Since this is being written on Thanksgiving Day, I should be writing about what I am thankful for this year. But, I have done that every year, and it does not change much. Family, friends and reasonably good health, plus a few other things.

Like being able to write stories about a wide variety of topics. And then creating a column about ones that should be Cheered and those that should be Jeered. This time there is a long list, so I had better put down the turkey drumstick and get to it.

There are several individual people I should send out a Cheer to. One is Easton fire fighter Tyler Stindtman, who was the Fireman of the Year for the whole state of Minnesota. That is quite an honor, especially for the small town of Easton, and he deserves a big Cheer.

So does Blue Earth Area school teacher Lenne Holland who has received the KEYC-TV and Bethany Lutheran College Golden Apple Award not once, but now twice during her career. Not bad, considering she retired from teaching, but loves it so much she keeps coming back to help out. Cheers to you, Lenne!

Then there is Darold Nienhaus, of Winnebago, who worked for the city for 35 years. He was Cheered by the whole town as the Winnebago Volunteer of the Year.

A Cheer goes out to the fact that the former school building in Winnebago has been sold to a company in Rochester, and the fact that there are a lot of plans to renovate the building and put it to use. We wish them well.

A Cheer goes out to the folks of Faribault County who turned out in large numbers to vote on Nov. 5. But a Jeer is going out to whoever was responsible for sending a bizarre letter about the county commissioner race to various businesses and people. That kind of stupid activity has no place in our local politics.

Another Jeer goes to the fact that the Blue Earth Area School District attempt for a referendum to build a new K-6 school failed to pass. If folks took a hard look at the condition of the current school, and the fact that the plan for a new one had the state paying for half of the project, they might have voted differently.

The Women of Worth group has been Cheered before, but they get another Cheer. Their annual Women of Worth Expo and work helping those in need of help during domestic violence situations is something to be admired.

A Cheer to the Wells City Council and administration for handling an issue with water damage at the Flame Theatre in a swift and efficient manner. The theatre is an asset for the whole area, not just the city of Wells.

A Cheer to the group that made sure the last Civil War veteran that died in Faribault County, Washington Kelley, was properly recognized and honored. And they are doing it for the last Civil War vet in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties.

A Cheer to the city of Blue Earth, Blue Earth EDA and the Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce concerning the Giant Welcome Center/Museum issue is being worked out. A little Jeer goes out to the fact that this issue came about in the first place. But, the Chamber of Commerce and the Giant Welcome Center/Museum are big assets to the community, and this issue definitely needs to be resolved.

A Cheer goes out to the United South Central High School theater department for once again doing a fantastic job with their production of Wizard of Oz recently. They always put on a great performance.

A Cheer also goes out to Blue Earth Area High School and their interesting new activities, which include a study trip to a research center in the Bahamas, a new health occupations club and another new item, esports. The school staff and administration get a Cheer for trying to do some new and rather innovative approaches to education.

A Cheer goes to the Faribault County Fair Board for putting on a good fair this past summer, and showing a profit doing it. However, if it wasn’t for the funds made from the farmland they own, that profit would have been a big loss.

Another hesitant Cheer goes to the Blue Earth City Council for solving an issue with a water problem on Nicollet Street. There were two sides to the issue and honestly, both were right. It could create a precedence for the future, but also, something had to be done to try and solve a very serious problem.

One last Cheer goes out to all of the folks, like you, who support your local businesses, and your local newspaper. Give yourselves a big pat on the back.