Old Man Winter

THUMBS DOWN: We don’t know who or what made Old Man Winter so cranky this year, but someone must have egged his house to make him act the way he has this week.

We had plenty of warning of Thursday’s storm, but still some people got caught by surprise as they tried to get one more trip home. As with the last storm, we should all be thankful for those who go out and help those people, pull them out of snow drifts and getting them to safe, warm havens.

We can only hope there aren’t too many more of these kinds of storms this season.

Time to make merry

THUMBS UP: Bock Fest and Fasching are coming up next weekend. They are a little later than usual, thanks to the later dates for Lent and Easter. But they are still a chance to make merry, especially during the last throes of winter.

The Bock Fest at the Schell’s Brewery could also have an impact on this winter. According to tradition, the Bock, or goat, is a sign of winter. The brewery hides seven wooden cutouts of goat heads around the grounds, and if they are all found, spring is supposed to come early. Well, we can always hope.

Graduation rates

THUMBS UP: It’s good to see that high school graduation rates in Minnesota are at a 10-year high, and that minority graduation rates had a jump as well.

New Ulm High School’s graduation rate for the 2012-13 school year was 92 percentwell above the state average of 79 percent.

Minnesota values education, and getting students through high school is an important part of that. There are still improvements to be made, but the state seems to be doing well.