Applause for the week of Aug. 10, 2015

Kudos to: Contestants in south Sacramento spelling bee

Accomplishment: About 50 students participated in the two-day event

Details: Trophies were awarded to first-, second- and third-place finishers in first through eighth grade. The 13th annual spelling bee was sponsored by Friends of Martin Luther King Jr. Library, which also sponsors an essay contest in February and a public speaking contest in April.

Kudos to: Pia Wong, Sacramento State education professor

Accomplishment: Elected as co-chair to committee on statewide credentialing body

Details: Wong was elected to co-chair the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s Committee on Accreditation. Among the committee’s duties is to make decisions on the accreditation of educator preparation programs.

Kudos to: Sacramento Fire Department and Front Street Animal Shelter

Accomplishment: Got dog out of locked car as temperature rose

Details: A resident reported the dog in the car at 27th and L streets in early July. The Sacramento Fire Department’s thermal imaging gun registered 91 degrees. An animal control officer’s imaging gun registered 95 degrees soon after. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said it sent two framed awards and vegan cookies to the firefighters and the animal control officer for their quick work.

Bill Lindelof

This story was originally published August 9, 2015 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Applause for the week of Aug. 10, 2015."