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To the completion of Riverland Community College’s new Transportation, Trade and Industrial Center.

Congratulations to Riverland Community College on the completion of the college’s new Transportation, Trade and Industrial Education Center.

The $10.12 million project, which was made possible through state bonding dollars, has been many years in the making and provides students with modern classrooms and learning spaces, improved site safety and a new range for the truck driving program, bringing the college’s transportation career fields under one roof.

The college hosted a small ceremony to celebrate the new space on Friday.

We hope the new space will open the door for many students in the area and will help place Albert Lea on the map for the new technology it provides.

Kudos to everyone at the college who made it possible, the state legislators who supported it through bonding dollars and the other Minnesota State officials who lobbied for the project.

The college is surely a bright spot for Albert Lea.

 

 

To District 27 Sen. Dan Sparks testing positive for COVID-19.

We were saddened to hear one of our local leaders tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.

District 27 Sen. Dan Sparks announced in a statement he began feeling unwell the week of Oct. 5 and voluntarily began to quarantine before subsequently testing positive Oct. 8.

We wish the best to Sparks in his recovery.

 

 

To the Albert Lea school district.

Kudos to the Albert Lea school district for allowing NRHEG School to play its football game at the new Jim Gustafson field Friday night against Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial.

The game was unable to be held at NRHEG’s field due to snow.

The gesture was a friendly one and makes sense considering the great facility Albert Lea has to offer.

 

 

To the start of Big Ten football again.

Big Ten Conference football followers are glad to see the return of football again after a late start to the season because of COVID-19.

The conference initially had pushed football and other fall sports to spring but in September changed its course.

Each team will have an eight-game schedule.

Tune into ABC at 6:30 p.m. today to watch the Gophers take on Michigan.

 

 

To the early visit of Old Man Winter.

Minnesota has experienced a blast of cold, wintry weather this week with light snow throughout the week and a little more measurable snow expected on Sunday.

The area is also facing record low temperatures at the beginning of this next week.

Albert Lea has been lucky to not receive as much snow as some other cities to the north, including the Twin Cities, which has received 8.9 inches so far, and St. Cloud, which has received 7.2 inches — breaking records for the snowiest October on record.

It’s going to be a long winter at this rate.