(Graphic Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection - Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down)

UP: To students who participated in last week’s FIRST LEGO League robotics scrimmage at the Wood County Technical Center. Hosted by Dark Side Robotics and the West Virginia Robotics Alliance, the teams were Early Roboteers, from Charleston, and the Tender Defenders, from Parkersburg. The teams were looking to solve problems with package delivery as they presented solutions and ran their robots through missions to test their performance in a competition environment. With the new robotics season kicking off Jan. 8, we will be cheering on our local teams as they build the skills that will build our future.

UP: To the Junior League of Parkersburg’s Dec. 4 Christmas open house for the historic Cook House on Murdoch Avenue. The nearly 200-year-old house is an object of curiosity for many, and the opportunity to see it for free is a welcomed one. Those who are able should offer a donation to help continue to keep the building a treasure for our community. But Katie Parsons, Mindy Smith and the others responsible for organizing the event also deserve our thanks for making it happen.

DOWN: To news that West Virginia continues to be one of the states with the highest rates of drug overdose deaths. In fact, last year, the Mountain State saw some of the largest increases in death figures, with overdose deaths increasing 62 percent from April 2020 to April 2021. More than 1,600 West Virginians died of drug overdoses during that year. Sooner or later, policymakers will have to be honest with themselves about what really needs to be tackled if we are to fight off this monster, and implement economic and socio-cultural projects that will truly make a difference, rather than simply create the appearance of doing something.