Fairmont vocational wing

Area voters have a chance to make a difference for FHS students on November 9. The Fairmont Area School District’s proposed $6.73 million vocational expansion project could offer a lot of positive influence for area kids and local communities.

The new facility will focus on automotive, welding, agriculture, culinary, and construction trades. That will enable them to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation or go on to more schooling, with the hope that students will come back to the area later.

We hope voters will take the opportunity to support the project.

Local vaccines

There has been some progress in the battle against COVID-19. According to one statistic reported Tuesday, Minnesota now has nearly as many people who have at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine as it has recorded cases of the virus. That’s 447,610 vaccinations to 463,132 cases of COVID-19. That said, the local rollout is still slow, and Community Health sanitarian Tim Langer of Community Health and Human Services of Faribault and Martin Counties recently reminded us that patience is a virtue. We look forward to continuing progress on the local front.

Small business start up

Congratulations to Brandon Hollingsworth on his recently created business, The Bread Box, in Fairmont. While only a hobby for Hollingsworth, his goal of providing a bakery for Fairmont is one sure to be enjoyed by many.

Hollingsworth bakes and cooks in his free time and felt this would be the next step in his career plans. Inspired by the pandemic in which he lost his job, it’s great to see someone roll up their sleeves and engage an entrepreneurial spirit. Kudos to Hollingsworth and anyone else who decides not to let unfortunate circumstances stand in their way.

Fairmont Speech Team

One of the most affected groups of the COVID-19 pandemic has been children, with on-again/off-again school schedules.

Teachers and students have not sat idle, embracing their circumstances to continue the education process. One great example is the Fairmont Speech Team. Coached by Erik and Kathleen Walker, the team has utilized cameras and computers to go virtual with practices and tournament competitions. Other teachers have opened their classrooms to the students when not in use, and head custodian Mark Borchardt was thanked by the Walkers for providing access to everything they needed on a weekend.

It’s great to see people working together, and we look forward to hearing good things from the team during their state tournament later this year.