Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Thumbs up for milestones. The renovation and expansion project on the Historic Paramount Theatre has reached the two-thirds mark with the Thursday announcement that the fundraising campaign has raised $850,000 of its required $1.21 million goal. It’s a solid indication of the work and how its progressing as they get ever closer to the projected soft opening during this year’s Austin ArtWorks Festival.

Thumbs up for steady service to our area. While some might well look at this as a thumbs down moment, we choose to celebrate the work they did with the departure of Trish Harren Gjersvik and Joyce Poshusta from their roles with Mower County and the Austin City Council respectively. Agree or disagree to decisions made or the work they did, what should be lauded is their dedication to the work and the desire to make our area a better place.

Thumbs up to early work to stem flooding. Any work decided on is at least a year out at minimum, but it was still optimistic that on Monday night Austin City Engineer Steven Lang presented a variety of options, in conjunction with a Minnesota Department of Transportation study, that seek to ease flash flooding on Interstate 90, particularly beneath the railroad bridge and near the fly-over exchange. Heavy rainfall events in the past have made this area dangerous with high water gathering on the roadway and at times simply forced it to be shut down.

Thumbs up for honoring women. A shot out to the winners of the AAUW’s Women’s History Project this year, who have once again shown the importance of women in our society and the parts they’ve played in the past that have benefited our daily lives. This project has shown each year the importance of celebrating women’s achievements in our society by instilling that feeling of importance in the next generation.

Thumbs up for doing your part. Applications are now open for those who might be interested in being considered for appointment to the vacant Ward Three seat formerly held by Poshusta on the Austin City Council. This is an opportunity for people who care about Austin to step up and do their part for the community’s tomorrow.