President Joe Biden marked his first 100 days in office Wednesday with his first address to a joint session of Congress.

Biden pointed optimistically to the nation’s emergence from the pandemic as a vital moment to rebuild the U.S. economy and maintain democracy.

An ovation came as Biden greeted Vice President Kamala Harris. He said, “No president has ever said those words from this podium, and it’s about time.”

The president is following the speech by pushing his plans in person, beginning in Georgia Thursday and then on to Pennsylvania and Virginia in the days ahead.

Local artist Mark Balma has been commissioned to create three 20-foot tall frescoes for the Church of Immaculate Conception in Terni, Italy.

Due to the pandemic, he is starting the pieces in a building in uptown Minneapolis and will use an ancient Greek technique to preserve them as they make the 5,000 mile trek to the church.

Balma plans to install some work in Italy this summer, then complete the rest in the following two years.

Matt Allen, a hip-hop artist known as Nur-D, blends pop culture and hip-hop production to create hard-hitting commentary on current events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the death of George Floyd last summer.

After seeing injustice firsthand, Allen and a few friends formed a group called Justice Frontline Aid that goes out and provides first aid and many other needed services to protesters and others who may have been injured during protests last summer.

Many of his experiences influenced the two studio albums that he has produced as Nur-D since then.

Cam Kauffman can be reached at kauf8536@stthomas.edu.