups of backpack-toting youngsters. It’s a busy and exciting time for educators, families and students, and we wish them all the best this year.

Infrastructure projects continue in many corners of our communities, and soon the rush will be on to get work done before the winter freeze sets in. Perhaps no single issue unites Rhode Islanders as much as concern over the state of our roads. That’s unlikely to change anytime soon, but here’s hoping by the time the ice and snow rolls around, the most problematic stretches of our streets and highways have been addressed.

And then, of course, there is the political season. It is not unique to fall – and has indeed been ongoing for many months – but this is the most crucial time of year for candidates and campaigns, the final days and weeks before voters at last head to the polls. There is no shortage of compelling storylines this year.

Chief among those is the race for governor, where five major candidates are vying to succeed Lincoln Chafee. On the Democratic side, the three hopefuls – Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, General Treasurer Gina Raimondo and newcomer Clay Pell – were separated by single digits in the most recent polling. The Republican contest between Cranston Mayor Allan Fung and businessman Ken Block remains unpredictable but feels close.

A range of other state offices will be on the ballot, as will many local positions – from mayor to school committee – in our communities. We urge voters to follow the campaign in these final crucial weeks, to take part in the Sept. 9 primary, if so inclined, and to cast a ballot in the Nov. 4 General Election.

Summer’s fading, and the bustle of autumn lies ahead. It’s a special time of year, and we look forward to sharing it with you.

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