To Dr. Stephen Thorn.

There’s not a doctor in the area’s recent history who has made quite the impact of Dr. Stephen Thorn, who will retire as an OB-GYN after almost 40 years in the field.

Thorn has delivered more than 7,000 babies in his career, including at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea and most recently Mercy Medical Center in Mason City.

Aside from his expertise in his field, Thorn was probably most known for his caring personality and the way he made patients feel. 

Thank you to this kind man who has given many the joy of a child. We wish him a happy retirement.

Albert Lea and the area will miss you.

 

To the safe return of a missing New Richland teenager to her family.

We and the rest of the community were elated to hear that missing New Richland teenager Grace Cummins was found safe Thursday evening in Albert Lea.

The 16-year-old had been missing since Tuesday afternoon after she was seeing getting into a semi in New Richland.

The girl’s family and friends, along with law enforcement from the Waseca County Sheriff’s Office and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, had announced earlier in the day they were searching for the girl and asked for the public’s help with any information about her whereabouts.

Though many questions remain, we are glad Cummins was found safe. 

 

To a string of burglaries this week in the area.

It was heartbreaking to hear news of a string of burglaries Monday that reportedly took place around the time of the funeral for Arnold Stadheim, founder of Stadheim Jewelers in Albert Lea.

While we feel sorry for anyone who is the victim of a burglary, we feel even more sadness for the victims in these cases. Though police have not confirmed the burglaries were connected to the funeral, there were indications they were.

We urge all residents to keep your eyes and ears open to all activity in your neighborhoods. Don’t be afraid to report anything unusual to authorities.

 

To all of the nurses in the area.

Hats off to nurses this week, who are being
recognized across the country for their commitment to protecting, promoting and improving health care for all.

The effort is spearheaded by the American
Nurses Association.

We add our thanks to these individuals, who give their time, talents and energy on behalf of their patients.

Thank you for all you do.