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Thumbs up for local talent. There are a number of shows coming to live venues in the coming days and weeks and should serve to remind you just how much talent we have within our community. Things like A Night at the Opry and Mower County Grown Music Fest are perfect opportunities to reintroduce you to everything we have going in Austin for entertainment.

Thumbs up to balancing out APS schools. The announcement that Austin Public Schools has been able to drop the Racially Identifiable School designation for Sumner is a sign that the district’s work to rebalanced enrollment within the district is working while at the same time ensuring a balance to maintaining student interaction as well as the positive news of a growing district.

Thumbs up for robotics. Teams from both Southland and Austin are heading to world competition in VEX robotics competitions and reflects a growing trend of students taking part in an activity that will only embolden students for the future.

Thumbs up for making waves on the national stage. The Riverland Blue Devils are in the midst of shaking up some brackets in the NJCAA Division III tournament with two wins to date, one of which was over the No. 2 seed. Not bad for an at-large team.