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To everyone who plays a part in making sure the Freeborn County Fair is a success.

Whether you serve on the fair board, work in the fair office, serve as a building superintendent, organize exhibits, keep the fairgrounds clean or anything in between, this week we are thankful for you and for all you do to make sure the fair runs smoothly and is a memorable experience for all.

The fair is without a doubt Albert Lea’s — and Freeborn County’s — largest event of the year, and it’s quite amazing to see it run so smoothly.

If you haven’t stopped out at the fair yet this year, we encourage you to do so.

We also can’t forget to acknowledge the 4-H staff and volunteers, who head up a large program with more than 400 youth. The fair would not be the same without this program, and it teaches the youth who participate valuable characteristics.

Your actions do not go unnoticed. Thank you for all you do.

To the paving of the first stretch of roadway on East Main Street this week.

We were pleased to see crews out this week paving the first stretch of roadway as part of this summer’s East Main Street reconstruction and resurfacing project. 

According to updates provided by the city, the contractor has finished two of the three layers of paving for the street between Newton Avenue and the Shell Rock River bridge, and work also continues on sidewalks and driveways in this area. 

We look forward to seeing this stretch reopened for motorists and know that once this stretch is complete, work will intensify further east. 

Though  we still have a long couple months to go until the project is finished, we are enjoying seeing the success along the way.

To all those recognized during the ceremony Wednesday at the Freeborn County Fair.

Congratulations to Ann Goodmanson and Jim Munyer, who this week were named Freeborn County’s Outstanding Senior Citizens of the Year at the Freeborn County Fair. 

Recognized as a Century Farm was the Calvin S. Lyle Family Farm, and inducted into the Freeborn County Agricultural Hall of Fame were Paul Anderson and the Kepple family of Kepple machinery. 

We thank all of those recognized for their contributions to our community and particularly those who have contributed to our area’s agricultural base in the past.