Earth Day efforts

THUMBS UP: Fifty years after its origin, Earth Day hit up against the coronavirus this year. We have no doubt that many plans across the country to mark that day on Wednesday had to be scrapped. But at least locally, the spirit of the occasion was kept alive.

Chad and Lori Wengert, who have been organizing cleanups in New Ulm and the Minnesota River for the past ten years, took it upon themselves to take on the task over several days. They picked up two trailerloads of trash, and River View Sanitation was kind enough to take what they gathered to the landfill.

Then on Wedensday and Thursday, three companies held a recycling drive to help raise food for the New Ulm Food Shelf. Held in Courtland, Ground Zero Paving, River View Sanitation and GreenTech Recycling collected 120 tons of demolition waste, four dumpsters full of electronics, and more than 150 appliances.

Great job, everyone.

Spring sports

THUMBS DOWN: High school athletes and their supporters got a jolt this week when the Minnesota State High School League canceled the spring sports season. With the state ordering schools to stay closed to all but distance learning, there was no way to get a sports season going.

It just seems unnatural not to have baseball and softball games, golf and track and clay target shooting, especially now that the weather is becoming more ideal.

We commiserate with all the seniors who were hoping for one last season of competition.

Encouraging signs

THUMBS UP: The Eagle United Booster Club is also commiserating with the New Ulm High School seniors who are missing out on sports, prom, graduation and all the other rites of spring that come in their final semester.

The booster, therefore, purchased a small token of appreciation — Class of 2020 lawn signs that high school seniors can place on their lawns, as a sign that people do care. If you drive by a sign, think of the senior living at the house and all they have accomplished.