Thumbs up to the Lyman Board of Selectmen for voting to discontinue the legal action that would have the courts determine whether Steven Marble can serve as both selectman and a town employee. The lawsuit has been going on for a year now, since Marble won a seat on the board in June 2011. It has been at the heart of much debate in town, as well as a major reason for the recall of Selectman Norman Hutchins in November.

We’re pleased to see the board support the will of the majority of the Town Meeting voters, who voted to discontinue funding for the lawsuit. The voters most likely lacked the legal authority to do so, but the selectmen stepped up to make sure their vote was effected anyway. The conflict of interest issue still needs to be settled, of course, and it should be made clear at the state level, but a charter for the town is currently in the works and is expected to address it. We hope the charter passes when it’s put to voters this fall, as having a charter in place will settle not only this debate, but many others that have divided the town recently, such as the bidding process.

Thumbs up to Richard Whicker, a flight instructor from North Berwick, who safely crash-landed a Cessna plane in the woods off Proctor Road in Arundel Friday, June 15, saving his own life and that of his student, William Hart of Lyman. Whicker’s expertise in putting down the plane, which reportedly had engine failure, averted what could have easily been a fatal disaster. The incident shows how important training and skill are while operating planes, as an emergency event can occur at any time. Hart certainly took away more of a lesson than he’d planned on.

Thumbs up to the Sanford School Committee for its decision to end single-gender classes, in response to a complaint from the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. Although the school leaders support the option of the voluntary classes, they recognize that it’s in the best interest of the school district to avoid litigation on the issue. In the meantime, we would encourage the district to review the law on single-gender education options, engage in discussion with the ACLU, and consider other types of alternative classroom settings that could offer benefits for students to feel more comfortable participating in the learning process. In the end, the most important goal is providing fair and equal educational opportunities for our children.

Thumbs up to all of the adult education graduates this year, who earned their GEDs in programs throughout York County, from Sanford to Biddeford. These graduates, who range widely in age, are particularly inspiring, as many of them have had to overcome significant obstacles to completing their education. It takes courage and real dedication to go back to school after being unable to earn your diploma in the traditional four-year high school format. Juggling family responsibilities, work and school is no easy task, but these graduates realized the importance of earning their diploma as the first step toward a brighter future. We wish them all the best as they continue their education, pursue other opportunities, or just relish their accomplishment.

Thumbs up to all of those who organized and carried out the many festivals that took place this past weekend, making this a vibrant, active area in which to live. It was a busy weekend, with La Kermesse in Biddeford, the Saco Sidewalk Arts festival, Saco 250th anniversary events and the Smokin’ at the Ballpark event in Old Orchard Beach. These summertime festivals give these communities a welcoming, fun atmosphere and provide memorable moments for families right here at home. But they don’t happen all by themselves ”“ each of these events, particularly La Kermesse, now in its 30th year ”“ require up to a year of planning from dedicated volunteers who make it all come together. Kudos to all of them and to the residents and businesses who support the events.

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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 email at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.