Exciting news came this week regarding the WestGate at Crane Technology Park project when MLE Enterprises, Inc. announced it will soon be building a $500,000 office/work complex between Scotland and Crane Village.

That's simply great to hear and it's the first tenant to locate within the Greene County sector of the tri-county technology park.

Several other tenant projects are under way in the Martin County sector (SAIC and an incubator complex) and Daviess County (Crane Technology, Inc.). Crane Federal Credit Union and EG & G are already up and running -- also in the Daviess County sector. EG & G is occupying a 25,000 square foot, $2.5 million facility that can be expandable to more than 40,000 square feet, if needed in the future.

The SAIC building is a $4 million project that will boast an additional 16,800 square foot incubator building for other smaller start-up businesses.

MLE, which is based in Terre Haute and has an office in Bloomfield, is a SeaPort-E prime contractor that goes a great deal of its business with NSA Crane. Locating just outside the gates to one of the nation's largest Naval operations just makes good business sense.

The Bloomfield MLE office will be relocated to WestGate when its new building in operational in slightly over 90 days.

We should all be smiling.

WestGate is moving from a dream to a reality that we can see. Jobs are being created and that's got to be good news to everyone in this neck of the woods.

Many people took a chance years ago and got ahold of the vision that this tech park was going to develop into something great for Greene, Daviess and Martin counties.

We are seeing the thing blossom and I understand there will be other exciting announcements about new tenants in the near future.

Kudos to MLE officials -- J.R. Davis, Ray Darnell and owner/founder Mary Luttrell. And a job well done to Greene County Economic Development Director Joan Bethell, Greene County Council and Greene County Redevelopment Commission members for providing the bucks to support the sewer line extension that was required to make the Greene County sector operational.

The WestGate Authority, which oversees operations at the tech park, also deserves credit for helping to make this all happen.

Thanks to each one of you for having the confidence and vision to join up and support this new venture.

Who will be the U.S. vice presidential picks?

Neither of the two major presumptive candidates -- Republican John McCain or Democrat Barack Obama -- have made it official and selected their respective running mates.

There's been a lot of speculation that the Democrat ticket might include former Indiana governor and current U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh.

I would say that would be a "safe and clean" pick for the Demos with no real political baggage. I question how much Bayh could deliver for the party on election day and some on the "left" want to stay clear of him because of his early support for the Iraq war.

Some have also speculated that it might be getting a little late in the game to name a running mate, and history would support that contention.

The Christian Science Monitor reports that:

* Four years ago, John Kerry selected John Edwards to be his wingman on July 6.

* Eight years ago, Vice President Dick Cheney was selected as President George W. Bush's number two on July 25. While on August 7 of the same year, Al Gore asked the now-Independent Joe Lieberman to serve as his vice presidential candidate.

* Twelve years ago on Aug. 13, Bob Dole selected Jack Kemp.

* It was on July 9, 1992 when Bill Clinton picked Al Gore.

* Some 20 years ago, George H.W. Bush announced that Dan Quayle would serve as his running mate on the second day of the convention -- on August 16, 1988. More than a month earlier, Michael Dukakis -- on July 13 -- added Lloyd Bentsen to the ticket.

Who knows for sure what might happen.

I can safely say that I would be shocked if Obama selects Hillary Clinton to be his presidential ticket partner.

I'd have to agree with one radio talk show host who recently chided, "We don't need three presidents ... and that's what you would have if Hillary was picked -- Barack, Hillary and Bill."

More likely picks might be former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware or Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri.

On the GOP side, we're hearing names like Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Rep. Rob Portman of Ohio, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist or Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

I also like Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, but I doubt if that's going to happen.

Personally, I'm picking rich bad girl Paris Hilton as Obama's running mate and on the Republican ticket with McCain, I'll go with radio humorist Earl Pitts, who would simply say, "Wake up America."

Stay tuned it should be interesting.

Nick is the assistant editor for the Greene County Daily World. He can be reached by telephone at 847-4487 or 1-800-947-4487 or by e-mail at schneider.nick@gmail.com or nschneider@gcdailyworld.com