I know you have missed it, and it is long overdue, so get ready because here it comes, ready or not.

Another edition of your favorite Cheers and Jeers column is on its way to you this week.

Since you have all probably figured out that we are going to once again give a deserved Jeer to the weather, let’s get it out of the way right away.

Let’s face it. The weather in 2022 so far deserves a grade of “D-“ at best. January, February, March and April have been cold, windy, snowy and overcast a lot. And now it is May and so far there has not been much of an improvement.

Unfortunately it is not just true for us here in Faribault County, but there has been some pretty awful weather, and bad storms, across the entire U.S.

We sure hope it improves sometime soon.

Our first Cheer, and it is a really big one, goes to this Faribault County business boom. There are so many stories about new businesses in the county that we have a long schedule of ones to do. New funeral home in Wells, two new restaurants in Winnebago, new boutique stores in Blue Earth, and several more businesses you will be seeing stories about in the pages of the Register in the upcoming weeks.

A Cheer goes out to David Braun, the Wells mayor, who very luckily survived a stroke and was willing to talk to us about it and share his story with us, right during the month of May, which is Stroke Awareness Month.

We are all happy to know that he is doing so well and wish him the best.

A very definite Jeer goes out to the higher price of gasoline at the pumps, which is putting a definite hit on just about everyone, especially those who have to drive to work or school as part of their daily routine.

In fact let’s extend that Jeer to include higher prices of so many products we need.

A Cheer goes out to the city of Blue Earth and the Blue Earth Area School Board. While we have reported on some of the concerns they have had of who is paying for what when it comes to the proposed new tennis court project and discussions on where it would be built, let us not lose sight of the fact that both parties do agree that the project is needed and are working on a way to get it done.

Since we sent out several Jeers to COVID-19 and pandemic protocols in the past, we had best send out a Cheer now, since the COVID rate has dropped significantly, especially here in Faribault County. It has become rare to see anyone wearing a face mask anymore, and I know many of us are breathing a big sigh of relief.

We all sure hope that trend can continue. While we think this COVID thing is going to be with us for a long time, at least the pandemic part of it seems to have subsided somewhat.

And, that certainly deserves a Cheer.

A Jeer goes out to whoever does any type of vandalism, but this latest deal of drilling holes in gas tanks seems about as dumb as dumb can get. Vandalism never seems to make any sense, anyway, but drilling holes in gas tanks? It takes the prize for top Jeer of the day.

A Cheer goes out to all the people who are helping support the Faribault County Humane Society. First off, a Cheer to those who volunteer to help out at the animal shelter. Then another Cheer goes to the businesses and individuals who financially assist the FCHS in the work they do, and continue to do so. They also donate pet food, pay the adoption fees and many other things.

The more we learn of all the work they do, and their dedication to all our furry friends, the more we are amazed at it all, and hope it all continues.

A Jeer has to once again go out to area drivers who are just plain driving too fast, or too carelessly. We continue to have far too many accidents in the county, including one recently which involved a Blue Earth Fire Department fire truck. The truck was parked on the side of the freeway, when it was hit by a semi-truck and demolished. Luckily no one was injured too seriously, or even killed.

So slow down and pay attention to your driving. Put the phone away and buckle up. The life you save could be your own, or someone you love.

A Cheer goes out to all of our area high school athletes who work so hard and in the spring have to put up with all kinds of crazy weather conditions. And a Cheer goes out to all those brave and hardy souls who bundle up and go out in those unpleasant weather conditions and support the teams.

And one more great big Cheer to all of you, the faithful readers and supporters of the Faribault County Register and other newspapers across the area.

Thanks once again for reading us.