DISCUSSION: SHALL WE RENAME AKRON-CANTON AIRPORT (CAK) TO " RALPH REGULA AIRPORT?"

The Stark County commissioners are hard at work trying to rehabilitate Stark County's economy.

One of the more important aspects of economic development is to have essential infrastructure in place.

Transportation infrastructure is a key component in attracting out-of-area, out-of-state, out-of-country companies to Stark County.

Stark County took one giant step by beefing up its already impressive array of air connections out of Akron/Canton Airport (CAK) on Wednesday when US Transportation Department officials announced an award of flight rights to US Airways between Washington's Reagan National Airport and CAK.

The chief contributor to getting approval? Retiring Congressman Ralph Regula. A fitting end to a distinguished congressional career.

Also impressive was the local concerted effort to bring the CAK/Washington connection to reality. As published in The Repository, the following analysis of the united local effort by CAK Airport CEO Rick McQueen, to wit:

Airport President and CEO Rick McQueen said the flight approval also got help from 13 local chambers of commerce, the state auditor, hundreds of petition signers, more than 30 corporations and 17 community leaders.

"We got tons of letters from politicians. We got tons of letters from citizens. We got tons of letters from businesses," McQueen said.

With Regula retiring on this "sweet note," wouldn't renaming Akron/Canton Airport to Ralph Regula Airport be an appropriate honoring of the 16th Congressional District's retiring congressman?