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To former Waseca officer Arik Matson and his wife, Megan.

Thanks to Freeborn residents Arik and Megan Matson, who this week donated a police tactical shield to the four-county SWAT team. 

Matson, who was shot in the head while responding to a call in January 2020 in Waseca County, said he wanted to give the shield as a way to protect his former brothers. He had been on the SWAT team for less than a year at the time of the incident.

It is now one of two the team has, replacing shields from the 1980s. The team hopes to have a third, so every truck can have one when it comes to a scene. 

SWAT team Cmdr. Darin Palmer said the shields not only provide physical protection, but they also are beneficial to the mental response of team members, knowing they have a physical barrier if they get shot at. 

We thank the Matsons for their generosity and thank the SWAT team for their dedication to the community. 

To the Albert Lea Area Schools teachers named as finalists for Teacher of the Year.

Congratulations to the five teachers in Albert Lea Area Schools who this week were named as finalists for Albert Lea Teacher of the Year:

• Audra Beussman, special education, Halverson Elementary School

• Mary Bissen, music, high school and middle school

• Burke Egner, technology, district/middle school

• Jacqui Richter, math, high school

• LaChelle Sandon, special education, Lakeview Elementary School

We look forward to hearing more about the impact these teachers have made on students in the district during the annual Teacher of the Year ceremony April 6. 

To all of the candidates filing for the open 1st District Congressional seat.

As of Thursday afternoon, the candidate pool for the open 1st District Congressional seat has grown to 13 candidates — seven for the Republican Party, one for the Legal Marijuana Now Party and five for the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

The person elected will fill the vacancy left with the death of Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died last month after battling cancer.  

The candidate list now includes longtime Albert Lea agricultural attorney Matt Benda, as well as former Hormel CEO Jeff Ettinger. 

The filing period is open through 5 p.m. Tuesday, with the primary election taking place May 24. 

We look forward to learning more about the candidates and seeing who else files before the deadline. 

Thanks to those who are putting themselves out there to file for this position and ultimately better the district.