Career Expo

THUMBS UP: Tenth grade students in New Ulm this week got a chance to see what kind of opportunities are there for them in New Ulm.

The New Ulm Area Career Expo, held at the New Ulm Civic Center, brought students and exhibitors from area businesses together, so students explore possible career options. Too often, young people grow up with the idea that there’s nothing for them here in their hometown, and if they want a career they have to move away. The Career Expo shows them the variety and range of options they have right here in their home town. It can be an eye opener for the students.

The exhibitors prepare creative, hands-on displays, making it an entertaining afternoon for the students, who can wander and explore as they please.

The event is put on by the New Ulm Chamber of?Commerce, Junior Achievement, Bridging Brown County and the New Ulm Economic Development Corporation. Congratulations to them, and to the business people who put so much effort and energy into the day.

Legacy Fund tussle

THUMBS DOWN: It should not come as a surprise that there is an argument brewing in the Minnesota Legislature over the state’s Legacy funds. These are the funds the state realizes from the Minnesota Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which authorizes a small sales tax to raise money for environmental and arts projects.

The St. Cloud Times reported this week that metro area organizations aren’t happy with the 40-40-10 split for parks and trail funds approved last year – 40 percent to the metro, 40 percent to state parks and trails, and 20 percent to oustate areas. They claim the metro area is growing faster, has more need and raises more taxes, so it deserves more than 40 percent.

Rural legislators should band together and tell the greedy metro lobby to back off.

Water resources

THUMBS DOWN: In the Land of 10,000 Lakes the idea of a water shortage is almost ludicrous. But as State Climatologist Mark Seely pointed out in New Ulm Friday, we are recovering from a drought, and the DNR has seen an unusual number of well interferences this past year.

It’s kind of a vicious cycle, we suppose. Drought brings about a desire for homeowners to water lawns, which puts extra strain on the water supply.

We should play is cautiously this year. The drought is expected to lift this summer, but until it does, we hope people will be cautious and conservative when it comes to water use.