News Leader: Remember Guest House victims

In an editorial today, the Springfield News-Leader asks readers to remember the 11 victims of the Nov. 27 Anderson Guest House fire and reminds legislators that solutions need to be provided to prevent any such future tragedies:

It's clear that state regulations weren't being followed, and that they might need to be strengthened. It's also clear that lawmakers haven't paid enough attention to the plight of the mentally ill for too long.

Our hope is that as bills are put forth and political debates are conducted, that everybody — Democrats and Republicans — recognize that this is one of those issues that must rise above partisanship.

People died, and we have to make sure that others in similar circumstances are protected. The state has failed, and now it must do better. There can be no political blame passed around, only a solution that all can embrace.