A few rounds of applause, please

It's time to give well-deserved rounds of applause for a few of the accomplishments and efforts going on around us:

Dayton's volleyball team: Congratulations on the first team championship in Dayton High School's history.

For a team that finished the year at 30-4, the win Saturday over Incline Village wasn't a surprise, but it was hard-fought nonetheless. Fans of the team - the "Dayton Nation" - also should get a pat on the back for their support.

Dayton has been oh-so-close in the past to a state crown. Now the Dust Devils have their first and, we're sure, not their last.

Carson City Noon Rotary Club: What a great idea - a 16-foot-tall clock tower in front of the legislative building downtown.

The clock, expected to be unveiled Feb. 23, will commemorate Rotary International's 100th anniversary. It will also symbolize in our minds the work done by Rotary and other service clubs to contribute to the betterment of the community.

The announcement of the clock-tower project reminded us, because it came about the same time, of the restoration of the Civil War statue in Lone Mountain Cemetery and recognition of a Virginia & Truckee engine as a historical landmark. The thread of history runs through such monuments.

Carson City voters: Go ahead and pat yourselves on the back for turning out in record numbers in the presidential election.

The 23,183 total ballots represented 87.9 percent of registered voters. For those of you who didn't register, or who were registered but didn't vote, you don't know what you're missing.

One simple, satisfying act of placing an electronic check next to a candidate's name can wipe out an awful lot of cynicism and skepticism.

Veterans: To anyone who has served his or her country in the armed forces, thanks. To everybody who took at least a moment on Thursday to recognize those efforts, thanks.

And especially to the folks in Virginia City, such as Lorraine Du Fresne, who organize a parade so the rest of us have that opportunity to express our gratitude.