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To Mankato East teachers Dave Burgess and Lynell Senden for their nation-leading participation with an exciting NASA science teaching project.

The teachers are one of the first to be involved in a new NASA program to create middle school science lessons based on NASA’s real world images and data. The teachers were chosen for their expertise in science teaching and use of East’s high tech screen projector planetarium.

The program will help students use real data and high tech equipment to solve real world problems. NASA hopes to provide the curriculum to school nationwide at no cost. The two East teaches will actually be developing a lesson plan for the NASA program.

The East teachers’ participation is a real feather in the hat for our local schools and teachers.



LGA cuts did hurt

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To the think tank Minnesota 2020 for following the parallel run-up in local property taxes with the cuts to local government aid.

The group noted that Mankato had an average 40 percent rise in average home property taxes from 2002 to 2010, just slightly higher than the 38 percent tax hike statewide.

The group says the property tax increases can be directly attributed to the state’s cuts in local aid — as state support dries up, local governments are forced to replace at least some of that money with higher property taxes.

Of course, other factors play some role in local property taxes, including spending levels and shifts in what different types of property pay in taxes.

But it should be no surprise that local taxpayers — particularly those in greater Minnesota — have been harmed as the state has helped balance its budget by shifting the costs to local governments.     



Good airport security

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To officials in Birmingham, Ala., who detected suspicious items in a suitcase and quickly traced the case to two men from Yemen.

In this case, officials scanning checked baggage saw suspicious items that turned out to be bundles of wristwatches and cellphones. The bag belonged to two men who were later arrested and questioned in Amsterdam.

It appears the men won’t be charged with any crimes as the items were not a danger. But it’s likely the men were doing a dry run to see if items resembling a bomb could get through airport security.

Security at airports has been a big topic in recent years and there have been many cases where lax security has been justly criticized. There clearly continue to be too many holes in the nation’s airport security system. But as this case shows, security workers across the country are each day doing their jobs well in protecting the public.

Editorial Board



Dam centennial celebration successful community event

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Thank you to everyone that participated in the Rapidan Dam Centennial Celebration: All the people attending, all the dedicated volunteers, donors, entertainers, organizers and participants of the fishing contest and kayak race, the Canoe Club for offering rides on the reservoir, all the arts and craft vendors and everyone that worked with the Rapidan Heritage Society to make this a success.

The Rapidan Dam County Park was a beautiful area for the celebration. Blue Earth County has done a wonderful job of maintaining this park for the taxpayers enjoyment.

Why did the Rapidan Heritage Society host a party for a concrete dam? One hundred years of history and memories. Built in 1910 as a hydroelectric dam, it produced electricity until the big flood of 1965 when the gates were tore out by the force of rising ice. Brought back to productivity in the 1980s, it is again producing electricity.

Is your electricity generated from the Rapidan Dam? Possibly.

RHS celebrated the technology, ingenuity, resourcefulness, manpower and plain old umpf that went into the construction of this dam. The builders of the Rapidan Dam were our grandfathers and their neighbors. Together, with community manpower and support the dam was built, and together as a community, we celebrated and made new memories.

Jane Tarjeson,

Rapidan Heritage Society Secretary