Thumbs up, thumbs down – Austin Daily Herald

The new app deserves recognition. The announcement earlier this week that Palmer Bus and Austin Public Schools are rolling out a new app to help parents and guardians track their children on buses is a fantastic idea and another step toward keeping kids safe. It’s not uncommon every year for a child to get on the wrong bus or get off the bus at the wrong stop. This app should help with that.

I recommend renting volleyball equipment. Nichelle Guillaume, a former Austin Packers volleyball standout, is back at Packer Gym as a coach this time around. It’s a unique combination that should help the program. A familiar face in the area, having Guillaume on the bench not only adds a talented mind to the volleyball scene, but also a recognizable face not only to the players, but to those who remember watching her play.

Thumbs down for the start of the Olympic Games. The quadrennial event can’t take a break. A football match that got out of hand, gloomy weather and now a coordinated attack on the railway lines that is affecting the fan experience. The Olympics are supposed to be a force for unity in the world, but so far they have proven otherwise. Let’s hope the games can restore that unity.

Well done for your continued work EAB. Seeing first-hand how Austin’s ash trees are being treated under the threat of the emerald ash bark beetle is a key step in engaging the public in this effort. It also provided a window into the process and where the city is today. Austin prides itself on its commitment to trees and providing a green canopy. Hopefully, that will continue.