Thumbs up, thumbs down

Thumbs up to Weston officials for calling out parents who were “encouraging happy hours” during youth sporting

events. In a letter to the school community, Superintendent of Schools Lisa Wolak backed up her argument with survey results suggesting alcohol consumption among seventh-and eighthgraders is on the rise. Weston Police Chief Ed Henion described the letter as proactive, noting that there have been no related incidents involving DUIs or accidents. But he also offered a reminder that drinking alcohol on school property is prohibited. That's not just a rule for students.

Thumbs down to deaths on the water. Already this year, multiple instances have been reported in Connecticut

of people dying while taking part in water-based activities, either swimming or boating. Each death is a tragedy, and a reminder that even when the weather gets hot, people need to know their limitations and be aware of their surroundings. This past weekend was especially dangerous, because while the air temperatures were elevated, water temperature is still low, which means people who fall into the water could suffer adverse effects. Since the summer season hasn't even officially started, everyone around the state needs to be wary – enjoy the outdoors, but remember to be careful.

Thumbs up to Connecticut's economy continuing to move in the right direction, even as COVID stubbornly retains a

hold on state residents. Connecticut's unemployment rate dropped to 4.4 percent last week, according the state Department of Labor, the lowest point it has been since it was 3.4 percent when the pandemic arrived in the region in March 2020. That doesn't mean employers aren't still facing challenges. Filling so many jobs has also resulted in a high employee turnover rate, making it difficult for businesses to stabilize.

Thumbs down to the closure of seven supermarket bank branches currently operating as People's United locations.

When People's United Bank was sold to M&T Bank, Connecticut lost a major state-headquartered institution, and accompanying job losses have left a mark on state employment. With the recently announced closure of some supermarket bank branches, customers are also losing out on service. M&T needs to run its business how it sees fit, and it says the supermarket closures will not bring new layoffs. But those locations offer convenience for customers, who will now need to make a separate trip for their banking.