Government's place in our lives is always good for a healthy debate, as readers showed last week discussing the merits of high-speed rail, federal help for the city of Fresno and medical marijuana shops.

Here are the top stories of the past week, along with selected comments posted by readers on fresnobee.com.

Supervisors vote to shut pot dispensaries

What happened: The Fresno County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved rules that would shut down more than 15 storefront marijuana dispensaries and confine cultivation to a handful of industrial areas.

What it means: Their motivation, supervisors say, is to stop bad behavior near dispensaries from spilling into neighborhoods. They also want to prevent the drug from being used recreationally. Medical marijuana advocates say the county ordinance amounts to a de facto prohibition that runs counter to state laws, which permit the cultivation, distribution and consumption of medicinal pot.

What readers said:

"I live next to dispensary and a liquor store and the liquor store by far causes more problems in the neighborhood."

-- Jay M. Lynn

"Unless they can show tangible, credible evidence that these dispensaries have a criminal impact on the communities, then the Board of Supervisors should back off. Without such evidence, these dispensaries are trying to regulate morality, and regulating morality is not their role."

-- calilove81

"If this issue is so important, and to ensure it doesn't attract the wrong element, how about having the state operate these facilities. They could contract for a given product with appropriate vendors who are authorized to grow the MaryJane ... establish a database of approved Dr's permitted to issue permits, and put the facility in an appropriate area where all can see. I'd think the profit from the sales could be sufficient to pay for the rent, personnel to operate the facility and appropriate security, maybe a dedicated police officer paid for by the profits. Set the price so there is a profit to cover all the expenses."

-- crashboat

High-speed spending

What happened: The Fresno Bee, as part of a project by California Watch, examined the California High-Speed Rail Authority's 15-year budget history and current consulting contracts and found that the state will have spent about $630 million before the first spade of dirt is turned.

What it means: Consultants and contractors have reaped most of the money. But state oversight agencies repeatedly have cited problems -- contract payments made without verifying that work actually was performed; payments for services or equipment not covered in consulting contracts; and a lack of policies and procedures to review invoices and payments.

What readers said:

"Should anybody really be surprised? This isn't the first time that government has been very wasteful with our tax dollars. This folly trolley will be one big trainwreck."

-- dk1000

"I would like to believe that HSR will be one of those projects, such as I-5 or Hwy 99, that we look back 20 years from now and say that we are glad we did it. However, I believe the greatest accomplishment of the HSR project will be to teach Californians how dysfunctional the state's legal, environmental, and development system is. We are getting a first hand and seat pocket look at why project developers place a nice red X on this state."

-- deus

"I think most people at least can agree that the current regime that is running this program is not doing a respectable job with our public funds. If we are to move forward with this project I think we need to hit the big RESET button and wipe this current program staff out. The only thing they have to show so far for the mega millions they have spent is poorly developed reports and a dismal outreach and assessment program. The $3 billion from the Federal Stimulus Funds were meant for 'shovel' ready programs. The CHSRA was not ready for this project, however told DC the typical lies they tell everyone to make them believe they had their act together. Now they are trying to carefully craft a bunch of poor reports into a project, shove it down the throats of the Central Valley and scrape together the largest public works project in the Nation."