May: a month of great change.

• Author: Harrington, Susan
• Position: FROM THE EDITOR

Happy month of May, the time of year when Persephone, spring goddess of Greek mythology, has managed to hike up from the southern climes to bless our land. This is the month when the Alaska landscape (finally) heralds the promise of spring with the scent of cottonwood buds and the fast transition of the birch trees from bare to light green, exhibiting their full foliage by month's end. A month of such great change! Sun's up, school's out, central heating is turned down or completely off, and the dogs are grilling on the barbecue. Welcome spring!

But as long-term Alaskans will tell you, we are advised not to plant our annuals until Memorial Day--that is, if you don't have out of town plans like most Alaskans do. Many of us try to sneak those things in the ground the weekend before and cross our fingers. After all, the promise of spring does not include the promise that the temperatures won't dip below freezing--or that it will not snow.

But it does include the promise of our annual Small Business special section--and this year we salute Doug Coon and Justin Herrin, SBA's Alaska Small Business Persons of the Year and co-owners of Anchorage-based Young's Gear. Join us in congratulating these gentlemen for their drive and ambition--and drivetrains!

We also salute the oil and gas industry in our annual Oil & Gas special section--with several articles of interest, including reminding everyone the 12 billionth barrel of oil went down the trans-Alaska oil pipeline a few short months ago. We went to press not knowing the outcome of the first session of the 28th Legislature, but there was change in the air at the Capitol in early April.

This issue, we have articles about the changing face of a gravel pit, new ways to change bad habits, and changes in the devices used to do business. Like we said earlier: A month of such great change! Next month we're changing our style. Readers might notice in June a...