HIT: To the local employers who took part in National Disability Mentoring Day on Wednesday.

Wal-Mart, Auburn Memorial Hospital, the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office and the Auburn city manager's office all gave people with disabilities a chance to try out a job for a day. The program is a great learning tool for the participants, and it shines a much-needed bright light on how valuable people with disabilities can be.

From the personal stories that emerged Wednesday, the program was an overwhelming success.

HIT: If you support business, then you were happy to hear that our five state legislators received A's and B's this week from the state's business bosses.

The Business Council of New York State's annual job “Vote for Jobs Index,” which evaluates how well legislators support economic development, gave our local representatives all A's and B's. By comparison, 59 lawmakers recieved C's and D's.

We must note, however, that the grades are based on what the council would term ‘favorable' votes for business. And those votes are often not in the best interest of the state's working class or environment.

MISS: To Kristi Hetherington, the 26-year-old woman convicted of selling drugs a few days before her baby was due.

Hetherington made the sale while she was pregnant at a time when she was already facing sentencing for another drug charge. Judge Mark Fandrich delayed sentencing on the first charge so she could give birth outside of jail.

But Hetherington used this compassionate judicial decision as an opportunity to break the law again.

Fandrich, understandably, did not appreciate her actions. He sentenced her this week to 3 to 9 years in prison on the first drug charge, plus two more years on the second charge.

HIT: To Ed Cuthbert, who was the guest of honor at the Knights of Columbus sports banquet held Wednesday.

Cuthbert's support of local athletics has touched countless young lives in this area.