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To the decision to not fund a new interchange on Interstate 90 at Bath Road.

We were disappointed to hear the news that Freeborn County did not receive funding to add a new interchange on Interstate 90 at Freeborn County Road 20 through the Corridors of Commerce program.

The Corridors of Commerce program, which is used to facilitate economic development across the state, utilizes money set aside specifically by the Legislature and administered through the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The funding the county applied for would have covered the preliminary design, right-of-way acquisition, environmental documentation and final construction for the new interchange.

Though we know it will not be as easy for this project to come to fruition without that funding, we are still supportive of the idea and believe it could potentially benefit economic development.

We encourage the county and city of Albert Lea to continue looking at options.

To the upcoming Freeborn County Fair.

After months of preparation, the Freeborn County Fair will officially kick off on Tuesday and continue through the following Sunday, though some of the preliminary work will begin sooner.

If you haven’t been out to the fair in a while, we encourage you to venture out and visit one day. Between the food, rides, exhibits, entertainment, animals and people, the fair is sure to be a fun time for anyone who attends.

It’s also a good chance to catch up with friends and neighbors and to support area youth involved in 4-H and other efforts. These youth have often spent months preparing for this week, so don’t forget to send a little encouragement their way.

The fair can also be a nostalgic event for parents and grandparents to introduce to their children.

We’ll have different people out there throughout the week, so feel free to reach out and say hello if you see us!

To the extreme heat this week.

All you had to do was step outside for a moment this week and you could feel the high temperatures and humidity.

The conditions led to excessive heat advisories throughout much of the state, including in our area, where heat index values were expected to pass 100. People were advised to take extra precaution if working or spending time outdoors and to reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening.

Luckily, the extreme heat has started to move out of our region and to the east with temperatures in the lower 80s expected over the weekend and into Tuesday before things heat up again on Wednesday.

While it’s typically hot for fair week, at least it won’t be as bad as it has been this week.

Make sure to take it easy in the heat, stay hydrated and find shade if you’re out.