Thumbs up to the installation of a kayak launch at McCrae Point Park in Jamestown. The launch is handicapped accessible and should be open to the public sometime in July. These are the sorts of amenities that the city needs along the Chadakoin Riverwalk to make the trail a destination for both city residents and those visiting the city. Perhaps, someday, it will be feasible to put a launch closer to Comedy Center Park behind the National Comedy Center, but McCrae Point Park is a good starting point.

Thumbs up to the parents of a 12-year-old Washington Middle School student for having taught their child how to deal with strangers. Jamestown police were notified last Friday of a suspicious situation involving a student walking to school near Burr Place and Price Street. The man allegedly drove up alongside the child, offered the child a ride to school and then allegedly asked for the child’s phone number. The child did not communicate with the man, went directly to Washington Middle School and reported the incident. In addition to learning these lessons from parents, thumbs up to the Jamestown Public Schools district for including in its formal curriculum units focused on safety awareness and reinforcing awareness with strangers through assemblies, in the classroom and community presentations.

Thumbs up to all those who responded over the weekend to repair the damage or restore power in the wake of a line of thunderstorms Saturday that brought strong wind gusts along with buckets of rain. Each and every person who was out helping others in the wake of last weekend’s storm wasn’t home taking care of their own property or reassuring children who may have been frightened by the storm. Whether they were being paid for their efforts or volunteering their time, those who ventured out into the storm deserve a pat on the back.