To the inclusion of two Albert Lea projects in the House bonding bill.

It was good news for Albert Lea to hear that two major projects were included in the Housing bonding proposal released this week.

The first project included $10.1 million for Riverland Community College that would be used to relocate truck driving and collision programs from Austin to Albert Lea and integrate the programs into shared spaces with auto service and diesel programs. The college also hopes to demolish the Gateway Building and construct 7,482 square feet in additional space.

The second project would give the remaining dollars needed to connect the city’s water and sewer lines to the Stables area north of Albert Lea.

Both of these projects will be a huge asset to the community once completed.

We urge legislators and Gov. Mark Dayton to also consider including the Blazing Star Trail extension in the bill. This project, which has been many years in the making, would include a bridge over Albert Lea Lake.

We look forward to seeing what is proposed in coming days in the Senate version of the bill.

To the new owners of Albert Lea’s Chevrolet dealership.

Congratulations to Chevrolet of Albert Lea, which assumed control of the former Vern Eide dealership in Albert Lea on April 7.

The new owners, which own four car dealerships in Wisconsin and Minnesota, said they are excited to be a part of the community.

We look forward to having them be a part of the business climate here.

To the pilot program MN Reconnect.

We were excited to hear about the pilot program MN Reconnect, a partnership between the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and Minnesota State, that is intended to reach out to adults who started, but did not complete, a college education.

Though it is not yet official, the program would provide financial assistance to students 25 or older who had previously started college to attend one of four institutions, including Riverland Community College. Specifically, that would mean 500 scholarships of up to $3,000 each between the four colleges over the four-year program. A student can receive up to $3,000 a year for two years.

Eligible students would be between 25 and 61 years old, have a family adjusted gross income of $85,000 or less and  have completed 15 college credits.

This is a great way to not only assist residents across the state achieve a higher education but also to address some of the workforce needs. We look forward to seeing it implemented.

To the annual lakes cleanup.

Thanks to all of the volunteers who planned to give their time Saturday to clean up around our community’s lakes.

Though it is unfortunate to see all the trash collected every year, we appreciate the dedication of the residents who love the lakes and show their commitment by cleaning them.

We hope more residents will join in the effort throughout the year and encourage everyone to be good stewards of our beautiful resources.