Thumbs up, thumbs down

Thumbs down to the continuing saga of a state trooper involved in a car crash near Oxford Airport. The suspension last week of a Connecticut state police sergeant over the September crash is a necessary step, but it can’t be the last word on the case. Two people were injured Sept. 25 when Sgt. John McDonald ran a stop sign and hit another car on Airport Road. He had reportedly just left a retirement party for another state trooper at Black Hog Brewery in Oxford, and the mother and daughter who were hurt in the crash have filed a lawsuit against McDonald, the state and the owners of Black Hog.

On Thursday, citing conduct of “grave concern,” McDonald was suspended. “The criminal investigation, accident investigation and internal investigation are continuing,” a state police statement said. The exact conduct of the state troopers that day has yet to be publicly revealed. McDonald was not given a Breathalyzer test at the site of the crash, and because he refused treatment at the hospital, he was not at any subjected to a blood alcohol content test. Investigators must determine how this was allowed to happen and why such basic police work was overlooked.

There’s also the question of troopers who may have been drinking at the retirement party and responded to the scene of McDonald’s crash, and what state they might have been in. Troopers are barred from driving state vehicles if they drink any amount of alcohol. Regardless of what comes next, the incident has stained the reputation of state police.

Thumbs up to the UConn men’s basketball team for a win on Sunday that brought back memories of the better days for the recently downtrodden team. The Huskies defeated nationally ranked Florida at Gampel Pavilion in what might have been the team’s biggest win since it last made the NCAA tournament in 2016, and its best regularseason victory since beating the same Florida team at Gampel in 2013. Now the team needs to keep it going to ensure a successful season.

Thumbs down to the detail in a new American Lung Cancer report that about 12 percent of Connecticut residents diagnosed with lung cancer do not seek treatment for the disease. Yes, there is encouraging data that the state is tied with neighboring New York for the highest lung cancer survival rate in the United States, but more people dealing with the disease should know it is no longer a death sentence.

Thumbs down to Connecticut colleges with disconcerting graduation rates. The group Education Reform Now CT points to University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University in Danbury and Mitchell College in New London for graduating fewer than 50 percent of their students (Mitchell is at almost 40 percent). As a result, dropouts can depart without a diploma, but plenty of debt. The data requires interpretation by market, but is welcome as additional information to refine the system and better prepare high school students considering college.

Thumbs up to the continuation this Sunday of Stamford’s parade to kick off the holiday season. While the parade itself reliably draws tens of thousands of people from throughout Connecticut, New York and beyond, the Saturday inflation party has also become a beloved tradition that offers a peek at preparations for the big show. The parade will start at noon while the Saturday preview will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. at Hoyt and Summer streets.