Cheers to the Federal Way High School football team for returning to the state tournament for the first time since 2014. The Eagles have won five games in a row and six of their last seven games. They will play the Skyline High School Spartans on Nov. 12 in the tournament’s opening round. Go Eagles!

Cheers to the 2022 Multi-Service Center luncheon, which recently raised $101,030 to support people in the community who need housing, education and other resources in order to live a better life.

Jeers to the proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger, which has sparked concerns about store closures, layoffs, higher food prices and “food deserts.” These two companies already control most of the state’s grocery stores including Fred Meyer, QFC and Safeway. If the merger goes through, a single company will control nearly 20 percent of the nation’s grocery store market. The King County Superior Court filed to block a shareholder payout of $4 billion by Albertsons, which some elected leaders say will put dozens of stores at risk of closure. Less competition isn’t always a good thing, so let’s hope this merger doesn’t lead to fewer families being able to afford to put food on the table.

Cheers to the surprising success of the Seattle Seahawks so far this season. The team was initially criticized for the Russell Wilson trade, but the decision looks better each week that current quarterback Geno Smith gets the job done.

Cheers to anyone who voted in the general election, regardless of how you voted. As the saying goes, democracy is not a spectator sport.

Jeers to election deniers for continuing to undermine faith in U.S. elections.

Cheers to no more political commercials on TV, especially from Senate candidates Tiffany Smiley and Patty Murray.

Cheers to the recent groundbreaking of Dick’s Drive-In in Federal Way. The iconic regional burger chain plans to open its Federal Way restaurant by June 2023. I’ll have two Dick’s Deluxes and a vanilla shake, please …

Cheers to the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce for the behind-the-scenes role it plays in your community’s success. Like many of her peers around the region, Chamber CEO Rebecca Martin leads an organization that advocates on behalf of small businesses — the lifeblood of any local economy. With a finger firmly on the local pulse, the Chamber also plays a crucial role in shaping civic dialogue, such as organizing forums with candidates for public office, for example, or hosting the school district superintendent’s State of Education presentation.

— By Andy Hobbs, editor