To the Albert Lea girls’ soccer team.

Big big big thumbs up here! Not only has this squad won the section finals and made it to state, the players have provided fans with drama along the way. In the finals, the Tigers were tied with upstart Mankato Loyola 0-0 at the end of regulation and overtime and won 1-0 thanks to kicking a 4-1 score in a best-of-five shootout. And by all accounts, Albert Lea goaltender Kathryn Flaherty had an outstanding game, halting some shots that might have gone past lesser goalies. What’s more, the Loyola players seemed to have the sympathy of the referees. The officials failed to communicate the reason for a nullified goal, and they couldn’t figure out that the Loyola players were flopping left and right. Plus, the refs set up the shootout in front of Loyola’s student section. The game was on a neutral field in New Prague, yes, but the Tigers by rule were the home team. Fortunately, the Tigers proved they were the better team despite the poor officiating. We are proud of the players, and we thank coach Rick Barnhill for his sound leadership.

 

To the World Health Organization and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The World Health Organization knows it messed up when Ebola appeared in West Africa in greater and greater numbers. The sometimes-fatal disease now is spiraling out of control. The WHO acknowledged Friday that it botched attempts to contain the spread of the disease and part of the problem was its own bureaucracy, as well as not being able to adjust to a place with porous borders and broken medical systems. We also were aghast to learn that a nurse who treated the first Ebola patient in the United States traveled on an airliner from Dallas to Cleveland and back. The CDC’s name even states “disease control” and yet the agency was not monitoring the movement of the people who came in close contact with the initial patient, who has since died. The nurse has since been diagnosed with Ebola. The CDC has since locked down the travel of the other medical staff in Dallas. Let’s hope the Centers for Disease Control can control this disease.

 

To letters to the editor.

One of the best ways to tell a community has a vibrant public dialogue to see there are plenty of letters to the editor, particularly around election time. It’s good to know that as Albert Lea and the region works its way through several big issues and close political races, members of the community feel at liberty to share their thoughts with others. It’s good to remember that each and every one of those letter writers want the same thing: a better Albert Lea. They might disagree on how to get there. They might even come to see another side months or years down the road. But right now, their views are important and need to be shared because airing of the issues is the best way to reach a community consensus. Imagine if Albert Lea city, county, watershed, school and other officials were allowed to operate without public scrutiny? America wouldn’t be the great place it is. Thanks, letter writers, for exercising freedom of speech.