THUMBS UP! To Eisenhower junior Azlynn Padderatz. She collected in excess of 270 signatures of students asking the Decatur School District for systems to help students deal with their fears, anxieties and isolations as COVID-19 restrictions keep schools closed. However the issues are addressed, Padderatz has done her bit by raising her voice.
THUMBS UP! To those who braved the streets earlier this week. We may not have understood the term “essential worker” a year ago, but now they’re the kind of people who go out to serve in inclement weather. We thank those driving plows, those helping the injured and stranded, and those who thought more of themselves than others.
THUMBS DOWN! To the latest fallout from the disaster that has been the U.S. census. This week, we learned of the latest breaking point. Official numbers won’t be available to state officials until Sept. 30, long after the state’s June 30 deadline for redistricting, and even 10 days after candidates can start seeking signatures to get on the ballot. COVID-19 was a factor in everything in 2020, yet the census seems the most disastrous and the one with the potential to tip over dozens of dominoes.
THUMBS UP! To good COVID-19 news. The state positivity level has fallen to its lowest level since mid-July 2020. There's been a downward trend since early January. With vaccinations continuing to roll out, we appear closer to a conclusion to this bizarre stretch in our lives.
