CHEERS: to local businesses who are not letting the sluggish economy get in the way of giving back to the community this holiday season through fundraisers and collection drives. Area stores and restaurants are gathering food and clothing, as well as donating products and services, to help the needy. We invite you to pitch in and help. For a list of those trying to spread cheer in tough times, visit the Business section of www.medina-gazette.com.

CHEERS: to the new Safe Haven after-school child care program at the Brunswick Recreation and Fitness Center, set to begin in January. First- through sixth-graders will get a snack, homework help from teachers and 45 minutes of physical activity. The goal is to provide a safe, fun environment that will keep young minds and bodies active. Cost is $60 per week and registration begins Monday. For information, call coordinator Paula Mackovjak at 330-558-6824.

CHIDINGS: to states that burned up billions of dollars from the historic 1998 settlement with tobacco companies on a lot more than public health care and tobacco-use prevention programs. In New York, the money funded a golf course. In Nebraska, a dog catcher. Of the $61.5 billion divided among 46 states, only 30 percent was spent on health care. Less than 4 percent went to anti-smoking efforts, where once-falling teen smoking rates have stagnated.

CHEERS: to Americans for returning to frugality, even if it’s due to hard economic times, not by choice. Shoppers are buying secondhand clothes and furniture, as well as repairing broken things instead of buying new. They’re also paying cash to avoid credit card fees and the temptation to overspend when using plastic. We hope these lessons in financial discipline will remain even after the current economic crunch comes to an end.

CHEERS: to the long-awaited opening of the Black River Education Center gym following damage from a 2007 tornado. The twister’s 90 mph winds hit multiple buildings on the Black River campus, prompting some classes to be moved temporarily to the local community center. The gym, whose roof had partially collapsed, was the last to be fixed. The district plans to inaugurate the repaired gym Monday with a girls middle school basketball game.

CHIDINGS: to the federal government for paying for millions of dollars — that is to say, taxpayers have footed the bill — for medications that have not been reviewed for safety and effectiveness, yet are covered under Medicaid. The worst part may be the human cost of harmful drugs that have been in use for decades. One drug used to treat gout finally was banned by the Food and Drug Administration after reports of 23 deaths related to its use.