To the renewed effort underway to develop the Blazing Star Landing.

Last week a new sign went up at the site of the former Farmland Foods meatpacking plant.

At the corner of East Main Street and Garfield Avenue, the sign asks for anyone interested in potential development opportunities to contact the city.

The site has sat empty for almost 15 years after the meatpacking plant burned down in 2001, and the owners elected not to be rebuild.

Now after all these years, it appears there is a renewed effort underway to develp that piece of property.

City officials are asking for resident feedback about the first phase of proposed development at the site, which would include moving Front Street north to make way for lakefront properties. It also includes preparation work north of the railroad. Eventually the site could be home to a community center, as well as other private development.

City staff are hosting two meetings to get feedback about the proposed development from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26.

The meetings come as Albert Lea officials plan to ask for $15 million in bonding money from the Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee during a visit Oct. 29 in Albert Lea.

We are encouraged to see the renewed interest in the project, and we hope residents will take advantage of the opportunity to give their feedback about the future of the site.

 

To the Albert Lea girls’ soccer team for defeating No. 1-seed Mankato West.

Congratulations to the Tigers girls’ soccer players, who on Thursday stunned top seed Mankato West in the Section 2A quarterfinals in Mankato. The Scarlets had only been shut out twice this season.

The Tigers went from tying Winona, a team with a No. 102 ranking through Minnesota-Scores.net’s Quality Results Formula, to beating Mankato West, a team with a No. 7 ranking under the same formula. After the win, the Tigers ranking improved to No. 65.

Albert Lea will play next at 4 p.m. Wednesday against No.4-seed Mankato East at Kennedy Field in Mankato. Let’s show the team the community’s support.

 

To Albert Lea’s Top 10 ranking in a list of the most tax-friendly places for retirees in Minnesota.

Albert Lea finished in 10th place in a study taken by SmartAsset, a New York-based financial
technology company this week.

The study included 86 communities in Minnesota. Others to make the list included Hibbing at No. 1 and our own neighbor, Austin, at No. 5.

This is another positive ranking for Albert Lea.

 

To the resurfacing of some of the Northbridge Mall parking lot. 

We applaud the owners of the mall for making this investment in their property. We hope it will only continue to attract both customers and businesses there.