Thumbs Up Thumbs Down

We are still in a thankful mood because of Thanksgiving, so we are devoting this column entirely to those who are worthy of a THUMBS UP.

Let’s start with a THUMBS UP to the Reed High School football squad for establishing a dynasty by winning its fifth-straight regional title and a spot in the state semifinals.

Sure the Raiders suffered a loss in the semifinals to Bishop Gorman this past weekend. We know how Bishop Gorman, as a private school, is able to attract a big, athletic and talented group of players. But we bet that didn’t come up in any talks between Reed’s coach and his players.

The Raiders dominated their foes in Northern Nevada all season long in exciting fashion. No reason whatsoever they shouldn’t celebrate their almost-perfect season.

THUMBS UP to the Twisted Fork restaurant in Reno for cooperating with health authorities and voluntarily closing up shop during an investigation into an E. coli outbreak that sickened nearly two dozen people.

It turns out the restaurant was not the culprit after investigators traced the source of the outbreak to a dessert supplier of the restaurant. The county’s health officer credited the Twisted Fork for its significant assistance in identifying the E. coli source. Let’s hope the Twisted Fork’s business increases because of its responsible actions.

THUMBS UP to the Nugget hotel-casino and the Boys & Girls Club of Truckee Meadows for providing Thanksgiving meals to the needy.

The Nugget teamed up with St. Vincent’s Dining Room to provide meals on Thanksgiving Day. The Boys & Girls Club, meanwhile, held its 12th annual Community Thanksgiving dinner last Wednesday evening.

THUMBS UP to the dismissal of a federal lawsuit that sought to derail the SouthEast Connector, the six-lane road under construction between east Sparks and south Reno. A group of activists filed the suit but was turned down in its request for an injunction to halt the critical project while the merits of the complaint could be argued. The group finally surrendered after discovering the suit wasn’t going anywhere.