Our View: Thumbs up, thumbs down

Two thumbs up and a salute to the organizers of last week's local Veterans Day observations, including a new honor. Last Saturday was the unveiling of the Avenue of Flags, a Sutter Lions Club community service project, that saw 200 flags planted throughout the 37-acre Sutter Cemetery during an impressive ceremony. As Leonard Pelfrey, the cemetery's district manager said, "it's a start of a beautiful thing." On Tuesday, thousands gathered in downtown Marysville to participate in and view the annual Veterans Day Parade as well as related events, put together by Cindy Verrill and others with the Veterans Day Parade Committee. View the video from Marysville parade at www.appeal-democrat.com.

The community is safer today as the result of Operation Showdown, which started in August as an undercover operation and culminated Thursday in a sweeping raid that netted drugs, cash and weapons, and resulted in several dozen arrests. Thumbs up to the more than 100 officers from 14 law enforcement agencies who executed the successful raid, led by the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic Enforcement Team, otherwise known as NET-5.

Thumbs down to a state personnel policy that shortchanges the public. Locally, Dan Logue's election to the state Assembly's 3rd District creates a vacancy on the Yuba County Board of Supervisors. The appointment process, which could take up to six months, is considered a personnel matter, according to the governor's office, so the names of applicants who have filed as potential replacements won't be released; the office will only confirm applications have been submitted. Why not release the names and let the public, especially the 3rd District constituents to be represented, weigh in on the candidates? It would be as simple as setting up an e-mail account to allow the citizens' voices to be heard, and to be considered in the appointment process.

Thumbs up to the Yuba College men's basketball team, which has earned some well-deserved attention. After last year's California Community College Elite Eight appearance, and returning seven players from last year's team that went 32-4 last season, the 49ers are ranked No. 10 in the state in the latest Top 20 Coaches Poll. The team opened the season Thursday with a road victory over Shasta College.

And while we're praising Yuba College sports, thumbs up to the men's soccer team, which clinched the program's first championship title last week.

Thumbs down to the premature "thumbs down" we gave Sutter County and Yuba County voters last week for failing to exercise their right to vote. Initial numbers indicated Election Day turnout below the projections for both counties — 58 percent in Yuba and 38 percent in Sutter, which prompted the indignant thumbs down. But those preliminary numbers actually reflect not a sign of apathy, but of the increasing popularity of mail-in voting over polling places. In fact, Sutter County is now looking at a 77 percent voter turnout. So, a thumbs up to all who voted.

Thumbs up to Bob Kiser for his ongoing commitment to children and their education. It wasn't enough to teach for 38 years at Yuba Gardens Elementary School before retiring three years ago. No, the man nicknamed "Mr. Yuba Gardens" has to do more. In his role as student body adviser, he still returns to the school daily to coach the "Warriors" teams and offer guidance to the student body council. Quoted in an Appeal-Democrat story last week, Kiser said he "went into teaching to help the kids make a difference. I hope I have." Rest assured, Mr. Kiser, you have done so.