What would summer be like without a little time for some Cheers and Jeers? Well, it would still be summer. But, it is a good time for our occasional look at who deserves kudos and who does not.

Cheers to the food at the Faribault County Fair. My goodness, there was a large selection of great food at this year’s fair perhaps the best selection ever.

If you couldn’t find some wonderful food to snack on and have a meal, you just weren’t looking.

I tried to eat my way across the fair each day, as I was there all four days of the annual “Gathering Under the Oaks.” And try as hard as I could, I couldn’t get to every food vendor.

I?was happy the Taco Express was back for at least one more year, despite my story last year that the Sifuentes family might hang it up.

But there were two barbecue places, three meat grilling places, Hope Methodist and Trinity Lutheran stands, the 4-H stand and even a Godfather’s Pizza truck if you were inclined that way. And so many more places to eat and snack.

Oh, the whole fair was pretty great (well except for that hail storm thing on Wednesday evening) with lots of entertainment and fun things to see and do.

But, the food. Oh my, the food was so good. Best ever.

Jeers to Mother Nature again.

It was bad enough the deer munched down on all the plants they could find, but now the hail shredded what was left. Just not a good year for plants.

But, the hail took a heavy toll on roofs in the Blue Earth area, a whole lot of cars, and of course, the crops.

First we had to get through the heavy rain of June 24, now, a month later, the hail from July 25. I’m nervous what will happen the third week of August…

Cheers to our local area churches. They have been doing what they can to help folks out.

The story last week about one church in Blue Earth helping another one in Winnebago keep the doors open was truly inspiring.

Sharing a pastor seems to make a lot of sense. There has been that cooperation going on for some time now.

And as churches get smaller, it seems to make a lot of sense.

Jeers to whoever the perpetrator is in the assault incident on the trail from the eastbound rest stop on I-90 south into Blue Earth.

It was the talk of the fair for a while, and sure made a lot of people very nervous a natural response to the news. Especially since the suspect has not been located or arrested, and is still on the loose.

We can only hope the person is captured, or is long gone from the area.

Cheers to the Blue Earth Junior Pirates for a recent sportsmanship award.

The Youth First organization honored our local 12 and under Pirates for the way they behaved at an Owatonna baseball tournament earlier this year.

The team took third but won the sportsmanship award. A representative from Youth First had high praise for the young Pirates, and from what he said, they truly deserved the honor.

Their coach, Duane Davids, says the Blue Earth Youth Baseball Association stresses sportsmanship at all levels.

We think the team members, their coaches and parents deserve some big time congratulations and thanks from the community for representing us all so well.

Cheers to the Blue Earth Business Improvement Committee for their wonderful Sprout around town project.

Yes, it did cost some money to get it done, but what a cool extra feature for the town of Blue Earth.

And, as predicted, they are getting a lot of attention and are having their pictures taken constantly.

But, now a Jeer to the bobblehead or group of bobbleheads who decided to throw rocks at the Sprout at Steinberg Park just 48 hours after it was installed.

Several appropriate punishments have been suggested by local residents should the perpetrators be apprehended. Being forced to be painted green from head to toe was just one idea.

Cheers to the wonderful Relay for Life committee in Faribault County. We have cheered them before in the past few years, but, doggone it, they deserve it again, and maybe more.

It takes a lot of work to put on this event but it is such a great night, with so much meaning and emotion.

And, not to mention raising a bunch of money for a very worthy cause.

We hope they get another big turnout, and are blessed with beautiful weather.

Kudos, once again, for all you do.