Waloch appointed

THUMBS UP: Denny Waloch, manager of the Walgreen’s store in New Ulm, was appointed Thursday to the District 88 Board of Education to fill the vacancy left by Sharon Gieseke’s resignation.

Waloch deserves thanks for being willing to jump in. School district business can be complex, and when finances are tight, daunting. People in the district expect an excellent education for our children, but sometimes we forget that excellence doesn’t always come cheap.

Waloch has sought local office a few times in the past, indicating a sincere interest in public service. He will get his chance now with the District 88 School Board.

State revenues

THUMBS UP: The Minnesota state revenue report this week was a positive one, with the state’s tax collections for the final quarter of the fiscal year beating the February projections by $168 million.

Most of that is due to the state collecting $181 million more in individual income taxes in April, May and June than projected in February. That would indicate more people were working during that period than expected, which is a positive note for the state’s economy.

Get ready to Blast

THUMBS UP: Bavarian Blast is coming next weekend. New?Ulm’s annual summer festival has been gaining strength in the past few years by providing a lot of entertainment during its big weekend.

We hope people will take the time this coming weekend to stop by and enjoy the sights and sounds. In addition to music and food there will be events like a sauerkraut eating contest and weiner dog races. Who doesn’t love to see dachshunds dashing?

Local volunteers have been working hard to put this together. They deserve your support, and the best support would be to buy a ticket and go have some fun.