Thumbs up, down from the Yuma Sun
• Thumbs up to all the businesses, schools and organizations hosting events for Halloween! It’s great to see so many options in the community for kids over the coming days! We’re especially excited for the Yuma Police Department’s Safe and Scary Trick or Treat event! To learn more, check out What’s Going On inside this edition, or visit EventsInYuma.com!
• Thumbs up to the return of our winter visitors, which have been spotted all over Yuma County. It’s a welcome sign that Yuma is getting back to some resemblance of normal. To each of our winter visitors, we’re glad you are here!
• Thumbs up to the Yuma Art Center, which is hosting a trio of all-local exhibitions right now. It’s an amazing collection, and wonderful to see local artists highlighted in such an amazing facility!
• Thumbs up the Arizona Diamondbacks, which recently spotlighted two local teachers for their classroom work. Woodard teacher Jaiden Benavidez and Gila Ridge’s James Kuzniak both received recognition for their efforts and funds to boost their classrooms! Kudos to the D-backs as well as Benavidez and Kuzniak!
• Thumbs up to reports that Pfizer’s low-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 could be available as soon as early November. And Moderna’s similar vaccine has moved one step closer in its process as well. It will be great to have a vaccine option out there for elementary school children!
• Thumbs down to the shooting on the set of “Rust” this week, which claimed the life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. In this day and age of movie magic, where digital artists can make the creatures of the imagination look like they really exist – is there any reason at all to have a gun firing on a set at all? It seems the safer answer would be to digitally add such effects to a movie, and keep the crew safe.
• Thumbs down to robbery at the Washington Federal Bank on 32nd Street. The robbery was the second at that location in as many months, and while there were no injuries, it’s still a troubling situation.
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.