Thumbs up, thumbs down

November 13, 2009

Thumbs Up

to all of the groups that held Veterans Day ceremonies over the past week in the Tri-State area. Some great events were held to salute our veterans and thank them for their service to our country.

Thumbs Up

to Thanks! Plain and Simple, a group that organized an event last week honoring West Virginia "Rosie the Riveters" at Shepherd University. Lt. Col. Martine Dierckx, a Belgian official, thanked the Rosies for their efforts. Some much-deserved recognition for the women who worked on the home front during World War II.

Thumbs Down

to Washington County officials for waiting to do something about the stretch of Eastern Boulevard that has been the scene of at least six accidents in the last six months. The county's traffic engineers studied the intersection of Eastern Boulevard and Chartridge Drive and determined it had visibility problems, heavy traffic volume and speeds too high for the sight distance. The time for talking is over. It's time to take immediate action.

Thumbs Up to Del. John Overington, who was honored Sunday for his 25 consecutive years as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates. The event was a way to honor an elected official who takes pride in being accessible to his constituents.

Thumbs Up to Waynesboro (Pa.) Area School District officials and school board members for looking at the best ways to use the modular classrooms that are not needed at the high school. Healthy discussion, research and weighing all the options could make this a win-win for the district and, most importantly, the elementary students and staff who need more space.

Thumbs Up to South Hagerstown High School football coach Greg Kellick, who resigned this week after 22 seasons at the helm. The Rebels had only six winning seasons in those 22 years, but Kellick's impact on his players' lives had nothing to do with wins and losses.

Thumbs Up to the groups that sponsored last week's Prospective Candidate Forum at Hagerstown Community College. The forum offered a civics lesson for those considering running for office and gave them an idea of what it really means to serve.

Thumbs Down to anyone who uses youth sports as a battleground. Sports should be simple, pure and fun. Parents who lose sight of this poison the experience for everyone else.

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