Thumbs up to the Northwest Savings Ice Arena for securing two International Ice Hockey Association World Junior Championship exhibition games in December. Those games will feature Team USA against Belarus on Dec. 20, followed by Belarus taking on Slovakia on Dec. 21. It will also mark the second time that World Junior exhibition games have been held at the West Third Street facility. “We did something right in 2010 and we’re excited to treat them well again this year,” said Craig Hinderleider, arena general manager. ” … It’s a wonderful opportunity for us in Jamestown.” Such events dovetail beautifully with development of the National Comedy Center, a new brewery and the Doubletree Hotel on Fourth Street. It would be a wonderful development if the arena were to be able to bring back regional figure skating events in addition to its growing mix of hockey offerings.

Thumbs down to those who placed 25 “Vote No Merger” signs in the lawn of Bert Lictus’ home in Clymer recently. Lictus, the Panama and Clymer central schools superintendent, said he woke up to 25 of the signs around his home. While it wasn’t vandalism per se, there are better ways to express displeasure than going onto someone’s private property in the middle of the night. We hope those in the Panama and Clymer communities who disagree with the merger can express their displeasure in more productive ways in the future.

Thumbs up to Celoron American Legion Post 777 for dedicating one of its parking spaces to the Wounded Warrior Project. The purple parking spaces can be found at various locations across the country, securing previously injured veterans with designated parking spots. The post, located on 26 Jackson Ave., is the first veteran’s post to have a Wounded Warrior parking spot in Chautauqua County, though a few non-veteran facilities including the Chautauqua Mall have them. Kudos to all those involved in this project.

Thumbs up to the completion of road renovation work on Newland Avenue in Jamestown. The city worked quickly and tirelessly to finish the greatly needed repairs, which included a new road surface, new curbing and sidewalks. It looks great. Great work by city workers and contractors used to finish the job.