Thumbs up to the organizers and participants of two training exercises last week. Early in the week, members of Maine law enforcement gathered in Alfred to practice funeral services for law enforcement officers’ line-of-duty deaths. Those in attendance practiced how to march, handle caskets and fold flags. Later in the week in Saco, firefighters from Saco and Biddeford were able to use real trains to practice responding to an emergency involving a passenger or freight train.

Thanks to Amtrak and Guilford Rail, participants used a freight train, a box car and an Amtrak passenger train for the training, and practiced removing “patients” from trains, while learning about equipment on board and what they can and cannot touch while in the train. These types of trainings make us all safer, as emergency responders gain a level of comfort with their ability to respond to such calls.

Thumbs down to the Maine House for failing to override a veto that would have allowed 70,000 Mainers to gain health care coverage at no cost to the state for three years. Despite including a provision to allow the state to withdraw from the federal program after three years, Gov. Paul LePage vetoed the proposal, and lawmakers failed to overturn it. Turning away what is essentially free money for Mainers in need is a bad move, and we hope the Legislature will find some other way to get this measure through. Even if the state only participated for three years, it’s three years worth of covered doctor’s visits and treatments ”“ including preventative care ”“ for 70,000 people in need.

Thumbs up to the new Old Orchard Beach Town Council. After the town’s voters recalled six of the seven members in a recent election, the newly elected council met Monday to be sworn in. If their first meeting was any indication, it looks like a new page has truly been turned in a town that has been plagued by tension and drama over the last few years. The town has gone through several town managers and the council was clearly divided in recent months. At last Monday’s meeting, however, the new council members were cheering, smiling, shaking hands and hugging. Good luck to the new councilors, and we hope this atmosphere will continue in the weeks and months ahead. Another thumbs up is in order for the new council in its decision to allow some flexibility in pricing for its parking lots. The new council approved the proposal at its first council meeting last Tuesday, and the town will now be able to adjust its rates based on weather and what other lots are charging. Allowing for flexibility is a win-win for the town, residents and visitors, as the town is likely to get more business and revenues if it can remain competitively priced, and beach-goers will have more options from which to choose.

Thumbs up to Alicia Rowe, owner of the Snip & Tone salon at Sanford’s Mid-Town Mall, for pursuing her benefit car wash with escorts on private property. After the city council told her she couldn’t use the city-owned Mid-Town Mall lot due to safety and other concerns, she told the Journal Tribune later in the week that she would still have the car wash ”“ at a later date ”“ featuring personnel from Lovebirds2u, a Portland-based escort service, at the VFW Post 9935 parking lot on July 6-7. Rowe is trying to raise money for the Lebanon-based Satana Lynn Stables, which she said provides therapeutic horseback riding opportunities for children with autism. Although some councilors expressed concern over what effect the car wash might have on the city’s image, it’s not likely to have much, and we’re glad Rowe pursued other options to raise money for such a good cause.

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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 office.