Dec. 7—Is there any more versatile — and dependable — workforce than the National Guard?

Minnesota's Guard has been called on for a lot in recent years. There have been foreign deployments to combat zones, they've patrolled city streets in times of unrest, and now members will be helping protect the state's elderly from another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, serving in care centers and nursing homes.

But before that worrisome work, Guard members needed a crash course in providing elder care. They got 75 hours of training in a mere eight days, at places such as Austin's Riverland Community College. The first 12-hour crash course began the day after Thanksgiving.

How fitting, when time and again the Guard's members leave their families behind and ride to our aid, giving us all something to be thankful for. Thumbs up to this special group.

SocialICE cometh

We yearn for normalcy and an escape from the dark days of winter, to say nothing of the grip of the pandemic. So, it was good to hear last week's announcement that SocialICE, the annual ice festival in downtown Rochester, will return this February in its pre-pandemic form. The event was held last winter, but greatly limited out of concerns for public health.

Before the pandemic, the event drew nearly 70,000 people downtown. That accumulation of people, smartly managed, can improve the health of the downtown economy while not negatively impacting public health. And let's not forget the mental health benefits of having a good time in public. Thumbs up.

Rules are rules

As a board, we were split over whether a one-game suspension was warranted for Chatfield's star quarterback, Sam Backer, over two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the previous game.

The penalties, in the state semifinal game, caused Backer to miss the championship. (Happily for the Gophers, they still won the game behind Backer's backup, Parker Delaney.)

Some of our members felt that there should be a built-in review process for cases when such a harsh penalty follows an official's subjective judgment call. But there isn't one. The Minnesota State High School League's rules are clear in cases such as this.

Where we did find agreement was in our dismay for the avenue Backer and his parents did take: filing a federal lawsuit to grant a temporary restraining order and overturn the MSHSL's rule, allowing him to play.

Federal judges have no place substituting their judgment for field officials', and the court rightly observed that and declined Backer's petition. Thumbs down to the family's court filing, which smacks of entitlement.