It seems that in the news this week we have a little of everything. On the good side are two stories--page one's opening event at Harbor Links, the new truly beautiful golf course of the Town of North Hempstead. There have been criticisms expressed about the fee scale but we trust those can be resolved in the future. As far as the course itself, we heard nothing but enthusiastic comments after Monday's Chamber of Commerce outing. A tip of the summer panama to Betsy Chesebrough who had the forethought to plan the day and the determination to see it through, along with the co-chairmen of the day, Charlie Chesebrough and Brian Jennings.

Also on the good side of the ledger is the story on page three. The Manhasset/Great Neck EOC and its youth council and Youth Council Director Douglas Irby have good reasons to be proud of their contribution to international harmony and to good basketball. Congratulations.

On the sad side of the ledger is the passing of Don Dunphy, a true gentleman and sportsman. His family and friends will miss him but 90 years of a good life leaves them with much to celebrate.

Unfortunately there is an ugly tale that reached us too late for a story this week. Just as vandals knocked down gravestones last week, this week vandals (whether the same ones or others is not known) knocked down a tree that the Town of North Hempstead had planted on George Street. As we said last week, violence has a tendency to escalate. Last week it was stones, this week a living tree. Let us all be vigilant. We are reminded of an old saying: "It takes a carpenter to build a house but any jackass can knock one down."

E.F.B.