We’ll take it
THUMBS UP: Hardly a day goes by where we don’t get some press release from an organization that has mined some data and is ready to proclaim your city or state is the best town in the U.S. for ice cream consumption, or for buying car insurance or for whatever the product or service they are promoting. This week we got one from Realtor.com, which declared us to be the most affordable small town in American where people actually want to live. They measured median house prices, of course, but also home ownership rates, unemployment and crime. What really put us over the top, apparently, was the German heritage.
From a barrage of council bashers eager to give a Thumbs Down to a Thumbs Up for kindness and the humble thumb itself, here’s the full spectrum of our community’s thought.
Easing up on COVID
THUMBS UP: Gov. Tim Walz announced Friday he is relaxing some restrictions on public gatherings. Starting Monday, churches will have no attendance limits, though social distancing will still be required. Bars and restaurants can be at 75% capacity, with a limit of 250 people, and bar seating for parties of four. Gyms and fitness centers can be at 50% capacity. You can go get a haircut with no concern. Social gatherings will go up to 50 people outside, and 15 indoors, with no household limits. The Twins will be able to welcome 10,000 fans to their home opener.
This is welcome, but we know there is still pressure to keep opening up until we’re back to normal. A group of business organizations are asking the governor to present a plan for reopening society, but such a plan could only be tentative. If the governor set up a timetable and then COVID started spiking, he’d have to backtrack and be accused of reneging.
From roadworks that are seemingly taking forever to the caring local paramedics, here’s what made you smile and got under your skin in Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
PUCâeases pain
Thumbs Up: February utility bills are going to be painful to look at this month. The massive cold spell that struck much of the country created a huge demand for natural gas, and that translates to huge prices for natural gas. We’re all going to be paying much more in February than in January.
But for customers of New Ulm Public Utilities, things could be worse. The New Ulm Public Utilities Commission on Friday voted a $2.6 million buydown of the gas bill increases. It won’t cover all of the increase utility customers will be facing, but it will ease the pain somewhat. The table on the front page of today’s paper shows that.