THUMBS UP

Fasching season is here

Fasching is a German carnival celebration that takes place before Lent. It often compared to Mardi Gras and it ends on Ash Wednesday. Since New Ulm has a high percentage of residents with German heritage, it is only fitting Fasching is celebrated here. The strips of colorful fabric that were placed downtown last Sunday are part of the festivities. On Friday, the Narren of New Ulm proceeded with their annual capture of the New Ulm Mayor. On Sunday, a special Fasching celebration will be held 1- 4 p.m. at the Best Western Plus. New Ulm’s annual Fasching celebration is a great way for the community to take a break and embrace the holiday season.

THUMBS UP

Applaud efforts to control invasive species

Last week was National Invasive Species Awareness Week. The idea was to raise awareness about the threat posed by invasive species. Last Monday, naturalists Julie and Joe Gartner were busy removing buckthorn in South Park. Buckthron is an invasive species that has spread rapidly through New Ulm parks. The Gartners have been working to control bucktorn in New Ulm parks for years. They also began working to keep down garlic mustard. There have been others in the community working to control invasive plant life. It is a great service to the community to keep local parks clear of plant life that could threaten biodiversity.

THUMBS DOWN

DOGE makes cuts to National Weather Service

The culling of federal employees by DOGE has reached the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Hundreds of weather forecasters fired Thursday. This includes employees working at National Weather Service (NWS) office across the county. The NWS offices provided a great deal of information to the public. News agencies often rely on NWS for information about local weather. The Journal frequently contacts the NWS for information on weather conditions. The timing of these cuts is especially concerning. On Thursday, Feb. 27 temperatures in New Ulm reached a high of 54 degrees. According to Journal records, this was the warmest Feb. 27 on record in New Ulm. This is not even the first time in 2025 New Ulm has set a new high temperature record. It is important to report on these warming weather trends, but with staffing cuts at NOAA and NWS offices providing timely information could be difficult.