Graduation season

THUMBS UP: Martin Luther College is holding its 2017 spring commencement ceremony today, kicking off the graduation season for schools in the area. High schools in the next couple of weeks will also hold their graduation ceremonies, sending their out into the world that awaits them.

We salute the seniors who are graduating and applaud them for the years of hard work and study that went into their education. We know the feeling of relief and accomplishment new graduates experience when they receive that diploma.

But they should know that today, more than ever, education is something that never ends. We are all always learning, and those who are most willing to learn more will be the most successful in life. That may mean going on to post-secondary schools or graduate programs, or picking up skills on your own, or simply being open to the waves of new information that keep coming every day.

Congratulations again to all our area graduates.

Housing needs

THUMBS UP: The topic of discussion at this week’s Hot Topic lunch, sponsored by the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce, is not a new one. The need for housing in New Ulm has been a problem for decades. It’s the reason the city built the Gardenview Terrace apartments on Garden Street, to free up some housing stock, and the reason for the affordable housing program the city undertook a few years back.

These projects have helped, but there are factors of the economy and the geographical layout of New Ulm that continue to hold up the housing solution in New Ulm.

As the throng attending the discussion heard Thursday there is no quick, simple solution to the problem. But continuing to talk, to study and to plan for a solution will help bring it about.