HIT: To the continuation of the elementary summer school program, despite the spending cuts that need to be made in the Auburn school district.

Summer school for students in pre-kindergarten through second grade is a vitally important part of early childhood education, and the district is doing the right thing in keeping it going.

It's been a rough couple of months for district officials, and we hope this positive step forward will set the tone for the delicate changes that need to be made as the district prepares to operate under a contingency budget.

HIT: To the spring art project undertaken by sixth-graders at Southern Cayuga Middle School.

Visiting artist Phil Donovan and art teacher Tim Amory helped the students design and construct an impressive-looking obelisk made of hundreds of ceramic tiles.

The 9-foot work of art will be placed outside the school, where the students hope visitors will be able to enjoy it for years to come.

HIT: To the Mercy Health & Rehabilitation Center in Auburn for hosting an event in which long-time couples had the opportunity to renew their wedding vows.

Staff and family members made the festivities memorable, with corsages, party favors and prayers. The celebration should serve to remind us all that love is an extremely important part of life #- at any age.

MISS: To the extended summer vacation enjoyed by a local convict who decided he didn't need to abide by a court order to report to prison after being convicted for the seventh time of driving while intoxicated. Instead, he was tracked down at a home in Cato seven days after his prison sentence was scheduled to begin.

The court must also share in this “miss” for allowing the man to walk away rather than begin his sentence immediately. He was told he could have one day of freedom to take care of personal matters and had been expected to voluntarily turn himself in.