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To the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.

Albert Lea is a great place to be during the Fourth of July holiday. Whether you’re getting together with family or taking part in the festivities, there are a lot of fun memories to be had.

If you haven’t attended some of the holiday events in the past, we encourage you to consider trying them out this year. There’s everything from the parade and fireworks to a car show, a waterski show, a street dance and cruises on Albert Lea Lake. And of course, there are lots of food vendors.

Organizers work hard to make them possible, and it’s a chance to get out and see the beauty of the community and see more of your friends and neighbors.

Of course, don’t forget to pause and remember the true reason for the holiday and think about all of the freedoms we endure To the storm that swept through Albert Lea and caused damage.

To Albert Lea’s Crescendo Exquisite Food & Fine Wines.

News spread quickly on social media this week when Bob and Patty Tewes shared they will close their longtime restaurant after almost 23 years at the end of July.

Crescendo Exquisite Food & Fine Wines has been a place over the years that has provided delicious food, good service and an amazing atmosphere to customers from Albert Lea and beyond. It has been a destination for people from out of town, also giving out-of-towners a peek into our beautiful downtown and community while they were here.

We thank the Tewes family for opening this restaurant and being a source of pride in the community.

We wish you the best in your future endeavors.

To the fast-moving storm that brought damage to Albert Lea on Thursday.

The storm came and went Thursday evening in a matter of probably 15 or 20 minutes, but it definitely left its mark.

As the winds and heavy rains swept through town, the damage was most visible at the new downtown water tower off of Newton Avenue in Albert Lea.

Immediately visible was the containment curtain, which had been lowered as the crews worked to paint the tower, that had been lifted up and torn into pieces.

We are grateful none of the workers at the tower at that time were injured and that they were able to safely lower to the ground.

The city has stated they will assess the damage with the company contracted for the project, and there will be a delay in finishing the exterior painting because of the damage.

Though we are disappointed in the delay, we are glad it wasn’t worse.

To two traffic fatalities in the area in the last week.

Even one traffic death is too many, and in the last week alone the area has experienced two.

The first was on Minnesota Highway 13 near New Richland when a semi was reportedly trying to pass another semi and crashed into an oncoming pickup that was trying to move over to the shoulder to avoid a collision. That semi driver, Darryn Turner Bullock of Dallas, North Carolina, was charged after the crash with criminal vehicular operation in the death of Scott Bernard Bolduan of New Richland.

The second fatality was on Wednesday on Interstate 90 and occurred when a 2004 Sterling straight truck blew a tire near milepost 157, west of Interstate 35. The truck went off the north side of the road and hit an embankment before coming to rest in the north ditch partially in the creek.

Michelle Lea Bermel of Albertville was killed in the crash.

We extend our condolences to the families of both of these individuals.

We urge people to stay alert and aware of their surroundings at this time of year and to remember that there is often increased traffic on the roads.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety, 38% of the crashes in 2022 took place between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Protect not only your own life but the lives of others on the road.