CHEERS: to Plattsburgh State for coming up with $21,000 to help the city defray the cost of firefighting. The college, though tax-exempt, is surely a consumer of firefighting protection. The donation is fitting and welcome. Other tax-exempt organizations should evaluate their own positions, vis-a-vis this gesture.

JEERS: to unsafe skateboarders in the area, who challenge motor vehicles imprudently. Skateboarding is already a relatively dangerous pastime, when you consider it requires good balance and considerable skill. That's even if the practitioner is following all the rules of the road. Too many don't, and who knows what kind of talent and skill they have, an absence of which would further imperil them? Often skateboarders are seen going the wrong way on a one-way street -- Brinkerhoff and Court streets are prime examples. And they always seem to be trying new stunts just as cars are passing them. If they suddenly flipped off the board, a serious collision would be almost inevitable. A reader tells us she was on her way home from work the other day in the Oak Street School zone on Margaret Street, where she had slowed down to 20 mph. Good thing she had, because two young men on skateboards suddenly pulled in front of her and skated side by side, impeding her progress. If she had been going 10 mph faster, they might not have made it into the side-by-side formation. Skateboarders should take heed, and police should be vigilant, as well.

CHEERS: to the City of Plattsburgh for restriping the crosswalks and turn arrows at the intersection of Catherine and Broad streets. We had jeered the city a couple of months ago because the street striping at this busy intersection had just about faded to nothing, and we questioned the safety of the crosswalks once students returned to school. Well, the markings are now bright and clear. We did hear some complaints from drivers who questioned why the city chose to do the work during the time when Stafford Middle School was letting out at day's end, tying up traffic on an already congested street. Maybe not the best choice for timing, but it's good to have the job finished. Drivers now have a very clear picture of what they need to do at that intersection.

JEERS: to owners of vacant properties and to absentee landlords who sometimes overlook the condition of their lawns. What brought this to our attention is the northeast side of the corner of Margaret and Cornelia streets in downtown Plattsburgh, where the grassy area between the sidewalk and the street has become a jungle of tangled weeds. The condition is duplicated in many other parcels in the city. It's especially troublesome because the city bills itself as a tourist destination, and such sights aren't ingratiating to our visitors. At the very least, the city should mow these neglected patches and bill the owners. Such disregard for the public interest is unbecoming for all of us and our civic pride.