MOUNTAIN — Thanks and praise are due to the volunteers who make the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival such a marvelous event. They work diligently and tirelessly through freezing temperatures, bitterly cold wind, pouring rain and sleet.

These strong and spirited people should be on a float during the parade, cheered and acknowledged for their tremendous community service — but they can’t because they still are working the Carnival.

We appreciate these volunteers who work behind the scenes, plugging the melting Ice Palace blocks, directing traffic, setting up the parade line, organizing events and keeping things on schedule, and all the other details that leave us all in awe. Well done!

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MOUNTAIN — to Essex County leaders responding to our recent reporting and making improvements to how the coroner positions operate. These changes reflect common sense, and we are glad to see them. So is Coroner Frank Whitelaw of Bloomingdale, a diligent public servant who may change his mind about quitting now that it looks like county officials appreciate his concerns.

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MOUNTAIN — to Tupper Lakers agreeing on a school resource officer program with the village police. This proposal appears to be uncontroversial in this community, which is willing to allot more staffing resources toward student safety in case the unthinkable happens — and in the meantime to having police provide a friendly, supportive, helpful presence in kids’ daily lives.

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MOUNTAIN — to Roedel Companies gearing up to open the Hotel Saranac’s Compass Point suites for extended stays. The company has overhauled the former Paul Smith’s College dormitory building on Church Street, Saranac Lake, and the result is quite nice. It took a while, but it feels good that the owners are finishing what they started. The family that owns this company has almost 130 years of history in Saranac Lake, and even though they are based in New Hampshire these days, they maintain a strong connection here. This is another major long-term investment in the community.