To the Freeborn County Historical Museum’s Discover History Days.

Kudos to all involved this week in the 20th annual Discover History Days at the Freeborn County Historical Museum. The event is a partnership between the museum, community volunteers and 11th-grade Albert Lea High School humanities students, who learn about various aspects of Freeborn County from the 1850s to 1900s. The high-schoolers then, with the help of adult mentors from the area, teach area fifth-graders about the county’s pioneer history over a two-day span.

We think this is a great way to ultimately teach both the fifth-graders and the 11th-graders in a hands-on setting. We look forward to seeing this collaboration continue in the future.

To a crash this week in Czech Republic that killed a Crossroads Church parishioner.

Many in the area were saddened to hear news this week that Pam Wetzell, an active member at Crossroads Church in Albert Lea, was killed in a crash on Tuesday north of Prague in Czech Republic. Wetzell was one of three Americans killed in the crash.

Wetzell, her husband and the others in the SUV were traveling to a swine health management conference.

We were touched hearing the impact Wetzell had on many in the area, and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.

To a bill introduced this week to raise the state’s minimum age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21.

A Republican lawmaker on Thursday introduced a bill that would raise the state’s minimum age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21. It would make Minnesota the third state to raise its smoking age, after California and Hawaii, and would cover cigarettes, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes.

We think this could go a long way in helping to reduce the number of smokers — particularly new smokers.