Thumbs up, thumbs down

Thumbs up to Connecticut’s bond ratings moving in a better direction. Over recent weeks, Moody’s Investors Service bumped the state’s rating from A1 to Aa3, Connecticut’s first boost in two decades. S&P Global rewarded the state with an upgrade to A-plus, Kroll hiked to it AA and Fitch upgraded it to AA-minus. Gov. Ned Lamont responded by saying the state needed to stay on course by avoiding large-scale spending projects, but that can’t become an excuse to ignore Connecticut’s fraying infrastructure.

Thumbs down to mask confusion. With state mandates and federal guidelines indicating a new phase of recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, many businesses have announced a move away from mask requirements, for the first time in more than a year. But even with vaccinations on the rise, the pandemic is not over, and people with compromised immune systems could still be at heightened risk, even after getting vaccinated. There’s also the question of children under 12, who are not eligible for shots. What is needed are some clear state and federal guidelines on what is safe, but instead we’re seeing a headlong rush into our prepandemic reality at a time such a move may not yet be warranted.

Thumbs up (mostly) to more news of New Yorkers flocking to Connecticut in the past year. While Litchfield County towns like Roxbury and Washington have seen big gains, larger communities like Shelton and Trumbull have also recorded growth. A growing population is a prerequisite for a growing economy, and the only way to build on the gains of the past year is to continue these trends. Unfortunately, some communities are not as welcoming when it comes to housing construction, which is necessary if we want new arrivals to have a place to live. Multifamily housing in the suburbs is something to be embraced.

Thumbs up to actor, writer and director Michael Jai White (“Spawn,” “Tyson”) announcing the launch of a studio for television and film projects in Connecticut. White, who attended Central High School in Bridgeport and Southern Connecticut State University, plans to launch Jaigantic Studios out of Studio One in Fairfield while a permanent site is constructed in New Haven. Connecticut has hosted other production facilities, but having a homegrown champion could be the plot twist the state needs to establish itself as a film presence.

Thumbs up, and paws up, to Connecticut families embracing the company of pets during the pandemic. As a result of so many adoptions of cats and dogs during social isolation, veterinarians have had to hire more staff to keep up with the additional work, creating welcome new jobs. While many vets are coping with a backlog of work, the alternative is homeless animals, fewer jobs and souls in need of nourishment.