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THUMBS UP New equipment at Washington Park celebrated On Thursday Mayor Kathleen Backer and elementary students at St. Anthony’s celebrated the new playground equipment at Washington Park during a ribbon cutting ceremony. The school’s 1st and third-grade students had a hand in selecting the new equipment. The Park and Recreation Department showed the students three design concepts and had them vote on their favorite. This means the equipment would be popular with the kids most likely to use it. The St. Anthony students were pleased with the new equipment, but it was popular with ...

Use caution when approaching farm equipment on the road

Harvest season has arrived in southern Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Transportation is reminding motorists to look out for farm equipment on our rural roads and highways. MnDOT, in a Monday news release, reported there were 455 crashes involving farm equipment from 2022 to 2024, resulting in eight deaths and 180 injuries. “Fall harvest season brings more farm equipment to Minnesota highways as farmers move their crops from field to market. We’re all safer when we work together and watch out for one another. Motorists should always scan the road ahead and slow down as ...

A call for the return of civility and respect for fellow Americans

The state of politics in the U.S. took another ugly turn last week with the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a popular conservative activist. He was killed at one of his debate events held at an Utah college. He was allegedly killed by a young man who apparently immersed himself in the “dark corners of the internet,” according to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for the political finger pointing to heat up. Unfortunately, it’s this kind of political rhetoric that spurs threats and more potential violent acts. That is why we once again praise U.S. ...

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THUMBS DOWN Political violence on the rise On Wednesday, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was murdered while giving a speech at Utah Valley University in Orem. This is just the latest in politically motivated violence. In June, Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were murdered in their home. Last year, there were multiple assassination attempts against Donald Trump. This is a level of politically motivated violence the United States has not seen in many years. At the same time, school shootings continue to occur frequently, with another shooting occurring at a ...

Walz gives access to COVID-19 vaccine a boost

Earlier this week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order directing the Minnesota Department of Health to expand its efforts to safeguard vaccine access in the state in response to federal actions restricting vaccine availability. The order also directs the state epidemiologist to issue a standing order for the COVID-19 vaccine. The order was issued to allow for greater flexibility for health care providers and pharmacists to provide the vaccine. “Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements in modern medicine,” Walz said in his press release. “While ...

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THUMBS UP HermannFest back with the Hermann 5K Saturday, New Ulm is celebrating Hermannfest, the festival that commemorates Arminus’ (Hermann’s) victory against three Roman legions at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest over 2,000 years ago. The entire celebration is held in Hermann and Harmon Park in the shadow of the Hermann Monument. New Ulm is often called the City of Festivals, with its wide range of celebrations, but Hermannfest has the distinction of being the most unique. It’s not connected to any other seasonal event celebrated in other communities. Outside of Germany, ...