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Et Cetera …

City plans virus relief

The Fairmont City Council this week unanimously agreed to support development of a grant program, working with Martin County, to help businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The city and county have received federal virus relief funds, and the city already has received word from 10 businesses interested in receiving grants. There could be more.

The federal government has given out the funds and we hope those dollars can make a positive impact locally. We believe the council moved forward appropriately this week to help facilitate that outcome.

Commitment endures

Looking back over the years, it is pretty incredible to think about the level of commitment made by two groups in the Fairmont area. Both have been involved in Minnesota’s Adopt A Highway program since the beginning, or for 30 years.

Martin Luther High School and Galena 4-H send out volunteers every year to clean up ditches along designated sections of highway. They learn about service while having some fun. And they help make the state a little cleaner, while freeing up highway workers for bigger chores.

Kudos to both groups, and all others in the area involved in Adopt A Highway.

Group cares for lakes

Fairmont is the City of Lakes, which help define the community and attract those interested in boating, swimming and fishing. The lakes are an important asset and they require care.

The Fairmont Lakes Foundation recently held another of its annual lake cleanups, pulling a ton of trash from Hall Lake. Volunteers committed themselves to the task. The foundation has been conducting cleanups for years, visiting a different lake each time, and deserves credit for the work it does on this project and others aimed at maintaining and improving water quality.

Troubling debt numbers

The U.S. budget deficit is projected to hit $3.3 trillion this year. This one-year accumulation of red ink will add to an already massive federal debt that cannot be sustained, especially given the federal government’s commitment to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

The federal government’s financial calamity is only part of the story. Its borrowing also takes funds away from productive investments, hurting economic growth.

Governments that pile up too much debt tend to print money to find a way out. It does not work well, as it causes inflation, gutting people’s savings.

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