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The Hayfield Vikings are on the cusp of doing it again as the baseball team won the Minnesota Class A Baseball State Tournament title against New York Mills, 7-4 in Target Stadium Friday.

To be able to play on such a grand stage where a professional team plays will mean a lot to these young men, but it’s also going to reflect a continuing pride in their hometown as well.

Congratulations to the Hayfield Vikings! An amazing end of the year for an amazing school and amazing town.

Thumbs up: Mayo Clinic HC-Austin and Albert Lea formerly recognize project completion

On Monday, Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin and Albert Lea, along with representatives of Chambers of Commerce from both communities, took part in a ribbon-tying ceremony that formally recognized the completion of a multi-tiered project in both Austin and Albert Lea.

This project creates an all-encompassing experience for anybody needing quality healthcare.

This is a step toward further dedicating resources of the hospitals in both towns and furthering community partnership.

Thumbs down: Lawmakers convene special session

This is a nod to fact that we are even in this mess. A refusal to bend on either side of the aisle has led to the need for an overtime of the latest legislative session and now what rests in the balance is the possibility of a government shutdown should a final budget be left unfinished.

While there is hope that the budget will be completed — House Speaker Melissa Hortman estimated that it would be completed in 7-10 days — it doesn’t take away from the fact that this is just another example of a mucked up system that exemplifies the current political climate.

Thumbs up: Sheriff Sandvik to be Grand Marshal

Sheriff Steve Sandvik is a great choice to be grand marshal of the Independence Day parade. Congenial and willing to work with others, Sandvik is the perfect face to represent this special celebration, in particular his work in heading the team emergency response effort to the COVID-19 pandemic in Mower County is a notable reason for this selection.

Thumbs up: APS sees increased graduation rate

Austin Public Schools, for the fifth year running, saw an increase in its graduation rate, reaching 80.8% of students graduating in four years. As we wait another year to see just how much this rate will be affected by the pandemic, we’re happy to see that students across the board are getting an education that ends with a diploma.

Thumbs down: Wholesale rise in prices

Americans are continuing to deal with steep rises in consumer goods associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wholesale price rises in May increased .08%. These price hikes are driven by rising food costs and present yet another threat to an economy still trying to recover.