Thumbs up to another big step in protecting the Rocky Mountain Front from development.

Trout Unlimited said this week it has obtained leases on 33,411 acres in the Badger-Two Medicine area from the Kohlman Co. That brings the total sold or donated leases on the Front to 63,000 during the past two years. Such leases are returned to the federal government.

Thumbs down to whatever is causing derailments north of Fort Harrison near Birdseye Road. Wednesday's derailment, which sent 18 freight cars off the tracks, came after an earlier derailment Jan. 31 on the same stretch of track. Investigators are trying to see if there is a connection.

Thumbs up to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy of Missoula upholding a finding by State Insurance Commissioner John Morrison. Morrison had barred "discretionary clauses" in group health and disability insurance policies in Montana, saying such clauses give companies overly wide discretion in denying claims.

Thumbs up to Devan McGilvray, an eighth-grader at the Helena Christian School who won the Lewis and Clark County Spelling Bee on Saturday. Now it's on to the state competition, to be held at Capital High School on March 29.