Thumbs up to the Saco Shaw’s Supermarket and store manager John DeRoche for hosting a food drive and free barbecue for people in the area to help fill the shelves of the Saco Food Pantry. Pantry Director Bob Nichols said recently the pantry was out of two important staples: Peanut butter and jelly, which is the first time that has happened in 15 years.

The food pantry feeds between 650 and 700 people a month, according to Nichols, and every person is given enough food for 12 meals. Hopefully the free barbecue ”“ starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13 ”“ will bring out area residents to support their local pantry by buying some extra food items while doing their weekly shopping. The food drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thumbs up to all of the participants and organizers of the 33rd annual McArthur Public Library Pet Show held at the library on Main Street in Biddeford last week. This event gets young people and their families to the library for a day of entertainment and education. Hopefully, they’ll keep coming back for the books and programs this important community resource provides.

Thumbs down to the owner of Bartley’s Dockside restaurant, Brian Bartley, 59, of Kennebunk, who pleaded guilty to a 20-count indictment charging income tax evasion, unemployment fraud, sales tax theft and theft by deception last week in York County Superior Court. Bartley, who is part owner and general manager of the Kennebunk restaurant, was convicted of similar crimes in 1991. Bartley was previously convicted, along with his father, James Bartley, of tax offenses in 1991 and both served three months in jail, according to the Maine Attorney General’s office. Over the course of several years, the state collected $200,000 in restitution for which Bartley, his father and the restaurant were responsible in connection with the 1991 conviction.  On top of that, Bartley took unemployment insurance payouts to which he was not entitled. Attorney General William J. Schneider said, “With so many people out of work and struggling to pay their bills, it is inexcusable that an individual would fraudulently seek and receive unemployment benefits he does not deserve.” The fact that this crime was allowed to occur is especially shocking since Bartley had already been convicted of the same crimes before.

Thumbs up to all of the Sanford Police officers who participated in the National Night Out last week. Police Chief Thomas Connolly did his part, grilling hot dogs in Central Park, while a number of social service vendors passed out information. National Night Out is a crime and drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch that aims to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back, according to the National Night Out website. With the large crowd that turned out for Sanford’s event, that message was hopefully received by any would-be n’er-do-wells.

Thumbs up to the local residents who protested outside of U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe’s Biddeford office on Main Street last week to voice their concerns about the debt ceiling bill, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama last week. By protesting, making calls, and writing letters and emails, Mainers and Americans around the country can make their opinions known to ensure senators and representatives have a good sense of what their constituents are thinking about national and local issues. Many people do not take the time to show up at their elected officials’ offices ”“ nor do they write or call often ”“ but that is the only way members of Congress can know what their constituents want.

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