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Thumbs up to increased availability. It was announced on Thursday that SMART Transit was offering free transport to the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center this summer, creating a fantastic opportunity for people to get some outdoor time, who otherwise may not have been able to reach this unique patch of Austin. The free busing will run through Aug. 31, so we urge people to make use of this throughout summer’s run and get some fresh air.

Thumbs up for the state berth. Congratulations to the Hayfield Vikings, who cleared their route to the Minnesota State Baseball Tournament next week, by defeating Southland on Wednesday. It’s always good to see our area represented on the state stage. Best of luck Vikings!

Thumbs up to hard work. Sheri Willrodt has long been a voice for special services in Austin and in the community, and has established a foundational base for ensuring that all students have equal opportunities while attending Austin High School. Willrodt will be retiring in August after nearly three decades working with students through special services and special education. Many, many students have benefited from her and her staff’s efforts.

Thumbs up to success. Earlier this week, it was announced that Lyle-Pacelli senior Hunter VaDeer was named Gatorade Minnesota Baseball Player of the Year. Throughout his time with L-P, VaDeer has been a stand-out for the Athletics and the hard work he’s put in has helped open the door to the next level where he will play at Division I’s Creighton University next year. But more than that, VaDeer is a good team presence and has exemplified the ideal of putting the group first.

Thumbs up to the next step. While the Austin Police Department said goodbye Monday night to Chaplain Program member Victor Ordonez, who is leaving to take up another opportunity, it’s nevertheless a worthy reminder of just how important the program is in how APD meets its challenges every day, made even more obvious by the amount of officers and staff from the department who showed up Monday night where Ordonez was honored.