Laurels to the increasing number of registered voters in Rowan County. As Josh Bergeron reported this week, total voter registration recently stood at 91,895. That number was up by 354 since just before the May primaries. While the number of people registering as unaffiliated rose by 375 and Republican ranks increased by 23 in that time, the Democratic registration dropped by 45. The political action group La Resistance may take credit for some of those shifting numbers, as it waged a campaign asking Democrats to change their affiliation so they could help oust county commissioners Chairman Jim Sides, who lost in the Republican primary. But the bigger picture shows that total registration is up from 85,713 for the 2008 primaries. No matter the reason or the party — there are also 218 registered Libertarians in Rowan — it’s good to see voter registration increasing, and it would be even better to see voter participation increase in the Nov. 4 general election. The registration deadline for that election is Oct. 10.
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Dart to the increasing threat that coyotes pose to domestic cats and dogs. As Mark Wineka wrote this week, Rebecca Pressley learned about that threat the hard way earlier this summer, when coyotes apparently killed her beloved cat Snowball. Unfortunately, Pressley’s story is becoming more common as the coyote population has spread eastward. They’re now part of the ecosystem in most of the state’s 100 counties. And they’re getting bolder around humans, showing up in greater numbers in recent years in rural Rowan and Salisbury neighborhoods, killing farm animals and pets. While farmers have had to come up with ways to protect their livestock, subdivision and city dwellers haven’t been forced to give it much thought until fairly recently, and some still don’t know the danger of letting small pets roam freely. We hope they don’t have to learn the way Pressley did.
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Laurels to the Humane Society of Rowan County, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. That’s four decades of the volunteer organization rescuing animals and placing them in foster homes while working to get them adopted by loving families, accepting donations to have animals spayed or neutered, and educating the public about the importance of responsible pet ownership. It’s a seemingly endless and often thankless effort, which makes the anniversary all the more reason to celebrate. You can help mark the occasion — and learn how to get involved — by joining the Humane Society 11 a.m.–4 p.m. today at the Rowan County Fairgrounds. Of course, pets — on leashes or in secured carriers — are welcome.