EDITORIAL: Distinguished visit big for Enid | Opinion

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Enid had a distinguished visitor Friday when Gerald M. Zackios, the Marshall Islands ambassador to the United States, came here for a visit.

Zackios visited Enid High School, where he heard the Multicultural Choir perform, before he headed to Tyson Foods for a tour of the plant, a major employer for Marshallese who make Enid home.

He also visited Great Salt Plains Health Center and discussed health care as it pertains to the Marshallese living in the area.

We think this was a big honor for Enid, which has an estimated 2,800 Marshallese residents. It’s not every day a community anywhere can say they hosted an ambassador.

Thumbs upThumbs up to Mayor-elect David Mason, who has said he will host a show twice a month on the city of Enid’s Facebook page.

He hosted his first show last week with outgoing Mayor George Pankonin.

Mason, be will be sworn in as mayor on Monday, will invite city commissioners to appear and talk about things happening in their wards. He also will answer questions from residents. Each show will last about 10 minutes.

Residents who would like to submit questions can email questions@enid.org. To catch the first show, go to facebook.com/cityofenid.

We think this is a great idea by Mason. Given the mistrust so many people have for government these days — from the federal level, to the state level and on down — any interaction between officials and the people they represent is a good thing.

City government is the most important to people, because its the one they are closest to, and it has the most impact on their lives.

We hope people take advantage of these opportunities and not shy away from asking what’s on their mind.

Thumbs downThumbs down to the people — apparently some teenage girls — who lit the fire that burned up some of the playground equipment at McKinley Elementary School recently.

The equipment that was destroyed was the early childhood gym set, a tether ball and some ropes and cables.

The equipment that burned was part of a bond issue and dedicated in 2017. Other playground equipment that was not damaged in the fire was purchased about three years earlier by the school’s PTA.

The girls were seen on video cameras lighting the fire then leaving. The flames erupted about three hours later.

This kind of senseless vandalism always leaves us shaking our head.

Why even do this? What possible reason could anyone have for doing something like this?

Luckily, school district officials say new equipment will be in place this summer.