Cheers and jeers from around the news:

• Jeers to cell phone users who haven’t learned to use hands-free devices: Do it, or risk losing your right to drive. You may think you’re wonderful at multitasking.

You’re not.

Many of you slow to a near crawl, or speed to the point of missing your exit. Some of you tend to drift over the center line, or edge off toward the side of the road.

Nearly all of you fail to use turn signals, probably because you’re too busy on that phone with one hand and steering with the other. Sooner or later, someone is going to be killed.

Why is it until the past decade or so, we all managed to get along pretty well without holding phones to our ears? We certainly can get along without them while driving.

If you don’t have technology that allows talking hands-free, pull over to the side to yak. You see some people doing that regularly. Sadly, not enough do it.

And to our Legislature: Are you listening? Lawmakers have introduced a slew of bills this year to control distracted driving. What does this mean?

It’s time to do something.

• Jeers to Michael Steele, the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, for his awkward comments about Sen. Olympia Snowe and Sen. Susan Collins. Steele said he’d consider withdrawing national party support for them because of their votes on the stimulus bill.

We’d advise Steele to take off his rose-colored glasses. Both Snowe and Collins retained their offices on double-digit margins, and have risen to prominence in the Senate not because of national party alliance, but because of their willingness to question its judgment.

In short, they don’t need you. Losing the support of a national party whose identity and ideological positions have been battered and bruised is barely a threat.

In fact, it’s not even a bluff.

• Cheers to news that another hockey team is considering skating at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, when the team-once-known-as-the-Lewiston-Maineiacs departs for northern points.

The Hometown Hockey Initiative promises to bring a Maritime Junior A League team to fill the void here in the Twin Cities, once the Maineiacs’ move becomes official.

L-A is full of hockey fans who will support a team, maybe not enough for the Maineiacs’ needs, but certainly enough for another team willing to give our community a chance.

• And finally, cheers to Portland for receiving an NBA developmental league team. Just like the Portland Pirates, we hope this new team could play some dates here in Lewiston.

A shiny parquet floor would look great at the Colisee.