Thumbs up: To the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce for meeting its 500-member goal. What is truly impressive about that feat is that it was accomplished with the addition of 100 new members last year. Not all of the new members are new businesses; some have been going it on their own for a while and decided to take advantage of the chamber’s opportunities for networking and publicity. But for a chamber in a city the size of Sycamore to add 100 new members in a stagnant business climate is an achievement worth applauding.

Thumbs down: Once again to our state legislature and the governor for their inability to address the state’s public pension crisis. As a result, Standard & Poor’s rating services has lowered Illinois’ credit rating. The New York-based agency said Friday that the rating on the state’s general obligation bonds was downgraded to A- from A. The agency says the outlook is negative. Standard & Poor’s credit analysts say the downgrade reflects what the agency sees as the state’s “weakened pension-funded rations” and lack of action on reform measures to improve the state’s worst-in-the-nation pension crisis. Illinois has a $96 billion pension deficit. It appears our representatives in state government are content to see Illinois continue to dig an ever deeper financial hole for the citizens of Illinois.

Thumbs up: To leaders in the 23rd Judicial Circuit for pressing forward with plans to allow news cameras in local courtrooms. DeKalb County is among the 28 counties statewide to join the Illinois Supreme Court’s pilot program on extended media coverage in county courthouses. Although some have reservations about allowing cameras in, courtrooms are public spaces, their proceedings are in public, and reporters should be allowed a reasonable way of documenting the proceedings with still and video photography. Judicial leaders have formed a committee to thoughtfully craft local rules within the state guidelines that offer protections for jurors, victims of sexual assault and police informants. We applaud their initiative and look forward to navigating these new processes together.