To Albert Lean May Yahya.

Thanks to May Yahya who is on the cover of Albert Lea magazine’s November/December issue. Yahya, who lives in the community with her husband and son, was a natural model who is beautiful in just about everything she wears. Thanks for being willing to work with us! What resulted was a great cover!

To sunny weather.

It’s easy to deny that winter is approaching with sunny skies and warmer-than-average temperatures. We’ll accept this kind of weather any day! Though we’re not sure how long it will stick around, we’ll make sure to enjoy it while it lasts. We encourage you to do the same!

To first responders and Union Pacific Railroad workers.

Thanks to all of the first responders and Union Pacific Railroad workers who responded to help evacuate Ellendale residents and clean up from the train derailment on Friday. From an outsider’s viewpoint, the evacuation seemed to run smoothly, and it was impressive that so many different agencies were on hand to help. The last we heard, there were 20 different agencies offering assistance.

We are glad no one was injured in the effort and that most people were able to return home after a few hours.

To local voter turnout.

Though Freeborn County had a higher voter turnout in 2012, it was still quite impressive to see a 90.3 percent voter turnout from this week’s general election. That is higher than the state turnout of 74 percent. That is something to be proud of, and we hope it will continue in years to come. Whether you are pleased with the outcome, it is noteworthy that so many people took the time out to voice their opinions this year. We are proud to live in Minnesota, where this is always a priority.

To Albert Lea Area Schools Deputy Superintendent Lori Volz.

We were pleased to hear that Volz on Friday announced she planned to stay with the Albert Lea school district, though she had a job offer in a separate position in Blue Earth. We would also like to thank those who spoke out in favor of Volz, or who got involved with the process. We hope to see this kind of engagement in the future.