Splash pad coming

THUMBS UP: The City of New Ulm is getting a splash pad through the generosity of Barb Haroldson, who is donating the water feature for a city park.

The New Ulm City Council decided to place the splash pad in North Park, at 16th North and Broadway. This park already gets a lot of youth activity through its baseball fields, and it is easily accessible. We think it will be a good fit.

A splash pad is like a water park without a pool. The water shoots up from jets in the ground, and drains back down again. It’s like running through the sprinkler, only with a lot more water.

We think this will be a good addition to the city’s recreational offerings, and we are grateful to Haroldson for her generosity.

Special session

THUMBS UP: Minnesota’s latest special session is underway, and lawmakers have already sent a pair of bills to Gov. Tim Walz.

It’s not without a bit of controversy, of course. House Republicans, miffed at being left out of the budget negotiations, are refusing to provide the votes needed to suspend the rules and get everything done in one day. It just means the session will last through Sunday.

That’s still a lot easier than many of the state’s past special sessions have run. So, good for the legislators.