Thumbs up to a new football coach

Here are this week’s “thumbs up” selections:

Thumbs up to the Ohio House Public Safety Committee, which this week voted unanimously to approve House Bill 415, which would outlaw the dangerous practice of sending text messages while driving a motor vehicle. Of course, the bill must be approved by the full Ohio House and Senate, and then signed by the governor, but we're encouraged by this first concrete step toward ending this dangerous behavior before it becomes as ingrained as cell-phone conversations behind the wheel. If the bill is eventually adopted, Ohio would become the 20th state to restrict texting while driving. Texting obviously distracts drivers from what should be their main preoccupation — driving safely in unpredictable traffic. Lawmakers should get this bill signed into law as quickly as possible.

Congratulations and good luck to Bob Jacoby, who was hired this week (March 9) to become Hamilton High School's new varsity football coach. As staff writer Jay Morrison reported, Jacoby coached Columbus St. Francis DeSales for 18 years — where he was 169-68 with two state championships — before leaving in 2007 to go to Hamilton Twp. in the Columbus area where he also is dean of students. Jacoby will succeed Jim Place, who resigned earlier this year as Hamilton's football coach after four years at the helm. Welcome to Hamilton, coach.

If you regularly drive on Wayne-Madison Road in the Woodsdale area, you already know that the county's new bridge over the Great Miami River — opened to traffic last year — has been a significant improvement in safety for truck drivers and other motorists. This week, county officials made travel through the tiny Woodsdale community even safer — by activating a traffic light at the busy and perilous intersection of Wayne-Madison and Augspurger Road, the site of many serious accidents. We're pleased that county officials have finally resolved many of the traffic issues associated with this once-rural roadway — which has become a busy traffic artery in the middle of Butler County.

Thumbs up to the Hamilton Junior Women's League for its continued support of Parachute-Butler County CASA, the local organization that provides court-appointed volunteer advocates for children moving through the county's judicial system. The league presented Parachute executive director Chris Schultz with a $15,000 check earlier this week, the result of the group's annual Holiday Ball. As staff writer Richard O Jones reported, the league has been strong in its support of Parachute's mission since its start in 1987. Good show.