Thumbs up, thumbs down

Thumbs down to evidence that even as we celebrate the work of the health care community during the pandemic, Connecticut has become part of a national trend of medical professionals retiring, closing practices or becoming part of a network. The inevitable consequence will be an erosion of relationships between patients and caretakers. Lower-income residents are also at an increased risk, with fewer practitioners serving their communities. The issue is extending to mental health therapists at a time when the need for their services has been surging.

Thumbs up to the possibility — faraway though it may be — of true high-speed rail finally coming to Connecticut and the Northeast. The idea of a fast link between New York and Boston (with some stops for the Nutmeg State in between) has been around forever, but there’s word of some momentum in favor of a plan that would go under Long Island Sound and cut hours off the travel time between the two cities. There are too many hurdles to list and the cost would be enormous, but it doesn’t hurt to think big. Transit is key to the state’s future, after all.

Thumbs down to a series of phone and email scams from callers and senders claiming to be from Eversource Energy. The con, like many right now, aims to take advantage of so many people being at home. As the scams become more sophisticated, they are also claiming victims. Eversource reports that one customer paid “four figures” to a con artist. Customers who are wary of such calls or emails should reach out directly to utilities through normal channels.

Thumbs up to the future of farming. A Bridgeport plan that combines an entrepreneur’s vision with that of state, city and area activists will see a working farm take shape as “an indoor, vertical, hydroponic shipping container farm” in the city’s East End neighborhood. The proposal from High Ridge Hydroponics of Ridgefield aims to produce greens including broccoli, kale, cabbage and arugula that would be sold at the East End NRZ’s market as a salad mix. It’s not the first time hydroponic farming has come to Connecticut’s inner cities, but it could be a harbinger of bigger things to come. The need is high, along with the possibilities for success.

Thumbs down to drivers who don’t bother to clear ice and snow off their vehicles. Not only is it heartless to jeopardize other drivers and pedestrians, it’s against the law. Failure to clear windshields can lead to $95 fines and neglecting to scrape ice off the roof can lead to a $120 penalty. If you can’t clear ice and snow off your car, you shouldn’t be using it.