State testers get an F

THUMBS DOWN: How long has Minnesota been giving students their Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) tests? It’s an annual rite conducted by the Minnesota Department of Education, making kids sit through exams to see how they are doing in a variety of subjects.

You’d think by now the state would have the system down pretty good. But the MCAs were suspended this week across the state when schools started having technical problems with the testing site, which is run by a testing company called Pearson.

The testing program has been working well for most of the testing period that began March 9, but the problems that have popped up this week, as the number of tests increases, is forcing the state to extend its testing period.

We can understand how any computerized system can develop bugs, but this is not exactly brand new stuff the state is working with. State testing has been going on for quite some time, and the bugs should have been figured out years ago.

Give Pearson low marks for this fiasco.

Distracted Driving

THUMBS DOWN: State law enforcement agencies conducted a saturation enforcement on distracted driving last week. The results from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) showed it was needed.

Officers ticketed 909 drivers for texting while driving from April 13-18, a six day period, up from 550 ticketed over a 10 day period last year.

While texting behind the wheel is a separate violation, other kinds of distracted driving led to tickets for unsafe driving, including a 66-year-old male who weaved into oncoming traffic whil reading a paper, a 22-year-old woman who was speeding while putting on makeup, and a woman who rolled through a stop sign while arguing with her boyfriend.

In Minnesota, it is illegal for drivers to read, compose or send texts and emails, as well as access the web while the vehicle is in motion or a part of traffic. This includes sitting at a stoplight or stopped in traffic. It also is illegal for drivers with a permit or provisional driver’s license to use a cell phone while driving, except for emergencies to call 911.

Distracted driving is just as dangerous as drunken driving. So put down the cell phones, makeup, newspapers and sandwiches while you drive.

Hwy. 14 Open House

THUMBS UP: The Minnesota Department of Transportation will be holding an open house next Wednesday, April 29, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the State Street Theater (District 88 Administration Building) to hear what people think about needed improvements for the infamous “Y” intersection, where Highways 14, 15 and County Road 21 all meet, just across the Minnesota River. The The 7th North Street bridges over Front Street and the Minnesota River are funded for replacement, and the state has $700,000 in Corridors of Commerce funds to design a new intersection. The state wants to know what people think, and we hope plenty of people show up to let them know.