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Thumbs up for meeting the challenge head on. When somebody receives a detrimental diagnosis, the news can oftentimes come as a blow as that person now has to determine how to meet this challenge. Former Austin High School runner and graduate Zeke Peters has done just that with an entirely new challenge. Diagnosed with MS, Peters is using it as a platform to raise money by running as a charity runner for the National MS Society in the 129th Boston Marathon on April 21. It’s inspiring to see someone willing to help in whatever way he can and not letting MS define him.

Thumbs up for another bridge built. Last weekend another bridge was counted as finished as the eastbound lane of Interstate 90 was opened up over the Cedar River. A little further east, the resurfacing of the lane over Sixth Street SW was also wrapped up and shows the mammoth six-bridge project seems to be on pace.

Thumbs up for conservation farming practices. Congratulations to Voigt Family Farms, which was one of many conservationists who were honored for their conservation practices at the 88th annual convention of the Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts. They were chosen as Mower County’s 2024 Outstanding Conservationists of the Year by the Mower Soil & Water Conservation District’s Board of Supervisors.

Thumbs up for solid basketball. The Riverland Community College men’s basketball team is rolling and that is due largely to two things: it’s head coach Derek Hahn and the buy-in of the players who are willing to put in the work necessary. Even though it’s a junior college program, there is no path that accounts for ease or wishful thinking. This program is an example to programs at all levels that can be followed in order to find success.

Thumbs down to midweek Christmas and New Years. We’re taking the opportunity to just gripe for the sake of griping. Having Christmas and New Years smack dab in the middle of the week throws everything off when you have to come back for just two days of work. That being said, we hope you had a thumbs-up kind of Christmas with a thumbs-up type of new year in the making.