Thumbs Up/Down
Dealing with COVID
THUMBS DOWN: No one is happy about the new restrictions ordered in by Gov. Tim Walz this week, not even the governor.
But neither is anyone happy about the rise in COVID-19 cases that precipitated these restrictions. The chart of the cases per month prepared by Brown County Public Health looks like the hillclimb hill out at the River Valley Dutchmen Motorcycle Club as you get to November.
Let’s give it four weeks of real effort to wear masks, stay socially distant, wash hands and stay home when we can. We should be able to make this spike even out and maybe even drop.
In the meantime, there are ways we can support our local restaurants. We can buy takeouts, buy gift certificates — there were a lot of good ideas back in the spring when these first shutdown hit. Let’s revive them.
Chalk artist
THUMBS UP: Congratulations to local sidewalk chalk artist Kara Carlson. The chalk art she created this summer as an outlet for the COVID-19 shutdown were things of beauty. She has turned them into a new children’s book.
She will be signing copies of her book, “A Little Story About Sidwalk Chalk Art,” at New Ulm’s Own Fair Trade Store, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.
Talk about taking lemons and making lemonade!
Festivities dampened
THUMBS DOWN: It’s unfortunate that so many holiday events have been canceled this year, from the New Ulm Community Thanksgiving Dinner to the Parade of Lights. It is a sign of the times. But perhaps we can be like the residents of Whoville after the Grinch stole their Christmas, and let the joy of the holidays light us up on the inside. That’s where it matters most.