Photographer Ray Austin recently captured a rainbow over the airport on a rainy afternoon.

I’ve seen several endings and beginnings in the past few weeks at TRI. Some that make me sad and some that are more joyful. We’ve said goodby to old friends with Atlantic Southeast Airlines as Bryan West and his talented crew bid adieu and are now exploring new opportunities. And, we’ve said hello to new faces on the Delta ticket counter as Mesaba Airline staff settle in to their new offices and positions. We’ve seen signs come down at the old Northwest ticket counter as Delta and Northwest complete the merger of their operations. And, we’ve said goodby to nonstop Memphis and Detroit service as Delta routes passengers through Atlanta and Cincinnati.

We’ve also seen our airlines offer some super travel deals to encourage summertime travel. Many people who may have never traveled by air before have been able to benefit from inexpensive tickets this summer.

I’ve seen new pavement as our ramp rehabilitation project moves into a new phase, a budget year come and go, and even the installation of a new pet relief area for those who have pets in need of relief.   Now granted, my eyesight hasn’t always been that great, but I hope that many of the changes I’ve seen lately will translate into new opportunities…for passengers, air carriers and the community.

Now, if I could just see a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. That would really be a sight to behold!