When four people were injured as the result of a gay bashing on Aug. 14 at a gasoline station in Covington, police and city officials there took the situation seriously. The City Commission held a news conference reaffirming its commitment to the local human rights ordinance, while police increased patrols near the six gay-oriented businesses in and near the MainStrasse district.  

We Americans are proud of the idealized version of youth that most of us at least partially experienced as children: little Billy tossing ball with dad; Sally spending time with mom learning to repair dad and Billy's jeans. The Columbus Dispatch today reported that the contemporary version is just as good, as long as Billy enjoys traveling the country reliving dad's glory days and Sally doesn't mind either being left behind or winning at all costs.  

Most people are familiar with the old proverb "If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, then it must be a duck." By that standard, if a job hiring in Green Township looks like a textbook example of political patronage, is it? Depends on who you ask.