The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Editorials

October 30, 2009

Our View: Local health officials unite

Thumbs up

To local health officials who have dealt well with the H1N1 flu outbreak in spite of some less than stellar planning by federal health officials.

Immanuel St. Joseph’s — Mayo Health, the Mankato Clinic and county health departments have worked together well to keep the public and media informed about developments with H1N1 and seasonal flu.

They have coordinated public events for business managers and residents to tell them what they can do to limit the spread of flu and provided information on how flu vaccine will be distributed.

Production and distribution problems with the vaccine has been the most distressing thing for the public. Federal officials first gave projections too optimistic of how much vaccine would be coming and how soon. They then gave vague reports as it became clear not enough vaccine would get out quick enough.

Local health officials, at a recent public meeting, were much more honest, saying they did not expect large quantities of H1N1 vaccine for the general public to arrive for at least a month or more.

The cooperation between ISJ and the Mankato Clinic is particularly refreshing following years of contentious competition between the two. New leadership has led to a new sense of cooperation.



Thumbs up

Twice as nice

To the generosity of those who responded to the Fletcher family’s plight and made sure 7-year-old Anna had a special trike to ride.

The uniquely designed trike, which Anna rode for therapy and fun, was taken from the yard of the Mankato family a few weeks ago. When the theft received media attention, all kinds of outside help was offered. That help included a Good Samaritan buying Anna a nearly $400 trike, and she was off and riding again.

And then, this week, Anna’s old trike showed up back home. Whether the original thieves felt guilty and returned it or whether someone else found it isn’t known. But now the family will share some of the goodwill that’s been sent their way by donating the returned trike to another child who has the same diagnoses as Anna.



Thumbs up

Road to retain character

To the city for making plans to improve Thompson Ravine Road in Mankato without changing the charm and beauty of the neighborhood.

The winding road is deteriorating badly with no storm drains, aging bridges and crumbling pavement.

The city is not planning on expanding the number of lanes or boosting traffic capacity. It also has dropped plans to reroute the road at the bottom of the hill, so no land will have to be acquired for that portion.

Improving the existing road and keeping the layout close to its original should mean that no more traffic than usual will use the route as a shortcut to the hilltop. (City officials are baffled about why most drivers would choose the route.)



Free Press Editorial Board



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MRCI has many to thank

During this season of thanksgiving, the MRCI (Mankato Rehabilitation Center Inc.) Foundation thanks the Greater Mankato community for their support of people with disabilities and other barriers to employment.

The Foundation Board of Trustees is half way to achieving their long-term financial goal of building a $1 million endowment. Thank you to generous donors who contributed and are still contributing to our second annual MRCI Foundation annual campaign. We had another successful annual MRCI Foundation Grand Prix, raising more than $10,000 to support MRCI programs. A special thanks to all sponsors, donors, drivers, and volunteers that made it an exciting race day.

This past year, the MRCI Foundation provided financial support to our Transportation Program, which provides over 95,000 rides to clients traveling to and from work.



Jennifer Hlubek, director

Mankato

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