THUMBS UP

Daycare providers appreciation

The New Ulm Community Center is hosting a two-day childcare appreciation and training event on Friday and Saturday. The event is sponsored by Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), who is paying for the trainers to attend and providing a lunch for the providers. New Ulm Economic Development Authority (EDA) is also providing free use of the community center for the event. These special training events are a great asset to childcare providers who are required to attend training sessions each year to maintain an active license. There is still a day-care shortage in Minnesota. Access to training events is a great way to maintain working providers. This will give providers the opportunity to complete their training early in the year and get it out of the way.

THUMBS UP

NUFD’s quick response to Marktplatz fire

Wednesday morning the New Ulm Fire Department (NUFD) responded to a fire at the former Marktplatz mall. The fire was reported around 4:21 a.m. The NUFD had the fire under control by 6 a.m. before most of the city had started the day. Some of the adjacent businesses experienced smoke infiltration, but serious damage was limited to the former mall and no injuries were reported. Without NUFD and assistance from Sleepy Eye and Courtland Fire Departments, the fire could have spread to the downtown resulting in greater property damage and injury.

THUMBS DOWN

Marktplatz is a fire risk to downtown

The Marktplatz mall has been abandoned for several years and left to deteriorate. The building has shown clear signs of vandalism with broken windows and graffiti. The building is a blight on the downtown area. This week it went from a visual eyesore to a fire hazard. The cause of Wednesday morning’s fire is still unknown, but the incident shows there is a risk to leaving buildings unattended. There has been talk of redeveloping the mall into workforce housing, but with the recent fire and smoke damaged there is a question of whether the old mall can be salvaged.