Thumbs up, down from the Yuma Sun

• Thumbs up to Colby Girard, the 2018 Tribute of the Muses winner, and Abraham Andrade, winner of the 2018 Helios Award! Your contributions to the Yuma art scene are amazing and valued!

• Thumbs up to the reports that the winter visitors are returning to Yuma County a little earlier this season! Welcome back! • Thumbs up to the City of Yuma firefighters and emergency service personnel who were recently honored for going “above and beyond” in the community! Your hard work and dedication are appreciated!

• Thumbs up to local artist Lia Littlewood, who wrapped up her 100th mural this week with a new project at FTS Automotive Center, 1701 S. Arizona Ave. There has been an explosion of public art in Yuma in the last year, and Littlewood has played a critical role in that movement, brightening Yuma one brushstroke at a time.

• Thumbs up to the report that Social Security recipients will likely get a 2.8 percent boost in benefits next year, thanks to rising inflation, the Associated Press reports.

• Thumbs down to the newest outbreak of foodborne illness. This time around, at least 92 people in 29 states have gotten sick with a strain of multi-drug resistant salmonella, which officials believe stems from raw chicken products. So far, there have not been any cases reported in Arizona, but as always, be sure to handle raw chicken carefully, and cook it to 165 degrees to kill any lurking bacteria.

• Thumbs down to the news that the Yuma Sears store will be closing. It’s always hard to see a longtime retailer shut its doors.

• Thumbs down to the steady stream of remade or rebooted movies and television programs. Some are hits and some are misses, but really, aren’t there any original ideas left out there?

DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT?

Thumbs Up and Thumbs Down are compiled by the Yuma Sun editorial board, based on recent events, happenings and activities around Yuma County and the nation, and will appear on Fridays in the Yuma Sun.