THUMBS UP: In a sure sign that summer is coming to a close, today will mark the end of the delightful noontime musical interludes on Monument Square. The acoustic-electric trio Road Less Traveled will perform from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the season finale of Music at the Monument. The Downtown Racine Corp. will also offer a salute to some of the businesses and individuals who helped make the summer music series possible this year.

THUMBS UP: Another summer fixture on Downtown streets, the festive Adirondack chairs will soon be headed to the auction block on Sept. 12. Judging results for the public art project titled "Sunny and Chair" were announced this week - with artist Sherri Shaver taking first place with her peacock chair, earning the top prize of $2,000. Tom Rauschke took second with his trees chair and Kristin Gjerdset was third with her Monarch butterfly-inspired creation. Thumbs up to all the talented artists for leaving the Downtown sitting pretty. But wait - the artwork just keeps on coming. In a slightly more industrial fashion, Jerry Treiber, one of the chair artists has put together the "Barrel Boys" - a collection of figure-shaped construction barrels to "celebrate" - or at least provide a lighthearted take on the Sixth Street reconstruction project.

THUMBS DOWN: Feeling overstimulated yet? Just as the "Cash for Clunkers" program ends, we read that the federal government is gearing up a $300 million rebate program to spur the sales of energy- efficient appliances. No doubt it will have some catchy name like "Funds for Freezers" or "Cash for Central Air." We're not talking billions of dollars here, though, so the incentives will only amount to $50 to $200. Don't need a new fridge? Who knows, maybe as federal officials dig their way through the stimulus bill they'll find something you do need. Leftovers - like Tips for Taxes.

THUMBS DOWN: The biggest clunker in the stimulus giveaway was not in the automotive arena, but in payments to a few thousand prisoners across the country. News reports this week said the federal government cut checks of $250 to 4,000 inmates across the country last spring - part of the stimulus package for 54.4 million Social Security beneficiaries, veterans and railroad retirees. According to the Social Security Administration, about 2,200 of the checks were legit because the lawbreakers legitimately received Social Security in a three-month period before they went to jail. The other 1,700? Not so much. The feds say much of the cash has been reclaimed. The Boston Herald, which broke the story, labeled it: "Hard Time, Cold Cash."

THUMBS UP: The Back to School frenzy is reaching a fevered pitch of last-minute preparation lining up school gear. At Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints they've been gearing up all month by putting together a collection of markers, scissors, spiral notebooks, folders and other school necessities for area homeless students attending Racine Unified Schools. As a result of the generosity of the hospital's 3,000 employees some 800-plus students in the Families for Transition will receive backpacks loaded with the items they need for a well-supplied start to the school year. Thumbs up to the Grade-A effort.