RSS

Earth Day Festivities!

By Administrator Filed in Events March 30th, 2007 @ 12:44 pm

Sunday April 22nd – Earth Day Rally!
Fountain Lake Park, 2-4pm
Come celebrate Earth Day with a Mayoral Proclamation, mural painting, poetry & art contest, live music, booths from local groups, and more!

Monday April 23rd – ???An Inconvenient Truth???
Riverland Community College Room 124, 7-9pm
Come see & discuss the Academy-Award winning film that brought global warming into the national spotlight.

Wednesday April 25th – ???Who Killed the Electric Car????
Riverland Community College Room 124, 7-9pm
Check out this stunning film chronicling the life and mysterious death of GM???s EV1, the electric car. Can YOU guess the culprit?

Friday April 27th – Arbor Day Tree Planting
Frank Hall Park, 2-4pm
Join fellow citizens and students of all ages in this annual celebration of trees and the Earth!

Saturday April 28th – Albert Lea Community Clean-up
Meet in parking lot of Blazing Star Trail, 10:00 am
Join Mayor Erdman in cleaning up our our parks and lakeshore. Take pride helping create a clean, beautiful Albert Lea!

Global Warming Solutions

By Administrator Filed in Events, News February 27th, 2007 @ 5:56 pm

“Global Warming Solutions” Energy Forum coming to Southeastern Minnesota
By Annie Sanders, Organizer, Minnesota Environmental Partnership

EarthOn Thursday March 8th, global warming is coming to Southeastern Minnesota. But don’t expect any heat waves– the Citizens’ Energy Forum, hosted from 7-9 p.m. at the Riverland-Austin Theatre by the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, will be focusing on Global Warming Solutions and what we can do to help create Minnesota’s Clean Energy Future.

Steve Morse, President of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, will speak about the clean energy initiatives and possibilities at the state-wide level, and what we need to make Minnesota a leader on clean energy and global warming. Melissa Pawlisch, founder of the Clean Energy Resource Teams, will speak to what people can do to start transitioning to renewable energy in their businesses, homes, and communities. Bruce Anderson, founder of Sustainable Community Solutions in Northfield, will speak about his experience bringing wind turbines and biodiesel to his community, and how similar projects can succeed here in Southeastern Minnesota.

Local energy and environmental organizations from Albert Lea and Austin will have information booths open for browsing from 6:15-7:00 p.m. People are encouraged to come early and talk with groups such as the Clean Energy Resource Teams, the Sustainable Farming Association, Horizon Wind Energy, the Audubon Society, Izaak Walton League, Advocates for a Cleaner Environment, and others.

The message is clear: global warming could change our great state and nation forever, but we can do something about it. Southeastern Minnesota will be essential in creating a clean energy future for Minnesota, and we all need to get involved. Come to learn more, ask questions, and learn how you can make a difference.

Download forum flier (pdf).

K and K Bakery Opens in Albert Lea!

By Administrator Filed in News, Reviews January 28th, 2007 @ 6:04 pm

karl millironAttention all lovers of cakes, breads, sweet rolls, cookies, chocolate ??clairs, and a host of other quality baked goodies. The K and K Bakery is now open for business!

See ya there!

Ice Fishing on Albert Lea Lake

By Administrator Filed in News January 7th, 2007 @ 5:36 pm

Nearly every day that I’ve walked by or driven by Albert Lea Lake I’ve seen ice houses out on the lake. As you can see in the background of this photo, there is a wide expanse of open water creeping closer by the hour!

Ice Fishing

Albert Lea Tax

By Administrator Filed in Reviews December 11th, 2006 @ 8:33 pm

As a singer/songwriter and a self-employed computer consultant my taxes can get a tad bit complicated. How do I pay taxes on CD sales? What if people who I worked with on the project get percentage of every CD sold? How do I make sure I’m not including expenses I shouldn’t? How do I make sure I’m not leaving out expenses that can significantly reduce my taxable income? These and many, many more questions are often hard to answer.

After while, I found I needed to talk to someone who knew a lot more about paying taxes than I did. Someone recommended that I see Bob Smith at Albert Lea Tax, and that’s exactly what I did. It was one of the smartest decisions I’ve made in a while.

If your taxes leave your head spinning, or you just want to discuss your options, I suggest that you give Bob Smith a call. You won’t regret it.

Bob Smith
Albert Lea Tax
502 S. Broadway
Albert Lea, MN 56007
507-377-1625

Bob Smith and the folks at Albert Lea Tax Service are professionals who charge reasonable rates and genuinely care about making your life easier when it comes time to settle up with Uncle Sam.

A Trip to the Dentist

By Administrator Filed in Features, Reviews November 3rd, 2006 @ 7:59 pm

It’s nearly been two years since my last trip to the dentist. Growing up, I went every six months. I also had braces twice. So I spent a lot of time and energy on my teeth—and my parents spent a lot of money. After Jen went a couple times, I figured it was time for me to get back on a regular 6-month check-up routine.

Turns out I did, in fact, have a cavity. I also had part of a filling that had come out. (Nothing like sharing the status of one’s teeth in front of God and everybody.) Not only did I get my teeth cleaned, but I also got both of those cavities filled. Hurray! I’m happy to be back on track.

Many thanks to the folks at Dr. Hoffman’s office! If you’re looking for a dentist and are new to Albert Lea, or have lived in Albert Lea for a while, but haven’t been to the dentist in a while, I recommend making an appointment there.

Craig A. Hoffman D.D.S.
146 W. Clark Street
Albert Lea, MN 56007
Telephone: (507) 373-3323

Teeth are pretty important. If you neglect them, you might wind up in a world of hurt down the road. (THIS HAS BEEN A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT BY ALBERTLEAJOURNAL.COM.)

 

Memories and Metaphors

By Administrator Filed in Features October 3rd, 2006 @ 11:32 pm

Albert Lea RemembersThis afternoon I rode my bike to the Albert Lea Public Library in search of a book recommended to me by my friend, Sara Aeikens. She told me she’d written an article in “Albert Lea Remembers” about Mitch’s Gas Station, a once popular hangout that had been left to vandals and had become an eyesore in her neighborhood.

Sara, with the help of others, prepared the small station for auction, but not before meeting some measure of resistance. In addition, two tanks in the ground in front of the store had to be removed. Once this was done, it was finally auctioned off and sold to Family Treasures Estate Sales, who then fixed it up to be the beautiful building it is today.

Read more

Albert Lea Web Directory

By Administrator Filed in Reviews September 24th, 2006 @ 12:28 am

Albert Lea Web DirectoryThe all new Albert Lea Web Directory features websites of businesses and organizations in Albert Lea. Of course, not all the websites are represented here, but that’s because they haven’t all been tracked down yet.

There are only so many sites a person can find when using www.google.com, www.yahoo.com, and other search engines, and occasionally an Albert Lea site doesn’t show up in search engines. This is often because it hasn’t been properly circulated on the internet. All it takes is for a site that does show up in a search engine to link to one that doesn’t. It’s that link one link that tells search engines where to find the new site. Adding a site to the Albert Lea Web Directory is one way to make sure that an Albert Lea site get’s properly distributed.

Send an email with your organization’s name and website to d-i-r-e-c-t-o-r-y-@-a-l-b-e-r-t-l-e-a-j-o-u-r-n-a-l-.-c-o-m if you’d like it submitted to the Albert Lea Web Directory. I’ve spelled out the above address that way so that spam harvesters can’t pick it up as easily. If you’re confused about how that address would be put together to make a real one, look at this example: e-x-a-m-p-l-e-@-a-l-b-e-r-t-l-e-a-j-o-u-r-n-a-l-.-c-o-m = example@albertleajournal.com. (Note: example@albertleajournal.com is not a real address.)

Investing in Albert Lea’s Future

By Administrator Filed in News September 5th, 2006 @ 8:58 pm


This November Albert Lea residents will have the opportunity to vote on a referendum to stabilize District 241 education funding. It will allow District 241 to maintain the necessary pieces required to continue educating students at its current level.

According to a fact sheet distributed by District 241:

State funding does not provide our commuity with the kind of school system we want and need. Because state funding was frozen for two years, our district did not receive $1.6 million in funding. To maintain the level and quality of education currently offered, including one mile bus service, all-day kindergarten, smaller class sizes, electives, fine arts and athletic opportunities, the district must replace the current opperating levy.

Over the years, the district has diligently adjusted its budget in order to allow for reductions in the state’s funding of Albert Lea’s schools. District 241′s fact sheet continues:

Over the past 15 years nearly $7 million has been cut. The cuts included the elimination of many teaching positions, administration, clerical, and custodial staff. In order to maintain a quality education for our students, we cannot cut valuable teaching talent and educational opportunites for our children.

Below is the “Estimated Tax Impact of the Approval of the Property Levy”

Market Value
of Home		 Revoked Authority
$497.97		 Proposed Authority
$957.87		 Net Change
$460.00		 Monthly
Tax Impact
50,000 -49.00 113.00 64.00 5.34
70,000 -68.00 159.00 91.00 7.59
100,000 -98.00 227.00 129.00 10.75
150,000 -147.00 340.00 193.00 16.09
175,000 -171.00 397.00 226.00 18.84
250,000 -244.00 567.00 323.00 26.92

Your contribution will make a HUGE difference in the future of Albert Lea and the future of Albert Lea’s students, teachers, staff, and all who want Albert Lea’s educational system to remain strong for years to come.

Albert Lea Farmers Market

By Administrator Filed in Features June 17th, 2006 @ 11:10 am

Looking for jams, jellies, breat, meat, eggs, green beans, flowers, and a host of other fine produce? Go no further than Albert Lea’s very own farmers market!

Farmer's Market Sign

My wife and I visit this farmers market at least once a week. In fact, even when it shuts down for the off season, we continue to get meat, bread and eggs from folks we met here!

For more information about the Albert Lea Farmers Market. Visit the Local Harvest website.

Read previous entries
Read more recent entries

Copyright © Albert Lea Journal
Features, Events, Opinion and Reviews

Built on Notes Blog Core
Powered by WordPress