The Daily Chronicle editorial board offers this week’s thumbs up and thumbs down:

Thumbs up: To our local firefighters. Firefighters contained an apartment fire in downtown Sycamore on Thursday, limiting the damage. With so many buildings so close together, plus dry conditions and high winds, the fire could have been much more disastrous. Firefighters also managed to save five of the eight pets living in the apartment. Another thumbs up to firefighters from four volunteer departments who battled the same conditions in fighting a Shabbona grass fire later the same day.

Thumbs down: To the retirement of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. There hasn’t been a bigger friend to those who oppose public corruption in Illinois than Fitzgerald. In his more than 10 years in office, he successfully prosecuted two Illinois governors for corruption – Republican George Ryan and his successor, Democrat Rod Blagojevich. We’re sad to see him leave, but understand that it is time. We hope the next U.S. attorney in Chicago tackles corruption with as much zeal as Fitzgerald.