UPS & DOWNS

Thumbs up to Lincoln High School science teacher Joanne Phillips, who received the Golden Apple Award for teaching excellence last Thursday. Phillips was nominated by one of her students, and became the seventh Lincoln teacher to be honored with the award. According to Lincoln School Superintendent Georgia Fortunato, Phillips “exemplifies the Lincoln Public School’s commitment to excellence, inspired teaching and the nurturing and safe environment that supports learning.

Thumbs up to the Pawtucket Red Sox for a successful “Moonlight Madness” and “Daylight Savings” events held last weekend. While Pawtucket fans may be understandably wary of the team’s intentions for the long-term, the team is still at McCoy Stadium for the time being, and accord- ingly the management has made an effort to rebuild relations with the community. With 400 people in attendance at the weekend’s events, we hope the upcoming season will bring fans back to the park and restore the bond formed by Ben Mondor between the team and the community.

Thumbs down to the decision by Wal-Mart to close down all three of its Sam’s Club stores within convenient driving distance of Rhode Island. The retailer announced last week that the membership-only warehouse stores in Warwick, Seekonk and Fall River will be closing, as part of the chain’s plans to shut down about 150 stores nationwide. While all of Rhode Island’s and southern Mass.’s regular WalMart stores will remain open, the closest Sam’s Club will now be in Worcester, Mass. The move won’t leave many of Rhode Island’s Sam’s Club members with smiley faces.