Greetings Albert Lea! We're your go-to source for what's happening in town. Read on to get plugged in! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Will Barnett at 112 on Broadway and 3 more events.
Today's riddle: What do you call a belt that is made of watches? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Council approves preliminary 7.87% levy increase for 2027 (albertleatribune.com) — Albert Lea's City Council has tentatively approved a 7.87% property tax levy increase for 2027, which would add about $35 a year to a $100,000 home. City leaders say the hike covers rising personnel costs, law enforcement center expenses, and technology needs, while also trying to grow the tax base and avoid overburdening lower-income residents and major employers.
2. 'I'm so proud of my hometown': Design Ready Controls expands... (albertleatribune.com) — Design Ready Controls is thriving in Albert Lea and now considering expanding its local operation after strong hiring and support from the city, ALEDA, and Freeborn County. The plant, which started with EV charging stations, now builds controls for data centers and AI-related projects, employs around 150–160 people, and could potentially double its workforce if growth continues.
3. Superintendent gives update on high school vandalism to scho... (albertleatribune.com) — Albert Lea police are wrapping up interviews with 52 students tied to vandalism at Albert Lea High School and expect to begin filing charges soon, the superintendent told the school board. Damage from paintballs and spray paint affected the building's stucco, alumni wall, and plaques, and the district is consulting specialists on how best to repair the alumni displays.
4. Albert Lea welcomes first barber school in southeast Minnesota (kimt.com) — Albert Lea just celebrated the ribbon cutting for the new State Line School of Barbering, the first barber school in southeast Minnesota and only the eighth in the state. Owner Rashi "Ra" Dildy is offering a 1,500-hour program that blends classroom instruction with extensive shop-floor practice, aiming to train licensed barbers who can launch careers and even open shops in Albert Lea and beyond.
5. Olmsted County District Court inmates set to be released in October (seminnesotanews.com) — A Minnesota Department of Corrections report shows several people sentenced in Olmsted County, including one released from the MnDOC Albert Lea District facility, are scheduled to complete prison or supervised release terms in October. The data highlights sentence lengths, facilities, and expected release dates, and notes that most people leaving prison avoid new felony convictions within three years.
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Ok Albert Lea! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A waist of time. (Thank you Martin L. for sending it in!)
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