Thumbs up to the board of the La Kermesse Franco-Americaine festival for doing their best to continue the annual celebration of French-Canadian culture, despite the obstacles they face with finances and location.

An announcement is expected today on the future of the festival. We say that even if the festival is scaled back dramatically, something is better than nothing when it comes to commemorating the heritage of an ethnic group that was instrumental in shaping the culture of Biddeford-Saco and many other areas in Maine.

Thumbs up to Old Orchard Beach Assistant Town Manager Louise Reid and other animal advocates who are asking the town to contract out with an animal shelter for the care of strays and surrendered animals. The town currently has only a holding area and relationships with two small rescue operations, one of which is currently full. It is time for the town to take the responsible move of contracting with a major shelter, to avoid cases of animal cruelty that result when humane options are difficult to access.

Thumbs up to the Biddeford City Council for its directive to avoid any tax rate increase from either the city or the education side of the city’s budget. Though the school department will have to do some belt-tightening, with up to 12 positions slated to be cut, the superintendent has stated that class sizes will not be affected. With the economy still lagging and several residents on fixed incomes, this is the right move to make this year, especially with property taxpayers taking on the burden of $34 million worth of high school renovations.

Thumbs up to Kennebunk Police Chief Robert MacKenzie, Kennebunk Deputy Fire Chief Andrew Turcotte, Video Creations and Bill Patterson of the University of New England’s Coastal Healthy Communities, for their collaboration in creating a film to dissuade underage drinking. Youth today respond best to visual media. A video that shows the actual courtroom in which they would end up and the real-life police who’d make the arrest can really bring the message home. Adults who might consider driving drunk or providing a place for minors to drink should see the video as well.

Thumbs up to the demolition of several derelict buildings at Williams Court in Biddeford, which will be replaced with a community park. Removing the tenements will help beautify the downtown and create a stronger neighborhood, building on the relationships that residents have already formed as they planned together for the park.

Thumbs up to members of the Haley family of Haley’s Metal, Inc. in Biddeford, who have sustained the family business for five generations. Long-term family businesses are becoming more rare as younger generations take on other pursuits, but those that remain are assets to their communities, helping to hold together the local history and economy.

— Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you would like to respond, please write the Reader’s Forum via e-mail at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.