Thumbs up … to those who took part in or supported the Run for the Fallen. The nationwide memorial run consists of running a mile for every soldier who has died in the ongoing Iraq conflict - a total of 4,000 miles will be covered. Mike Rettig of East Moline ran 45 miles Wednesday in the trek from Nashville to Herrin. Soldiers from the National Guard Armory in Marion took up the run Thursday. The memorial ends Aug. 24 in Arlington National Cemetery. We must never forget our fallen troops or the surviving families who grieve their losses, especially our friends and neighbors across Southern Illinois.

Thumbs down … to the cuts in state funding for prevention services. Funds invested in alcohol and drug abuse prevention and rehabilitation save more money down the line if people avoid the illnesses, imprisonment, ripped-apart families, human misery and other consequences of a lack of treatment.

Thumbs up … to Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the city of Carbondale and the Carbondale Park District, in particular, for a well-planned and managed Sunset Concert series this season - its 30th consecutive year. The outdoor concerts that alternated between Turley Park and on campus in front of Shryock Auditorium drew big, well-mannered crowds, despite a few rain clouds that dampened parts of three of the seven events. Organizers say the crowds, which averaged about 3,000 per concert, were bigger than in previous years. Even with these larger crowds SIUC and Carbondale Police handed out just six citations, all of them related to the possession or consumption of alcohol.

Thumbs down … to the seemingly impenetrable legal quagmire surrounding what many consider our region's most iconic sight, majestic Bald Knob Cross. Why can't someone find an area of common ground between the feuding parties in the lawsuit? Money is being raised solely for the restoration of the cross by a new organization, Friends of the Cross, but the hope of launching such a restoration project in the near future seems unlikely because of the legal battle. Another court hearing is scheduled for today and, unfortunately, other proceedings likely will be scheduled in the coming months. Let's hope and pray our cross isn't irreparably harmed before the matter is resolved.

Thumbs up … to Saline County golfers Justin Fetcho and Britt Pavelonis. Fetcho, of Eldorado, finished tied for second in the prestigious Illinois Open while Pavelonis, of Harrisburg, finished tied for sixth. The Illinois Open, which ended Wednesday, was played at Hawthorn Woods in suburban Chicago.

Thumbs up … to Sara Bond and the volunteers who have worked together to get the Roan Center and Night's Shield open in West Frankfort. It has been several years since Bond thought of creating a place to keep sibling groups together. The facility that will house displaced children will serve as a pilot program for the state and will offer kids removed from their homes a place to relax and feel like somebody cares. The process for getting a place like this open isn't easy but these volunteers stuck with it.

Thumbs up … to the employees and administrators at Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Plant and Service Operations, where a $4.2 million project funded through a certificate of participation loan received in 2004 for infrastructure and new monitoring systems is being paid off with dollars accumulated from energy savings. An example of the careful planning and spending of the money is new lighting fixtures installed at the SIU School of Law that resulted in 14 percent savings from June 2007 to June 2008. With energy prices soaring out the window and the escalating costs of fuel, SIUC has a grip on spending its energy dollars wisely.

Thumbs up … to John A. Logan College softball player Nathalie Timmermans, who will represent her country, The Netherlands, at the Olympic Games in Beijing this month. Timmermans plays a variety of positions, including catcher, third base and designated hitter. The 19-year-old freshman is expected to return to the Carterville campus for the spring semester in January.

Thumbs up … to the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police for partnering in an effort to make motorists more aware of the growing number of motorcycles on the road. Bikers are not as easy for motorists to see and caution is urged to prevent tragedy. Efforts are also being stepped up to better educate and train inexperienced bikers as they hit the roadway.

Thumbs up … to Celeste Sollers, economic development director for Williamson County, who often toils in obscurity. Sollers has been instrumental in securing dozens of grants for worthy programs and projects in the county. One of her more recent success stories is the new fire engine delivered to the Williamson County Fire Protection District. A large portion of the $300,000 price tag was paid for through a state grant, leaving the fire department to finance less than a third of the amount.

Thumbs up … to all of our region's county fairs on the day preceding the start of another Williamson County Fair. This year marks the 152nd edition of the fair, which opens Saturday. Williamson County is among the longest-running fairs in state history. Macoupin County is the oldest, having celebrated its 156th anniversary in July. The Williamson County Fairgrounds are located on Marion's east side and feature demolition derbies, harness racing, motocross racing, livestock shows, carnival rides, musical entertainment and the food. Let's all go to our county fairs and the Du Quoin State Fair!

Thumbs up … to the Grand Avenue Christian Church and their donation of playground equipment at the Superblock in Carbondale. Taking a son or daughter to a ballgame can be a bit of a chore if you've got another little one in tow who won't be playing. The addition of this equipment gives kids an opportunity to burn off some energy and mom and dad a chance to breathe easy.