Thumbs up: To Donahue Gas and the Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department for setting up a recent seminar to give firefighters advanced training in handling fires involving liquid propane and natural gas. Bryan Frank, an assistant chief for Richland Township, pointed out that there are tankers transporting fuel every day on Indiana 9. Others noted the number of rural households and farms that use propane. The level of interest was high, as the session drew firefighters from several other counties besides Madison. It’s a matter of being prepared to fight these fires safely.

Thumbs up: To Riley and Sons Collision Center for its annual program to give a rebuilt automobile to a deserving single mother. Co-owner Dave Driggers said that this year’s recipient, Shannon Ritenour, was the perfect fit for the National Benevolence Program. The Hopewell Center employee has been without transportation for more than a year when she was involved in an accident on her way to work, but that hasn’t stopped her from getting to her job. “There are many deserving people, but for Shannon this is truly a hand up not a hand out,” Driggers said. Other local sponsors are making sure that she has insurance, fuel, car maintenance, safety seats and Christmas presents.

Thumbs up: To the Pendleton Heights girls swim team. The Arabians finished the 2006 portion of their schedule with a win over Anderson. That gave them a 6-0 record to take into the New Year. PH Coach Jeff Maydak has got them pointed in the right direction.

Thumbs up: To Cara Huck for landing a scholarship to Eastern Illinois for tennis. The home-schooled daughter of Anderson Sports Center tennis pro Shawn Huck, she attracted the attention of the college through her performance in United States Tennis Association events and her own hard work.

Thumbs up: For an amazing year in Anderson. More than $500 million in investments have been made by current and incoming businesses creating more than 500 new jobs. Terrific job, city of Anderson.

Thumbs down: To the Anderson City Council for not bringing the proposed smoking ban ordinance to a public vote at its Thursday meeting. Instead, council members left it up to Madison County to come up with a ban that will, of course, include Anderson.