To the opening of Bomgaars. 

We, along with others in the community, were excited to see the opening of the Bomgaars store this week in the location of the former Walmart in Albert Lea.

The retail space has been empty since October 2003, when a Walmart Supercenter opened on Blake Avenue.

Thank you to Bomgaars for deciding to come to Albert Lea, and thank you to everyone who made this project a reality. The store stocks more than 60,000 items in 13 departments.

Bomgaars has locations in seven states.

 

To improper use of fireworks. 

We encourage people who are considering using fireworks this holiday weekend to do so responsibly.

According to the State Fire Marshal Division, Minnesota hospitals reported treating 697 fireworks-related injuries in emergency rooms in the past 10 years — or an average of 70 per year. At least one person has died since 2006 in a fireworks accident.

In addition to injuries, fireworks can cause other damage including fires and property damage.

We encourage you to think ahead and practice every precaution to prevent any injury.

 

To Lindsey Horejsi.

Congratulations to Albert Lea High School graduate Lindsey Horejsi who this week competed in her second Olympic Trials.

Though Horejsi will not advance to the 2016 Rio Olympics, she found great success.

In her first event, the women’s 100-meter breaststroke, she finished two shy of moving ahead to the semifinals. In the women’s 200-meter breaststroke, she finished 29th out of 124 listed swimmers with a time of 2:31.41.

We look forward to seeing where Horejsi’s career will take her in the future. Remember, we’re all behind you!

 

To forward-thinking leaders of the city, Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce and Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The city, chamber and CVB are stepping out to reach new people through the use of video in social media. This week, the organizations used video on Facebook to promote events coming up in the city this Fourth of July weekend.

We applaud this use of social media, and think they are headed in the right direction with this use. These videos will reach a new audience, particularly a younger crowd that spends time online.

 

To the expansion of Albert Lea Rocks.

It has been awesome to see the community art initiative called Albert Lea Rocks take off in the last few weeks. It was particularly exciting this week to see the senior living communities of Prairie Senior Cottages and Thorne Crest Senior Living Community get involved. Residents at both places painted rocks this week and were set to hide them in the community. We love how this initiative reaches people of all ages. Kudos also to Unlimited Possibilities Dance Studio who offered a rock-painting party this week with donations accepted for the local food shelves. This initiative is pulling people together.