Roses to Penny Rich, who collected 75 signatures and $750 in campaign contributions, qualifying her to participate in North Carolina's first municipal voter-owned election program. Rich is the only one among eight candidates for Chapel Hill Town Council to sign up for the public-financing program.

"In helping me to reach this goal you have shown your support of campaign reform and your dedication to fair and free elections," Rich told supporters on her campaign Web site. "We are making history. This is truly your election."

The new program provides a $3,000 grant to Town Council candidates who agree to raise no more than $2,250 additionally for their campaigns for a maximum of $6,000 in campaign spending.

In the mayor's race, a candidate can spend up to $15,000. That's $9,000 in public funding and $6,000 in private contributions, at least $1,500 of which must come as small donations from 150 people or more.

Only Town Council member Mark Kleinschmidt has signed up for public financing in the mayor's race.

Some other candidates have criticized the program, saying a weak economy is not the time to use taxpayer money to pay for political campaigns.

But we're not talking about a lot of money here. Even if all eight Town Council candidates and all four mayoral candidates were participating, the cost would barely top $60,000 -- a small price to pay every couple of years to ensure that any qualified candidate would get a chance to run for council without money becoming the deciding factor. And because some candidates are unlikely to participate anyhow, the actual cost will be much, much lower -- less than $15,000 this year.

Public-financing opponent Matt Czajkowski has brought some diversity to the Town Council, sometimes casting the lone dissenting votes. But it would be a shame if the council ended up full of members who had been able to spend $20,000 of their own money in winning their seats.

We agree with incumbents Ed Harrison and Laurin Easthom who voted for the program but don't plan to use it. It's not for everybody: Incumbents and wealthy, well-connected candidates have other options in terms of fundraising and getting their messages out. We're not endorsing anyone yet, but if public financing can help a personal chef like Rich to have a chance at gaining a council seat, that's a good thing for local democracy.

Raspberries to those students who take things too far in celebrating a big Tar Heels basketball win.

Now Jasmin Jones, the new student body president, feels compelled to organize what should be a spontaneous celebration. If you supply beach balls, maybe a DJ or something to keep the kids occupied, so the argument goes, they won't do dangerous things like crowd surfing or leaping over bonfires.

Here's a thought: What if friends don't let friends do anything stupid, at least nothing that's going to require significant taxpayer-funded services like police or fire response or a major public-works clean-up? No bonfires in the middle of Franklin Street, no violence, no risking life and limb just to show how much you love the Tar Heels.

Beach balls might help, but what students really need to bat around is a little common sense.

Roses to first-time novelist Erica Eisdorfer, who finished in the top 10 for Amazon.com's Breakthrough Novel Award, landing a publishing deal with G.P. Putnam's Sons.

"The Wet Nurse's Tale" is actually Eisdorfer's third novel; the first two are unpublished, and she was ready to give up on the third after plenty of rejection letters from literary agents.

"It feels like a rejection of yourself," she said.

Then a friend walked into her office at UNC's Bull's Head Bookshop and told her about the contest.

Sometimes we have to persevere just long enough to catch a break, and Eisdorfer serves as a great reminder to keep working toward your dreams.