Thumbs up: to Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson on achieving that most coveted of North Carolina's civilian honors: the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest honor the governor can bestow on a North Carolina resident. It is telling about the significance of the award that an individual must have a record of long service -- indeed, a state employee earns the award following at least three decades of service to North Carolina. In addition to her certificate and the privilege of proposing, at any time, the North Carolina Toast, Clawson will join a distinguished group of almost 14,000 people who have received the award since it was created in the mid-1960s. Among that group: Billy Graham, Michael Jordan, Bob Timberlake, Rick Hendrick and Maya Angelou -- fine company, all.

Thumbs up: to a symposium centering on World War II. Each year, our nation loses more of its WWII veterans, and this gathering at the Broyhill Center on the campus of Appalachian State University offered a unique opportunity to interact with and learn from living history. Sessions with veterans from multiple WWII were held for two consecutive days. We encourage future gatherings of nation's heroes in similar settings as venues from which we can all learn something.

Thumbs up: to the beginning of renovations to the downtown Boone post office building. Sure, during peak traffic times it may be difficult to find a parking space, so that you'll be able to actually view the remodel, but preserving history is in Boone's best interest -- and the 1938 colonial revival architecture of this building is too important to become a thing of the past. A caveat: $1.2 million is a significant sum to invest here -- ongoing maintenance and the continued exploration about how to use this property in the public's best interest must be at the forefront of any conversation involving our downtown arena: white elephants need not be part of the dialogue.

Thumbs up: to a new state law that prohibits physicians and physician assistants from prescribing controlled substances to themselves or family members. The only question now remaining before the North Carolina Rules Review Commission: This law wasn't on the books, already?