Even though we’re still a year away from the Veterans Administration Clinic at Bogalusa being operational, it’s one more dose of good news this community needed.

While there is a basic veterans population the government uses for the determination of traffic, our closeness to Mississippi opens the door for veterans from that state to come to Bogalusa as well.

That means with the exception of those veterans in South Mississippi who go to Biloxi, Hattiesburg or Natchez, we’ll be the closest available facility.

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A Bogalusa clinic can also ease congestion in Slidell and Hammond, as well, for those veterans who use those facilities.

The bottom line is that this is a true win-win situation.

First, our local and area veterans will have a clinic closer to home which means less travel time and less expense, especially as gas prices escalate.

Second, those veterans who use satellite clinics take advantage of other facilities in a community, such as restaurants and grocery stores. Add the staffing needed to operate the facility and the economics of the matter are certainly in our favor.

When any facility requiring any sort of government funding is announced, everyone within earshot jockeys for position in regards to being able to take credit.

This is one of those announcements that’s big enough for everyone involved to share in the good news with Bogalusa and Washington Parish ... and that’s regardless of their party affiliation.