Concerts in park

THUMBS UP: Another season of summer concerts in German Park has come to an end. A variety of bands, local and area, have entertained crowds on Mondays, and the New Ulm Municipal Band played several Wednesdays throughout the summer.

This year the experience was made special by the newly constructed amphitheater seating, which replaced the sloping grass terraces that made sitting in lawnchairs kind of risky. The City of New Ulm and the Friends of German Park, with financing from private donors made the new stone terraces possible. It is an improvement that will provide enjoyment to audiences for decades.

School is in session

THUMBS UP: It is good to see classes up an running in school buildings around town. We are hopeful that students and staff will remain healthy and happy in the school buildings and that distance learning won’t have to be an option.

New Ulm schools were fortunate to spend most of last year with in person education. We think it helps students learn more easily, and develop a lot of social skills they wouldn’t learn with online sessions.

Sign ordinance

THUMBS DOWN: Recently the New Ulm Planning Commission wrestled with another signage decision for the Martin Luther College fieldhouse. The city has some rather strict size limits on signage. The large Knights logo propsed on the end of the Betty Kohn Fieldhouse is a striking-lookign design, but would exceed the limits.

The city should be willing to bend on the size limits for the sake of artistic quality.