Thumbs up … to the amount of quality entertainment in the area for the entire family. This weekend alone, John A. Logan College has "A 1940s Radio Christmas," Southeastern Illinois College presents the musical "Good Tidings," and Southern Illinois University Carbondale welcomes country legend Crystal Gayle, as well as their stage production of "A Christmas Story." And don't forget about the "Lights Fantastic" parade in downtown Carbondale at 6 p.m. Saturday. If you can't find something fun to do in Southern Illinois, you're just not trying.

Thumbs down … to the state of Illinois for its slow response after discovering that an unknown number of license plates distributed in the early 2000s were prone to rust and loss of reflective coating. Such plates become hard for police to read at night. The plates were issued in 2001 and 2002 and the state learned of the problem sometime in 2004. Now, the state is sending out 160,000 letters asking owners to check their plates. Further, the state doesn't know if those letters even cover the entire range of plates involved. This is the last month of 2008. We know times are tough in Springfield, but this is a tortoise-slow response to a problem.

Thumbs up … to the Anna City Council for their generous contribution of a building at practically no cost to the Heartland Council for Literacy, Arts, and Business. The former city hall/police/fire facility will soon offer a variety of creative activities from dance to drawing and painting classes. There also are plans to provide space for a martial arts class. A complaint commonly heard from residents of small towns is the lack of something to do. That's not true in Anna, where city and civic leaders have done a lot with the formation of an arts and literacy council and providing space for those activities to take place.

Thumbs up … to the Illinois Department of Corrections and its Re-entry Summits designed to help soon-to-be-released inmates learn more about themselves and enhance their chances of not returning to prison. It's too early to know if the summits have helped put a decline in state prison recidivism, but evaluating recent interviews with three soon-to-be released inmates at the Pinckneyville Correctional Center, the state prison system has become more than a warehouse of those paying for their crimes. Those eligible inmates released from the DOC can now utilize spiritual and mental tools they have learned from prison seminars and classes. Many inmates are aware life changes have to begin with themselves. That's a promising first step.

Thumbs up … to officials with Hospice of Southern Illinois for hosting a gathering of families who have lost loved ones the last year. The celebration of life allows families to share experiences and lean on one another for emotional support. The agency also puts together a Christmas tree in the Illinois Centre mall in Marion with colorful ornaments that list of much-missed family members and friends who have passed away in recent years.

Thumbs up … to news that the downturn in the economy did not deter Southern Illinoisans from hitting the stores of the region at a brisk pace the day after Thanksgiving. Area retailers actually saw a slight increase in profits after anticipating a letdown from last year. That was most certainly good news and perhaps some of that increase in business can be attributed to lower gasoline prices.

Thumbs up … to Marion Police Chief Gene Goolsby and his department for offering a Citizens Police Academy that runs once a week for seven weeks beginning Jan. 6. The idea of the seminars is to make the general public more familiar with the job of the police officer. It is hoped that a better understanding of the law will lead to more assistance from the public. There is no fee to attend, but reservations must be made in advance by calling the department at 993-2124.

Thumbs down … to the high price of road salt, an economic fact of life that will keep transportation crews conservative on the amount they'll spread over icy roads in Southern Illinois this winter. It's not a guarantee we're again going to see a winter like the last one, but there are probably a few days of treacherous driving ahead of us before the spring thaw. The attorney general has been investigating whether local governments and municipalities are being gouged on salt prices. We'd like to know why prices have doubled, even tripled, for some customers.

Thumbs up … to Tim Murphy and his neighbors on Candy Cane Lane in West Frankfort. Candy Cane Lane is more than just a few houses decorated with lights and blow-up characters. It is a true show of teamwork, community support, holiday spirit, and dedication to doing something that brightens the lives of others. In the wake of a serious heart attack, Murphy braved the cold last week and continued hanging lights and putting up over 600 characters. Christmas is a time for giving, and Candy Cane Lane provides a much-appreciated boost of holiday cheer.