UP — To the American Legion Legacy Run.

It was great having all the motorcycle riders in Albert Lea on Aug. 24. They were a good group of guys and gals, and they were happy to meet local folks. It was an honor for the Albert Lea American Legion Club to host the national commander, too. It is good to see the local club being so active. Give its members a salute — or at least a thumbs up — when you see them.

DOWN — To Friday’s weather.

Did someone shut off the switch to summer? Thursday was an absolutely gorgeous, golden day with a high of 72, but Friday was blustery and cold with a high of 62. Here’s a little known fact to share over the picnic table this weekend: Sept. 1 was the start of fall, according to one field of science but not another. Astronomers place the seasons at the solstices and equinoxes, so to them fall starts at 10:09 p.m. Sept. 22, but meteorologists simply place the seasons by the months, so fall spans all of September, October and November. Winter is December, January and February, and so on. Thus, to most of us, we place Labor Day in summer, but to the TV weather forecasters, it already is fall.

UP — To the Freeborn County Relay for Life.

This organization gets our first-ever double thumbs up for exceeding their lofty goal of $134,000 in just one year. Thank you to everyone who helped at the main event, raised money or donated to this cause. With the relay’s help let’s hope to knock out cancer and help more people survive cancer.