Looking for answers: five of the best in current commentary

1) Arizona law stirred the immigration debate. Now the state can help clear the waters, too:

From the Arizona Republic: "In the days and weeks ahead, we hope we'll have cause to praise other leaders - whom we had earlier criticized - for now stepping forward to engage in productive discussions on illegal immigration."

2) Hoping that Israelis and Palestinians see each other in the mirror:

From The New York Times: “ 'When I go into Kalkilya,' Gil told me, 'I’ve stopped using body armor, but I do take my rifle.' That, I think, is not a bad image of Israel today, prepared to relax slightly but mistrustful; feeling burned and misunderstood; ... an Israel that’s shed its body armor for now but still carries a rifle."

3) Former Senate parliamentarian gives advice on how to cool it in the chamber:

From Politico: "Working across party lines has always been important to Dove. When his twin daughters were old enough to become Senate pages, he decided they had to work for different parties. His daughter Carrie chose the Democrats, and Laura, who today is the assistant secretary for the minority in the Senate, became a Republican."

4) Finding a consensus on ways to deal with sex offenders:

From the San Diego Union: "If we are going to lock all sex offenders up, we’re talking about a lot of money. And so I think we need to make sure that our priorities are straight, that we protect our communities and do it by locking up those that are very serious and violent people and finding other alternatives for those who don’t commit serious crimes."

5) A dry, urbanizing West needs rural areas to capture rain for aquifers:

From the San Antonio Express-News: "Could part of the solution to our water needs also be putting more water into the [Edwards] aquifer? Ten years ago, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Geological Survey launched a research project to help answer that question. It is the longest- running and largest research project of its kind in the nation."