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Thumbs up for giving this time of year. There are plenty of organizations that are giving back to the community during the holidays and it’s a trend that warms the hearts of the biggest Scrooge. It’s especially warming when youth find a way to give back. Just two examples of this this week was the Austin Packers girls hockey team spent time ringing bells for the Salvation Army and purchasing toys for Toys for Tots. Meanwhile, the Austin Youth Hockey Peewee B team recently held its annual project of Christmas shopping for a local family. These are just two examples, mind you, but they are indicative of the spirit of the season.

Thumbs down for Alamo Annie’s closing. Like so many, we were saddened to hear that Alamo Annie’s would be closing after three years. The people behind the scenes are wonderful and it was nice seeing an eatery added to Brownsdale. It’s tough to run a business and today’s atmosphere can sometimes make it even more challenging, but we were thankful for the time the business was here. The cinnamon rolls will be missed.

Thumbs down for government dysfunction. We’re not even to the new year yet and already national leaders are squabbling about funding our government, meaning a whole lot of people are going into the Christmas season uncertain about futures — short and long term. It would be a breath of fresh air, wouldn’t it, if for just a little while we had leaders on the national stage that quit stepping on the country’s own toes.

Thumbs up for dedication. Earlier this week we returned after a number of years to the work of Lizett and Francisco Rosas, family and friends who continue to maintain and grow the Nativity display at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. For the faithful, the display is a star to continue growing their faith each time the display grows.

Thumbs up for justice. News this week that Jeffer Lorenzo, the man behind the wheel who drove drunk and collided with an SUV driven by Wyatt Hamlin, was caught in Tennessee was welcome news to all that have a stake in this. After agreeing to a plea deal, Lorenzo made the unfortunate and selfish decision to run, seemingly with no real regard for the consequences of what could have happened. Now, we wait. It’s unsure yet when Lorenzo might be making it back to Austin due to the charges of weapons and domestic assault he’s facing in Tennessee. Nevertheless, this is a step forward for justice.