You’ve seen it here before: Fast away the old year passes; hail the new, ye lads and lasses. Add the fa-la-la-la-la! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

This year is ending nationally on a bitter and sour note, the President impeached, the political parties rolling up their sleeves in their respective corners, and the electorate lining up behind these corners. Everyone is stained: President Trump, his potential rival Joe Biden, and all the members of Congress who have spent the last month throwing as much mud at each other as they can.

The voters, especially those of us in the moderate middle, are exhausted and yearning for a new year, cleaner and more inspiring than the one gone by. From this desk, we would like to see a new generation of aspirants come on, and from that pack, candidates who will strive to unite rather than divide. Is that a vain hope?

Fa-la-la.

Locally your hometown newspaper wraps up 2019 with its 52nd issue of the year, and with a feeling of gratitude to ...