To the new Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Welcome to Rhonda Jordal, the new executive director of the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce, starting on Monday.

Jordal, who is from Forest City, Iowa, has numerous years of experience as the founder of a nonprofit and a former business owner. She also has served time in promotional jobs and in human relations.

We are happy for the business organization and look forward to seeing Jordal out and about in the community.

To the Spirit Ride campaign.

Thanks to organizers of the Spirit Ride campaign, who stopped in Albert Lea on Wednesday to raise awareness of the importance of moving over for first responders and tow people while on the road.

The campaign is stopping in all the continental 48 states by November.

We encourage drivers to heed their message and follow the move-over law to avoid any injury with law enforcement, emergency personnel and personnel with tow companies.

Don’t risk the lives of the people who come out to support the community each day during emergencies.

To efforts by the city to help with market rate housing in Albert Lea.

Thanks to city leaders who applied and won a $150,000 forgivable loan from Minnesota Housing to help develop the former Ramsey School building.

The loan will be given to developers with Schoolhouse LLC to help fill a funding gap for the project.

The project calls for turning the building into 12 market rate units on the building’s first and second floors in the first phase, with the possibility of adding additional units in the future.

We appreciate the city thinking outside of the box to work with developers and look forward to seeing this building in operation again.

To people raising money for Alzheimer’s research this weekend.

Hats off to the people who are taking part in Allzin for Alzheimer’s, an event this weekend to raise money to research combatting Alzheimer’s disease.

The event, at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds, includes several activities for horse riders, along with a 5k fun run and walk and other activities. 

Alzheimer’s is such a debilitating disease, and we hope in the future researchers will learn how to reverse it.

To bikes being stolen that had been donated to the Family Bike Rodeo.

Every June in recent years, a group of volunteers has organized an event to give away bikes to children who do not have one and to encourage bike safety. 

This year, about 15 of the gently used bikes that had been donated to the cause were reported stolen from one of the collection sites. Luckily, that site was able to collect an additional 10 bikes for the event as well as donate two new bikes to the cause. While we are disappointed to hear that the bikes were stolen, we are grateful for the community members who stepped up to donate their bikes so others could enjoy them.

The Bike Rodeo will be from 9 to 11 a.m. June 23.