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To ongoing overdoses in the community.

We know overdoses are happening everywhere, but this week it stuck out to us as we saw there were two or three overdoses in Albert Lea or Freeborn County on the law enforcement logs sent out to the media this week.

While we are not sure of the outcomes of these situations, this illustrates the continued prevalence of this issue in the area and the ongoing need for discussion and action to take place among stakeholders and community members.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health last October, for every one drug overdose death, there were nearly 13 nonfatal drug overdoses in 2022 in the state. There were 16,934 overdoses altogether in 2022.

The 2023 numbers have not yet been released.

The department stated fentanyl is now involved in 92% of all opioid-involved deaths and 62% of all overdose deaths in Minnesota.

Thank you to all those from various backgrounds who are making efforts to shine light on this issue.

We know you are making a difference, but we also recognize it’s going to take even more people to get involved in spreading awareness and working toward solutions to help bring these numbers down.

To the announced closure of Tiger Cub Child Care Center.

The executive director of Albert Lea Community Education on Tuesday announced the Tiger Cub Child Care Center will close at the end of the school year because of continued revenue-expense shortfalls.

The child care center has been open for less than three years after opening in the spring of 2020.

Community Education Executive Director John Double said Tiger Cub has recently had a daily fill rate of $79.5% and is projected to have an $98,000 shortfall next year.

If Tiger Cub was full, it would have up to 44 children at a time, including 16 infants and 28 toddlers or preschoolers.

Child care is such a large need in the community at this time, we hope that someone will be able to take this on or begin to develop a solution for the affected parents and others already looking for child care. If parents don’t have child care, they are unable to work, leading to further issues.

To the turnout at the Worth County caucuses this week.

Though it wasn’t the highest attendance they’ve ever had at a caucus, organizers of the caucuses in Worth County said they likely had their second-highest totals on Monday as people flooded into Central Springs High School to select their pick for the Republican candidate for president.

Hats off to those who participated for getting involved in the political process and for getting informed about the candidates.