Thumbs up: To Roger Nelson, who took note of a program offered by Monsanto and seized the opportunity to donate $2,500 each to the Malta Township Public Library and the all-volunteer Malta Fire Department. Nelson, who raises corn, soybeans and hogs with his brother on a farm southwest of Malta, nominated the two local agencies for the Monsanto Fund’s Farmers Grow America program online. His neighbors and the community will benefit from the donations.

Thumbs up: To Rick Mamoser of Prairie State Winery in Genoa. He was recently named Winemaker of the Year by the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association. Mamoser, a former high school science teacher, started making wine at home. He and his wife, Maria, gave up their teaching careers to open the winery in 1999 and have achieved much success with their award-winning wines. This the second time Rick has won the Winemaker of the Year Award. Congratulations to these two local entrepreneurs.

Thumbs down: To making Illinois’ 67 percent income tax increase approved in late 2010 permanent. That’s part of a proposal from State Rep. Lou Lang, a Skokie Democrat who put forth a plan to fix the pension mess this week. Although it’s a positive sign that lawmakers are putting forth proposals, the tax increase was supposed to expire in 2014 and it’s clear that government’s taking more money from working families and businesses will do little to help residents or create jobs in our state. A tax hike wasn’t the solution in 2010, and making it last even longer isn’t a good idea, either.