Holiday safety

Pointer: Labor Day weekend is upon us, the last weekend of summer before fall and school and Christmas shopping ads. People will be heading to The Lake for one last long weekend, or heading to the Minnesota State Fair, or holding parties and picnics at home.

It’s also a time when law enforcement and the Minnesota State Patrol brace themselves for dangerous driving on the roads. Extra traffic, and the possibility that some drivers may have been partying, make this a dangerous weekend for travelers.

Please drive safely this weekend. Celebrate responsibly. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you are going so you don’t have to speed. Let’s make it a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Back to school

Ponter: Schools are back in session this week. This means morning commutes will be filled with school buses, parents dropping off kids and teens driving to school. More kids will be walking to school and crossing streets. The afternoons will see another surge of extra traffic and young pedestrians.

Again, we urge motorists to exercise some extra caution, especially when around schools. Give school buses extra room, and obey their flashing lights and stop arms. They mean kids are getting off the bus, and may be heading out into traffic. Students who drive to school, please practice caution as well.