Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up
to Sue Brown Gordon, director of the SoNo Arts Festival, and organizers for their creativity in keeping the festival going during a pandemic that has shut down so many events in recent months. To promote safety, the works by 50 artists will be on display in seven empty storefronts along Washington Street, instead of on crowded sidewalks, Thursday through Sunday. Opening last weekend, each gallery has a hand sanitizer station, occupancy limits and guests must wear masks. We hope that something similar can be done during the holidays to promote local artists and provide entertainment for the public.
Thumbs up
to the recognition that remote learning could change the future of snow days in Connecticut. The state Board of Education has directed the Department of Education to develop guidelines so remote classes held during inclement weather could count toward meeting the required number of school days. Students may not (OK, will not) like it, but this could save a lot of stress for superintendents and parents in the future. Making the call on whether to close schools has always been an imperfect science. This could be safer for everyone involved.
Thumbs downto
Connecticut school districts that are not following state guidelines on when school buses are being sanitized. With all of the attention on classrooms, it’s easy to overlook that coronavirus can thrive on buses, particularly as temperatures cool and windows are closed. Hearst Connecticut Media requested cleaning logs from several districts, but only Stamford provided them. Others ignored the request, or admitted not having them. Part of the problem seems to be related to communication, as school officials leave the responsibility to contracted bus companies. Regardless, parents deserve reassurance that their children are safe when they step onto a school bus.
Thumbs downto
gun sales in Connecticut in 2020 already surpassing sales in 2019, a reflection of the national trend. The figures themselves are worth pausing to consider. Statewide, Connecticut State Police documented 126,456 sales by Oct 5. Nationally, sales have topped 28 million, the total figure for all of 2019. Considering how difficult is now is to legally buy a gun in Connecticut, experts theorize that the uptick is due to current gun owners buying more stock. It’s also commonly attributed to the tension in all states during the pandemic. Knowing there are more guns out there does little to ease anxiety.
Thumbs up
to a hopeful milestone in the battle to revive Connecticut’s economy during the pandemic. For the first time since March, when dramatic actions such as the closing of restaurant dining rooms were first enforced, the number of workers collecting unemployment compensation has dropped below the 10 percent mark (down to 8 percent). The figures are imperfect, but do come at a time when phase three of the state’s reopening includes allowing restaurants to use 75 percent of their indoor capacity.
Thumbs up
to the John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant becoming a reality. Had we offered “Sewage plant named after comedian” in the 2020 fantasy headlines we offered in this space at the beginning of the year, readers would have scoffed at how ridiculous this one sounds (though most of the rest of the real headlines seem like fiction as well). We look forward to seeing how the plant fares against the likes of the Mystic Aquarium, the Pez Visitor Center, Mohegan Sun and Yale museums on future lists of top tourist draws in the state.