Thumbs up, down from the Yuma Sun
• Thumbs up to all the unique mailboxes around Yuma County. We’ve seen some interesting ones lately, from dog-shaped boxes to art pieces to your standard mailboxes. We love the mix!
• Thumbs up to the Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma (STEDY), which will begin offering two new programs to Yuma County’s high school students. The new programs – Homeland Security and logistics/supply chain management – will open up great career pathways for our students.
• Thumbs up to Amazon, which announced it is shifting away from plastic air pillows used for packaging to recycled paper. According to the Associated Press, the decision is part of an effort to be more environmentally friendly – which we’re all for. Frankly, we’re surprised it hasn’t happened sooner.
• Thumbs up to the Florida Panthers, which won their first Stanley Cup championship in team history this week. It’s always exciting to watch the Stanley Cup, especially when it goes to seven games. Congrats, Panther fans!
• Thumbs up to our high school student athletes, who are already working out in this heat. We’ve seen cross country runners out in packs in the early morning hours, and football players are ramping up too. We admire your dedication, kids – and we hope it pays off for you all this season.
• Thumbs down to a recent report that found fentanyl and the opioid crisis cost Arizona an estimated $58 billion in 2023. According to Cronkite News Service, that number includes the costs of fatalities, opioid use disorders, hospitalizations and border security. It’s a stunning amount of money – and that doesn’t account for the mental anguish these drugs cause families every day.
• Thumbs down to summer. That’s right. We said it. Boo to summer! It’s still June, yet our mornings are sticky and the temperatures are rising. This is our reminder to be patient, especially with our fellow Yumans, who are also sweaty and sticky. And also, it’s a reminder to be kind – if you can donate water right now to agencies like Crossroads Mission and Salvation Army, they can certainly use it.
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.