I know that we’ve got a local election coming up, but we’ve pretty much covered that thing from every angle at this point, so I’m not going to say too much about it here. And anything we haven’t said, you fine folks have made sure to say in a rather impressive number of letters to the editor over the course of the past month.

We took a bit of a nosedive this week, but the past several issues have had more than 30 letters apiece. Not bad for such a “small town.”

You folks certainly aren’t afraid of sharing your opinion, and we’re happy to give you a place to do exactly that. Whether or not you agree with what has been said, the fact that Fountain Hills’ residents care enough to get involved and have their say in a local election is a good sign. It’s an important sign, too, showing that our residents are not content to just let the world pass by without sharing their thoughts on the issues that matter most to them.

As for the candidates: Good luck next week. Thanks to each and every one of you for taking the time to field our questions over the course of six issues, giving our readers a chance to know a bit more about you and your stance on important topics.

We’ve almost reached the finish line, so just hang in there a little bit longer.

*****

Now onto something decidedly less political (most of the time): Sports!

The start of the new school year means it’s also time for the high school sports seasons to get back in gear.

I was speaking with former editor Mike Scharnow a few weeks back and he touched on something that I thought was worth reiterating.

Everyone is gung-ho to make Fountain Hills more family friendly, and one of the best ways to do that is to show support for the youngsters who make up the fighting flock of Falcons across all sports. And one of the best ways to do exactly that is to become a fan in the stands.

Outside of letting these boys and girls know that they’ve got an entire town of enthusiastic cheerleaders at their back, taking part in local athletics creates a special kind of atmosphere you can’t get anywhere else.

Football coach John Flynn stated in his pre-season interview that that is exactly the type of atmosphere the local boosters and parents are trying to create this season. Aside from the game, these events give neighbors a chance to connect and share their enthusiasm, kids a place to hang out and dream of the day they’ll be the recipients of all this fanfare, band members a stage on which to perform and more.

We’ve got the fall sports calendars posted in this week’s sports section. We’re not saying you need to go to every game, or even every home game. But try to at least make it out to a few competitions this season. You’ll get to see a group of young men and women working hard to earn a win for their hometown and, in the process, you might find yourself getting swept up in all of the pomp and circumstance. If you ask me, that’s a pretty great way to spend an evening.

Go Falcons!