On Second Thought

Brickbats and Bouquets — a look at the good and bad in Luverne this weekThe paper I interned for after college ran a column, "Brickbats and Bouquets," that highlighted the good and the bad each week in Hastings, Minn.I’d never impose my rants every week, but there are a few observations worth noting:
Brickbats — to Subway owner Jim Dreyden, who wasn’t even in Luverne when more than 30 people simultaneously got sick after eating at his restaurant. It would have been nice to see a little concern for the sick patrons whose weekend plans were ruined by repeated, miserable trips to the bathroom. Instead, he denied the likelihood that Subway was the source, and suggested all 34 people independently and simultaneously came down with a stomach virus from somewhere else.
Bouquets — to Subway Manager Shawn Beyers, who had the sense NOT to follow his boss’s lead. Health officials praised his accommodating spirit throughout the investigation, and now assert that Subway is the "safest place in town" to dine at.Dreyden could learn a few things about public relations from Beyers, whose only miscue was offering free sandwiches to victims instead of reporting problems to health officials.
Brickbats — to our city and county officials (no surprise) for their continued squabbles.There’s not enough time or space in this week’s edition of the Star Herald, but there will soon be a story about the costs of all this discord to taxpayers.Public officials don’t work for free, and in their noble quest to "save taxpayers money," they’re spending an outrageous amount of time — on the clock — nitpicking to save what is comparatively nickels and dimes.
Bouquets — to Luverne Elementary Teacher Tim Christensen, who exemplifies all that is good and right with teachers in Luverne.Because he went out of his way to apply for and secure a grant, students in Luverne get to take a field trip to the Science Museum next month — for free.What’s comforting to know is that Tim’s not the only outstanding teacher in Luverne. As a frequent guest in school hallways, I’m continually impressed by teachers and staff going the extra mile for students.
Brickbats — to DVD players in vehicles. If TVs, computers and PlayStations haven’t ruined American family conversation, DVD players in automobiles will.I used to think that family car rides offered the perfect escape from home media distractions and a wonderful opportunity for family members to connect with each other.Not so anymore. We can all just go on tuning each other out, hardly missing a beat from home to car to movie theater.
Bouquets — to DVD players in vehicles. Even though I just gave them a brickbat, I could have used one Tuesday night during the 10-minute drive home from work with a tired, hungry and grumpy toddler.He’d given his big brother a piece of used candy (gross!) but promptly wanted it back after it was swallowed. Unable to retrieve the used and now swallowed candy, we were treated to the shrill cries of a toddler tantrum all the way home.A little "Bob the Builder" DVD would have gone a long way that night.