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To students on the honor roll.

The last week or two we have run honor rolls from Southwest Middle School, Albert Lea High School and the new Albert Lea Online Academy.

We congratulate the students at all grades who made the lists for their hard work and dedication. Whether you made the list this time around or not, we encourage all area youth to keep up on their studies and to stay focused these last few months of school.

Before you know it, this semester will be done too, and another school year will have passed.

To a possible peak soon in omicron COVID-19 cases.

Mayo Clinic’s predictive modeling is suggesting that the current COVID-19 case surge may have already  peaked or is nearing its peak very soon.

Data suggests that the state could soon see a steep drop in daily infections, bringing relief to a highly stressed health care system that is struggling. A drop in hospitalizations is expected to follow.

Though the possible peak means there is light at the end of the tunnel, the hospital system’s doctors advise people to not
get complacent in their actions and to continue to do what is necessary to try to prevent the spread.

To all those who contribute to the success of this newspaper.

This week some of the Tribune’s staff attended the annual Minnesota Newspaper Association convention, and we were thrilled to hear the Tribune was the recipient of four awards in the Better Newspaper Contest.

The Tribune won first place for Editorial Page as a Whole, second place for magazine, second place for website and third place for General Excellence. And we couldn’t have done it without you.

We thank all those who aren’t afraid to share their opinions on our Editorial Page and for keeping strong an ongoing community dialogue.

We thank you for reading our stories, not only in the print edition, but also online, and for the generosity and excite-
ment we hear so often surrounding our Albert Lea Magazine articles.

We do what we do day in and day out for you, our readers, and we wouldn’t have the successes we do without your support.

To Chief Deputy Steele County Attorney Christy Hormann

Congratulations to Chief Deputy Steele County Attorney Christy Hormann, who this week was named as the new district court judge in Minnesota’s Third Judicial District, replacing Judge Steven Schwab, who is retiring.

Hormann’s caseload has consisted of civil commitments, guardianships or conservatorships, and adult felony criminal cases in her role with the Steele County Attorney’s Office. She was also previously an assistant Ramsey County attorney in the criminal division and serves on the Third Judicial District Veterans Treatment Court and the Steele County Community Corrections Advisory Board.

We look forward to having Hormann in the community and thank Schwab for his years of service.