To Project Community Connect.

We commend all of the organizations, businesses and church communities who came together to host Project Community Connect on Thursday at First Lutheran Church.

Project Community Connect is an opportunity for people who are struggling financially to access many community resources all in one spot for themselves and their families.

Some of the services provided included a meal, haircuts, child care, groceries, clothes and other items.

The event was a great chance for the community to come together to help these people and for these residents to know that there are resources out there to help them.

To reports of child abuse in the area.

It seems like every week in the last couple months there have been reports of some form of child abuse or neglect made to authorities in the Albert Lea Police Department or Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office police logs. While it’s unclear whether these reports were validated, it is still sad to see pop up again and again. Our children are our future, and we need to protect them.

To the owners of Schipp’s Pro Power Wash Inc.

Congratulations to the owners of Schipp’s Pro Power Wash, who have plans to expand their business in Albert Lea.

The Albert Lea City Council on Monday approved two $35,000 loans from the city’s revolving loan fund for the business. The second loan is forgivable if the company creates seven new jobs in the next three years. The company has acquired the former Agilis building and will add two new bays by April 1.

Thanks to the council for being willing to work with this local business to see what can be done to help it grow and add jobs.

To proposed updates to Hammer Complex and Halverson Elementary School.

It’s no easy task for any government entity — let alone any entity for that matter — to undertake a major construction project. For Albert Lea Area Schools, it is no different.

The school district is considering a major project that we believe is necessary to upgrade the district’s athletic facilities to be Title IX and ADA compliant. Updates include installing new turf on the football fields, replacing the field house at Hammer Field, creating a black-top parking lot, purchasing a new scoreboard, adding air conditioning to the high school gymnasium, increasing Halverson’s gym and relocating Halverson’s front office, among others.

The cost — estimated at $21 million in December — would be paid for through a general obligation building bond, district administrators are proposing. The new bond would come on essentially at the same time an old bond for the high school building would be completed, and administrators have said there would be no net change to Albert Lea residents’ current tax payments.

We support these updates, which will make the facilities inclusive to more students.

The updates are a way of investing in the Albert Lea athletic teams, showcasing our school pride and in turn supporting our community.