Positive news was timely for Carson City

It was a week of good news in Carson City.

Yes, you read that right. Sure the smoke is still rising from the remnants of the City Hall blowup between the mayor and city manager, and we could yet see more flareups.

But did you notice what else happened this week?

A new tenant for the old Wal-Mart building was announced. The Burlington Coat Factory should be a popular addition with a unique niche in our city. And with the new owner promising to spruce up the building, it seems likely that another retailer won't be far behind.

And then there's the news about the mall, which has hardly been a bustling center of commerce in recent years. The owners are about to give it a $12 million shot in the arm, however, which could add another 20 stores. Even if they're half as successful as they hope, that's fantastic news for Carson City.

The news on the second phase of the freeway was a great way to cap it all off. With highway project bids often coming in millions over plan, it was good to see that this project actually had three bidders come in under the $52.3 million estimate. Unless there are further snags, we could be celebrating its opening before Christmas in 2009.

All of this may not be quite enough to overshadow the city's problems, but it's a start. What was expected to be a year of exciting announcements resembling the Burlington Coat Factory news has developed slowly. Economic development work is certainly being done behind the scenes, but the lack of announcements for the old Kmart site and other locations in the city has been noticeable. And while the news of the freeway bid was positive in all respects, there's a lingering worry about whether the final phase freeway funding and timeline are pipe dreams.

But those are worries for another day. When you've had a week this good, it's worth celebrating.