In many ways, 2010 has been a bad year.

The eonomic downturn that began in 2008 persists, not only in the U.S., but in Europe and Japan, and although there are signs that things are improving, it is slow and unemployment continues at unacceptable levels.

Senior Olivia Rogers has been named the most valuable player for Powell High School Lady Panther volleyball team.

Coach Cindi Smith announced the team awards at this month’s awards program.

A four-year starter for the Lady Panthers, Rogers was named to the 3A All State team for the second time and the All West Conference team for the third time this year.

A Powell High School student was expelled for bringing a weapon to school last month,  but the school board accepted a modified agreement that will allow the student to re-enroll for the second semester. Following an executive session in a special meeting Nov. 23, the board voted to expel the student for one year, effective Dec. 8, but accepted an agreement modifying the expulsion that will allow the student to re-enroll on Jan. 3,  2011.

It was a tough field, and the Powell Panther swimmers didn’t score many points, but they showed promise for future gains last weekend at the Riverton Invitational.

Only four 3A  schools competed in the 15-team meet, and only Kemmerer managed to crack the top 10. Powell finished 14th.

There are many important issues we could comment on in this space today.

Many of them are controversial, involving intense and often acrimonious debate.

But this issue is not the time to dwell on division and acrimony. It is our last edition before Christmas, time to speak of peace and goodwill rather than division and acrimony.

A semi-final loss to Star Valley prevented the Powell Panthers from repeating as champions of the Battle of the Big Horns, but they came back to take third by dominating Rock Springs 61-8.

Star Valley went on to defeat Worland and take the championship, but when the best of the Best of the Best round was wrestled, six Panthers took to the mat, and four came away with wins, more than any other team.

Well, Christmas is almost here.

Actually, saying that sounds a little silly, given the fact that we been observing the holiday for nearly a month, at least since the shopping season officially opened on Nov. 26. Within a few days, we had the first Christmas concerts of the season in Powell, and it wasn’t even December yet.

Once the calendar did turn, of course, it became even more hectic, what with all the shopping, decorating, concert attending, partying and worshipping that take up our time during the season.

The Laurel Locomotives visited the Powell High School wrestling mat Tuesday night and took home a 44-21 win over the Panthers.

While the Panthers scored five wins in the dual,  they gave up seven losses, including three pins and two major decisions. In addition, the Panthers forfeited two weight classes as wrestlers continue to adjust their weights.

When the Wyoming Legislature convenes next month, education issues will be a big part of the agenda.

The most important issue on the agenda is the recalibration of the state’s school funding model that was developed more than a decade ago to  provide equitable funding to all the state’s schools. The periodic recalibration of the model is necessary to account for changes in the cost of educating the state’s young people as well as changes in educational practices that might alter the way money is spent.