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Walking school buses

THUMBS UP: District 88’s experiment in students walking to school got a good start this past week. Walking and Biking to School Day was held Tuesday, with students being dropped off at a location a nice walking distance from school and then walking together, or biking, with supervision in what were called Walking School Buses.

The real benefits of walking to school, of course, come when it’s not just a one-day event but a regular practice. We hope students enjoyed the walk and will keep on doing it on their own.

State bonding fiasco

THUMBS DOWN: Minnesota’s state senators failed to pass the DFL’s $1.5 billion bonding bill by one vote on Thursday. The recriminations and blame game started immediately. Republicans had just enough votes to block the passage of the bill, which requires a three-fifths majority.

Republicans are blaming the DFL for proposing a bill that’s too big, and at $1.5 billion, it is mighty bloated. The DFL is countering that the Republicans who control the House have’t even presented a project list to go with their proposed $600 million proposal. At this point in the legislative session the two sides should be working on a compromise; instead the process seems dead in the water.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk warns there may not be a bonding bill this year. If not, then shame on both parties.

Another invader

THUMBS DOWN: As if the buckthorn epidemic weren’t bad enough, New Ulm is facing another invasive species, garlic mustard. That’s not a condiment, but a fast growing weed that has been making its presence felt in Flandrau State Park and is starting to show up at other spots around town.

An article this week in The Journal provided information on identifying and dealing with the weed. It can be cut with a weed whacker, but since it is in its flowering stage it needs to be bagged and disposed of properly. It can’t be composted.

This would make a good service project for some club or organization, to adopt a portion of a park and keep it free from garlic mustard.

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