Breaking News

Editorials

Thumbs up/down

Thumbs up Citizen Support for Hanska Library This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hanska Library. From the beginning, the Hanska Library has been grassroots effort, with many volunteers working without pay to make sure the community with a population of 400 had access to a library. Those volunteers and citizens once again showed up in support of the library. Last Tuesday, the Hanska City Council held a special meeting to discuss the library’s budget. In previous meetings the council indicated city funding for the library could end in 2025. Over 60 Hanska citizens ...

Thumbs UP/Down

Thumbs up $6 million in federal funding for three projects coming to New Ulm Several million dollars in federal funding it coming New Ulm’s way across three projects. Sen. Amy Klobuchar visited New Ulm’s municipal airport Wednesday following the announcement that $2.5 million for the new crosswind runway. This alone would be worth celebrating. Realignment of the crosswind runway has been on the city’s to-do-list for over a decade, but the funding was not available until now. What makes this even more exciting is that in addition to funding for the runway, Congress approved ...

Thumbs up/down

Thumbs up U.S. Sen. Tina Smith visits Westridge Place On Monday, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith paid a visit to New Ulm’s Westridge Place to see an example of a new pod model day care. Pod model day care is a new licensing method in Minnesota that allows up to four in-home day care providers to operate out of the same building. Instead of a single day care center operating out of the building, four independent day care businesses can run from the same location. Locally, this model of been successful at retaining and recruiting day care providers Smith was excited to see this model being ...

Thumbs up/down

Farm City Hub Club & Black Powder Show THUMBS UP: This weekend, New Ulm hosts two long running event shows — the 42nd annual Farm City Hub Club Show and the 43rd annual New Ulm Trade Fair Living History event. The Farm City Hub Club Farm Show started Friday and ends Saturday at the New Ulm Civic Center. On both days, the show showcases 67 vendors of agricultural products and services. The show features the latests farm equipment, technology and services. The show also features educational seminars and a town hall meeting with elected officials State Sen. Nick Frentz, State ...

School resource officers needed in schools, not choke holds

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison provided needed clarity last week about what measures school resource officers (SROs) are allowed to use to restrain unruly students. His briefing is the latest state effort to reassure officers and schools that they will not be prosecuted for using force when needed against violent students. An education bill passed earlier this year bans any restraint that puts students into prone positions, restricts their breathing or ability to communicate, or places pressure on the neck, head or upper torso. This change prompted over 40 Minnesota ...

Looking to future of educational success

The recent release of 2023 statewide school testing scores reveals some bright and dim spots for Southwest Minnesota public schools. Since the last testing cycle students have made gains in math scores, and reading scores have improved for English language learners. But testing scores in science and reading for other learners indicate that many students have lost ground. These losses are not entirely surprising. Efforts to boost testing scores were no doubt hampered by the move to digital classrooms during the COVID-19 virus epidemic, which led many students to struggle while ...