Thumbs up, down from the Yuma Sun

• Thumbs up to our local school districts for delaying in-person learning right now. This is tough, and we’d love to have kids in classrooms with their teachers and peers. But it makes sense to wait – at least until our COVID-19 case counts drop and level off.

• Thumbs up to the firefighters from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana, who have been working with the Cocopah Indian Tribe to remove invasive plant species in an effort to reduce the risk of wildfires.

• Thumbs up to Yuman Steven Guiterrez and his son, Cole, who recently earned medals at a Las Vegas bodybuilding competition! That’s quite an achievement.

• Thumbs up to Yuma County’s efforts to keep the mosquito population at bay here. The environmental vector control specialists use a variety of techniques and technologies to trap mosquitoes, test them for potential diseases, and to abate them. Mosquitoes are not only annoying, but they also have the ability to spread diseases.

• Thumbs up to the Yuma County residents who voted in the primary election on Tuesday. Thank you for voting and letting your voices be heard.

• Thumbs down to the report that three Yuma children have been diagnosed with MIS-C. The autoimmune illness started after the children had a COVID-19 infection, and was thought to be relatively rare. It’s concerning that three children here have been diagnosed with it, and we hope they recover quickly.

• Thumbs down to a reported increase in “smash and grab” burglaries in Yuma. The Yuma Police Department has warned residents to not leave items in one’s vehicle, noting that criminals have been smashing the windows and taking the items. Be proactive, readers. Don’t leave valuables in the car, and park your car in a well-lit area to help protect it.

• Thumbs down to goat heads – at least, we think that’s what they are called! We’re talking about those spiky little stickers that attach themselves to your shoes, and then magically detach themselves in your house, where you then find them by stepping on them with your bare feet. A big thumbs down to those painful little guys!

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.