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To Albert Lea’s Winterfest festivities.

Kudos to all of the people involved with planning this year’s Winterfest activities at Albert Lea High School.

The school kicked off Winterfest a week ago with a pep rally and throughout the week had organized fun dress-up days, a field day and, of course, a semi-formal dance.

It was also a time to recognize students participating in winter activities.

It’s a fun time not only for students, but for teachers and coaches as well. It’s nice to have something the students can be excited about in the middle of the year and to break up the routine a bit.

We hope everyone is safe at the dance and has a memorable evening.

To the grant funding that will go toward school bus stop arm cameras with Albert Lea Bus Co.

We were pleased to hear this week that Albert Lea Bus Co. and 18 other transportation companies and schools across the state were awarded a total of almost $1.4 million in grants to help keep children safe as they get on and off school buses.

For the Albert Lea company, specifically, the grant equals almost $141,000 and will go to support 47 camera systems. The cameras will be able to help law enforcement find violators of the stop arm law, which requires motorists to stop if the arm is extended while students are walking to board or exit the bus.

Grant applicants were asked to provide letters of support from law enforcement agencies, as well as an outreach plan, and demonstrate need by sharing violation numbers from the last two years.

We look forward to hearing more about the impact these cameras will have in Albert Lea — we know these will help save lives and hold violators accountable.

To the Albert Lea wrestling team.

Congratulations to the Albert Lea High School wrestling team, which on Thursday night secured the Big 9 Conference title. This was the 30th championship for the program.

We wish the team good luck in the coming weeks in sections with hopes of advancing many wrestlers to state.

We’re confident Albert Lea will have a good run again this year.

To a rise in threats against members of Congress in the last two years.

An assault this week against Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota in her Washington
apartment building brings attention to the sharp rise in threats that members of Congress have had to face in recent years.

According to the Associated Press, Capitol Police investigated nearly 10,000 threats to members last year, more than twice the number from four years earlier.

Craig was assaulted in the elevator in her Washington apartment building, but the assailant fled when she defended herself. She ended up with bruises from the incident.

Our nation’s elected officials should not have to live their lives in fear, and we condemn this attack and others.

Thank you to officials on every level who are put into the spotlight and who on a day-to-day basis face the unknown.