Thumbs down to methamphetamine manufacturing and illegal drugs in our community and in others as well. On Friday, the Regional Emergency Response Team put on haz-mat suits to search a Powell residence for methamphetamine. Inside, they found syringes and a straw allegedly used for snorting meth.

The Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation previously found the remains of what they believed to be small meth-making operations in the garbage nearby on two separate occasions. 

These are activities happening right in our neighborhoods, and these are people in our community. Meth is not a problem that is exclusive to big cities hundreds of miles away, it is here and we need to do something about it.

During the investigation, local children walking to the Boys and Girls Club were outside and asking what was happening. 

We encourage parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of drugs and to watch out for people who are high. It’s not enough to caution them about strangers, because it is likely these are people they know and trust. 

Thumbs up to a record-breaking growing season in the Powell area. This year is the longest we have gone without having a freeze, and that is good news for farmers. It’s not too warm for longterm sugar beet storage, but it’s not so cold that crops still in the ground have stopped growing. 

Prior to this year, the longest freeze-free period was 148 days in 2013. As of today (Thursday) we have gone 149 days — and the coldest it’s predicted to get in the 10-day forecast is 44 degrees, so we are set to break the old record by quite a bit. 

Thumbs up to Powell High School senior Cody Akin becoming the state champion No. 1 singles tennis player last weekend in Gillette. Akin is the second PHS boy to make this achievement, and we are proud of him, and the rest of our local youth athletes, for their hard work and dedication to their sports. 

Thumps up to First Baptist Church’s annual car care clinic for single moms, which took place on Saturday. Wyoming winters can be tough on vehicles, and having a reliable form of transportation can mean the difference between getting stranded or getting where you’re going. 

Volunteers from the Powell church and the community spent the day inspecting, repairing and tuning up more than 20 vehicles for free — a costly and labor-intensive endeavor that we greatly appreciate. 

Thumbs up to the pending upgrades and improvements at Northwest College’s Johnson Fitness Center. The NWC Board of Trustees approved a $122,000 one-time funding request for a new climbing wall in the Trapper Gym earlier this year. The facility is also set to get a new gym floor and heating and air conditioning — a welcome change for those exercising during the summer months. The projects are on hold, pending approval from the state.

Because the money for the climbing wall is from the Wyoming Community College Commission’s recapture and redistribution formula, it is not guaranteed each year — so that means longterm expenses such as hiring new staff are not an option. 

We are excited to hear about the upgrades because it makes NWC a more attractive option for those seeking to further their education, and because the fitness center is used by locals as well as NWC students.  

Thumbs up to Lavonne McNabb for her 25 years of service as an emergency medical technician at Powell Valley Healthcare. An additional thumbs up to all of our emergency responders as well. Thanks to them, we can rest easy knowing responders are there for any and all emergencies that could arise. 

Last week, McNabb celebrated her 25th anniversary as an EMT with Powell Valley Hospital, and we are happy to have people like her keeping us safe and being positive role models for the entire community. 

Thumbs down to Jackson Hole High School’s cancelation of their homecoming week’s “America Day.” The day was canceled out of concern the themed day could make some students feel excluded.

According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide, JHHS Principal Scott Crisp said a student survey noted the name itself might have caused some students to feel excluded and that three times as many students indicated they were not in support of naming it “America Day.”

Even so, America Day was the third-most popular theme based on students votes, according to Jackson Hole News and Guide.

We disagree with the school’s decision to cancel America Day — all of the students at JHHS live in America. Would it have been different if the school had a Wyoming Day, or a Jackson Day?

Jackson students protested the decision by going to school in red, white and blue, waving flags and parading around the school’s parking lot — and for that we give a big thumbs up.