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Thumbs up for supporting the city. On Friday night, during the second day of this year’s Freedom Fest, three new Pillars of the City were revealed, adding more support to the accomplishments of Austin. Each year, when new pillars are added, inspiration is bolstered to be like those that came before us in order to add vision and future success to the broader community.

Thumbs up to families that get it. On Wednesday of this past week, the Austin Daily Herald ran the second of a three-part series featuring families where both the parents and the kids have hectic sports schedules, and in each of these stories so far it shows that families understand that at their base, sports are meant to be fun and at the end of the day can represent a mutual family connection that can live on down through the years.

Thumbs up to new ownership. Our latest issue of Austin Living Magazine is out and as part the July-August edition, we featured a change in ownership of The Tendermaid here in Austin from Sara Nauman to Zach and Besty Morem and what we were thrilled to find out is that The Tendermaid, an icon in and of itself, is dedicated to serving the same great food and supporting the same great memories we all seem to have about this small little sandwich shop in the heart of Austin.

Thumbs up to a project. Of the neatest things in our area is Southland High School’s program of a senior project that puts in the hands of its senior students the ability to help support and change a community. This year, it was an effort led by Annika Erickson who organized a marathon of golf at Adams’ Cedar Valley Golf Course to help develop a fund for a new putting and chipping green. By putting this kind of project in the hands of our youth it offers a direct involvement into the betterment of the community they call home.

Thumbs up for games. It seems like such a simple idea, but in an American landscape with so much derision, the idea of a game night can have profound effects. We believe this can be the case when people come together for games at Hot Off the Press Comics and Coffee, whose owners are willing to provide a place for people to come together, enjoy a beverage from the coffee shop and have a night of simple fun around a table with others. It’s something we hope will continue and will serve to bring others downtown on a Friday night.