By PAT JENKINS

A lot of positive things happened in 2008 in and around Covington, Maple Valley and Black Diamond. Thank goodness for that. Imagine how much heavier the negatives would feel otherwise?

Throughout the year, but especially in recent weeks as the holidays worked their magic despite the odds, the Reporter has been full of news stories, features and thank-you letters about the incredibly warm and generous people in our communities. I’m sure you read about many of them and quite possibly know some, too. You might even be one of them.

Neighbors and strangers came to the aid of those who were sick, destitute or devastated by personal tragedy. Most recently, people put aside their own financial worries to donate food and money to make the holidays happier for the ones who were worse off. All year, there was always somebody doing something for somebody else.

We weren’t necessarily trying to put such a big smiley face on life around here. It just worked out that way. And how great is that? Sure helps improve the notion among many that the news media cares more about big, splashy events than people caring about people.

Here’s to another year of the kind of good news that puts the bad news in perspective.

Publisher/editor Pat Jenkins can be reached at (425) 432-1209 (extension 1050) and pjenkins@reporternewspapers.com