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Ups and Downs: January thaw; Salvation Army; learning centers

Friday, January 27, 2006 6:43 AM CST

THUMBS UP ... to the January thaw, which has stuck around all month in Southern Illinois. The National Weather Service in Paducah has predicted that January might be one of the 10 warmest on record. Highs have hovered around the mid-50s, nearing 60 this week. Last year at this time, highs were in the mid-30s with lows around 20. For the record, January Thaw is defined as a brief respite from the ravages of winter.

THUMBS UP ... to Jackson County Emergency Management Administration and other Jackson County emergency response and city agencies that are stepping into the new century and taking emergency warnings along with them. Thanks to the EMA, area residents can now register to receive personalized warnings of severe weather and other hazards via their cell phones, computers, PDAs or fax machines. Warnings on the go for people on the go - we may be a little rural in Southern Illinois, but we do have technology, by golly.

THUMBS DOWN ... to the thieves who stole firearms, goose calls and other items from the Tim Grounds Hunting Club in Williamson County. Besides the fact that stolen firearms are a cause for alarm pretty much anywhere, there was irreplaceable sentimental value on some of the stolen items. Now the owner is offering a reward for return of his own property. It's a shame.

THUMBS UP ... to the African American Museum of Southern Illinois and the Science Center in Carbondale for bravery and good will in the face of impending homelessness. The two local learning centers have been housed in the University Mall for years - a convenient location that surely boosted attendance. Now both institutions are looking for new homes after mall administrators warned them they would need to move probably some time in the calendar year. Southern Illinois wouldn't be the same without them - hopefully this impending move is a blessing in disguise.

THUMBS UP ... to the Salvation Army hitting its mark. The collection campaign ended 2005 short of its $310,000 goal. But by extending its campaign into early January, the group reached $335,000. After a year of generosity for many worthy causes, the final figure for Salvation Army collections was a true testament to the people helping.

THUMBS UP ... to Southern Illinois Healthcare for officially receiving the Employer of Choice Award this week at Herrin Hospital. The award was presented to Dr. Tom Firestone, president and chief executive officer for SIH, by Joyce Gioia, president with Employer of Choice, Inc., a nationally recognized work force consulting group in Greensboro, N.C. To qualify for the award, SIH had to demonstrate dedication to a higher level of employee relationships - a level far beyond the normal practices of human resources - and meet rigorous standards for employee satisfaction, retention and performance.

THUMBS DOWN ... to whoever changed the program description of the three controversial SIU graduate fellowships on the university's Web site to exclude any mention of minorities. It's a sensitive subject, we know, and officials are under pressure from both the federal and state government to meet certain expectations. But no final decisions have been made. Premature actions, though, only aggravate the situation and worry those who depend on the programs for their college education.

THUMBS UP ... to the Murphysboro economic development committee for getting together again and talking about the state of the city. Soon the city will have a new Web site that it hopes to use as a marketing tool, with input of all community agencies.