EDITORIAL: History gets a fresh look
Apr. 29—Thumbs up to the 13 Minnesota State University students whose input helped freshen up the gallery at Blue Earth County Historical Society.
As participants in professor Alisa Eimen's class "Art Museum and Exhibition Studies," they have applied an artistic eye to the history museum, which has generously welcomed them with open arms.
The result is like a new unveiling for some of the exhibits they critiqued and improved. Some of their work included simplifying the background of certain display cases housing items such as the Indigenous arts and crafts; enhancing the sense of time in the exhibit simulating a 1960s-era Brett's Department Store window display; and creating a printed tour guide to help help visitors navigate the space.
Not only did they look at the exhibits from a creative and artistic standpoint, but the experience gave the students some practical work to put on their resumes. The partnership is not only a win-win for MSU and the museum, but also for the public who visits the renewed space.
SCC job training
Thumbs up to South Central College for expanding its job training program for adults with autism.
The 10-week program teaches participants skills necessary to become entry-level computer numerical control operators and gives them the credentials they need.
Both the state human services and employment and economic development departments financially support the college and students in the program.
Called the Uniquely Abled Academy, the SCC program was first offered a year ago and similar programs are starting to pop up in other states.
SCC has long provided customized workforce education, partnering with area businesses and industries to provide tailored training for students hoping to enter the workforce or to provide advanced training for existing employees.
It's the kind of training that puts individuals in a better career and financial situation and helps grow the local economy.
Racist covenants
Thumbs up to the city of Mankato's initiative to help homeowners remove longtime discriminatory and racist exclusionary clauses from their property records while publicly condemning such clauses and helping to educate the public on the issue.
The racist covenants attached to property records and applying to, in some cases, entire neighborhoods in Mankato were uncovered by a group of Minnesota State University students and East High School students through years of research. They joined a statewide effort by the Mapping Prejudice Project and conducted their own Mapping Mankato project.
The Mankato City Council plans to approve a resolution condemning the covenants, authorizing staff to educate the public on the issue, join the Just Deeds coalition of 17 other cities and will set up a program to help people remove the racist language from their property records.
The students continue their work building an interactive map so homeowners can see if their property has a racial covenant. The city-sponsored program will potentially enlist lawyers who will help homeowners to change their records at no charge.
Another whimper from the Wolves
Thumbs down to yet another inelegant season from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mankato printing magnate Glen Taylor's term as majority owner effectively closed this week with a rapid ouster from the playoffs, befitting a squad that barely squeaked into the NBA's overly-populated postseason.
The Marc Lore-Alex Rodriguez duo is to assume majority ownership of the franchise from Taylor this year in their phased purchase of the Wolves and Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.
Much more was expected from this team after the Rudy Gobert trade, in which the Wolves surrendered five first-round picks and some key reserves for the star center. "Much more was expected," however, would be an accurate four-word summary of the Wolves on the court for Taylor's tenure.
, which began in 1994. Playoff appearances have been rare and almost always exceedingly brief.
That soon won't be Taylor's dilemma to solve.
