Nov. 7--CHEERS: To the city of Twin Falls and its residents for a remarkable turn for the better in water conservation.

The community's one-day water usage topped out at 25.4 million gallons last summer. In 2001, it was 33 million gallons.

Monthly totals are also down. This October, the city went through 285.5 million gallons of water. In October 2008, the city's usage was 353 million gallons.

City officials credit water efficiency efforts such as the 2004 ordinance that restricts times and days for lawn watering. That law limits watering to three days a week before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m., which avoids the hottest part of summer days.

Additionally, the city in 1999 adopted an ordinance requiring new subdivisions to use alternative water sources for landscaping needs, such as through a canal or pond system.

Conservation, along with the city's recent acquisition of additional supply from Pristine Springs, bodes well for the community's ability to handle growth -- and for its economic future.

JEERS: If you're sick, stay home. Even if it means you have to take final tests.

Some Twin Falls School District stakeholders are upset about the district's longstanding policy of allowing kids who miss fewer than four days to skip finals. It punishes those who, quite sensibly, stay home when they have the swine flu, some parents and students argue.

We disagree.

A final exam isn't a sanction; it's a part of life. And any student interested in going on to college had better get used to finals.

The policy is in place to encourage attendance, and so far it's worked. Flu isn't a reason to change.

CHEERS: To members of the Idaho Legislature's health care task force, for agreeing that the state would be foolish and premature to try to opt out of federal health care reforms or, following Arizona's lead, change the state's constitution to try to keep reforms out.

"I am told that there are legislators that are considering it," said Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, the task force co-chairman. "I think we heard pretty clearly that it's, A, premature, and B, may not be the most effective way of us stating our opinion of whatever the health care reform may be."

Meeting in Boise on Wednesday, the task force, which includes senators and representatives from both parties, invited insurers, underwriters, representatives of doctors and hospitals, the AARP and more to give presentations on whether Idaho should opt out of national reforms or change its constitution, and what reforms would help the state. None of the presenters favored either move.

Nor would a majority of Idahoans, if the only purpose of opting out is to make a political point.

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