Thumbs up, down from the Yuma Sun

• Thumbs up to the Yuma Main Library, which is now participating in the Culture Pass program, allowing library card holders free passes to visit specific museums, gardens and more around the state. It’s a great program, and makes arts and culture more accessible.

• Thumbs up to our Yuma City Council and Yuma Mayor candidates who participated in two forums through the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce this week. In the mayoral race, Doug Nicholls and Karen Watts appeared Thursday morning, and on the city council side, William Craft, Gary Knight, Arturo Morales, Robert Scarborough, Edward Thomas, Carol Smith, and Nicolle Wilkinson took part in a Tuesday forum. We appreciate hearing their perspectives and views on Yuma issues!

• Thumbs up to all the cooling centers that open every summer around Yuma County to help Yumans when the temperatures spike. It’s a tremendous service that saves lives.

• Thumbs up to the summer programs offered by the City of Yuma Parks and Recreation team. These programs offer a great way to get kids out of the house and doing something when the summer rolls around.

• Thumbs up to a bit of good news in San Luis Rio Colorado, Son., our neighboring border town. Sonora police officials said there was a drop in homicides and kidnappings there in April and May. There is still much work to be done there, but we are glad to see the numbers going down.

• Thumbs down to shrinkflation. Prices are going up all around us, and now some manufacturers are quietly shrinking goods and packages without lowering prices, the Associated Press reports. It’s not a new concept, but it really feels like rubbing salt in the wound, doesn’t it?

• Thumbs down to whoever abandoned four boxer puppies behind Cibola High School this week. The puppies were extremely sick from a horrific tick infestation, and we just can’t imagine how someone could abandon an animal like that – let alone four puppies. The good news is, the puppies are in foster care now and doing much better.