Thumbs up to all of those who are making time today to help out their community in some way, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s easy to forget the days of segregation and the impact it had on our society, especially for those of us born well after the Civil Rights movement. Today is set aside to remind us of the lessons learned in that process, and that equality did not come without a price.

Thumbs up to the Sanford Police Department for investing in three new Taser shotguns that have an expanded range of up to 100 feet. In many instances, police officers are threatened by people who are mentally ill and/or suicidal, putting them in a position to use deadly force to protect themselves or others. With Tasers, officers can protect themselves while also avoiding taking a human life. The incapacitating effects of a Taser allow police officers to restrain an assailant while they are knocked out, and take them into custody where they can be safely evaluated, face up to the consequences of their actions and get medical attention. If the Taser fails, a police officer will be backed up at all times by an armed officer, assuring their safety. This is a good investment for both the police and the community, and we hope other area departments also expand their use of defensive weapons that are less likely to be fatal than firearms.

Thumbs up to the Maine Board of Education for finally approving funding for the top six schools on the state’s school construction list last Wednesday, which includes two in Sanford: Emerson School and Sanford High School and Regional Technical Center. The town has been waiting many months for word from the state and can now begin the process of pursuing either a new or renovated high school building with an expanded technical school. SHS is on probationary status with the school accreditation board for its facilities, which include a dozen portable classrooms to accommodate its 1,200 student population. Not only are these investments much needed, but an expanded technical school will be a boon for the area, boosting the economy by allowing youth to train during their high school years for careers in growing fields.

Thumbs up to the farmland donations made recently in Kennebunk and Saco, which will forever preserve these open spaces as working farms. In Kennebunk, Tom Chappell has donated 154 acres of farmland, which includes a 65-acre sheep farm and the 89-acre Russell Farm of haying land. We applaud the efforts of the Maine Farmland Trust, which is now protecting more than 30,000 acres of farmland in Maine. By keeping these lands available only for farming use and not for development, the trust is helping to ensure Maine’s agricultural heritage and the availability of local produce. It’s hard to put your finger on what makes Maine special, but surely the rolling fields of cornstalks and grazing animals come into play, and now we have a few more spots in York County guaranteed to keep that alive.

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Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you want to respond, feel free to write to the Readers’ Forum via email at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.