To the Editor: The Republican message during the last campaign was “jobs, jobs, jobs.” The Republican majority in the 2012 session hasn’t created a single job. Instead, Republicans gave us an extremely partisan agenda, full of corporate kickbacks and continued tax breaks for the wealthiest. Republicans are spinning a very different story, fabricating and embellishing Read more »
To the Editor: Here’s how the redistribution of American wealth works: John Smith set his alarm clock (made in Japan) for 6 a.m. While his coffee pot (made in China) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor (made in Hong Kong). He put on a dress shirt (made in Sri Lanka), designer jeans (made Read more »
To the Editor: Royalton Community Education is grateful for another successful Easter egg hunt. Thank you to the local businesses for donating so much including: Coborn’s, McDonald’s of Rice, Royalton Dairy Queen, North Bound Automotive, Crafts Direct, Cash Wise, Jordie’s Trailside Café, Little Falls Walmart, Royalton Pine Country Bank and an anonymous donor. Also a Read more »
Back before the Great Recession began, one of my neighbors would get a new car or a new boat or build a new house, and the Secretary of the Treasury at our house would invariably ask me, “Now how can they afford that?” Well, as the recession revealed, not all of them could. When the Read more »
Hope for a Vikings stadium deal waxed and waned this week, the result of irresolute or ornery legislators who seem to reflect the conflicted views of their constituents. But the rush to assemble a stadium funding package did expose a problem that deserves fixing, with or without a stadium package. Minnesota’s charitable gambling outlets have Read more »
Some Buffetts are billionaires, some are Parrot Heads, and at least one is a farmer/philanthropist. The first is Warren Buffett, the second is country singer Jimmy Buffett, and the third is the unassuming son of Warren, Howard Buffett, Illinois corn and soybean farmer. Buffett has shunned the spotlight of his famous Nebraska father for years Read more »
To the Editor: The Minnesota Legislature has worked hard and made many reforms this biennium. The evidence of some of this shows up in the budget surplus. The state was in a $6.2 billion deficit prior to this Legislature. Thanks to all this Legislature has accomplished, the state now has a surplus of $1.2 billion. Read more »
To the Editor: Thank you to the compassionate lady who stopped on Highway 27 Friday, April 13, around 9:30 p.m. She found our dog wounded, lying in the middle of the road. She helped him to safety, then knocked on our door. We did not get her name. We want her to know that our Read more »
To the Editor: While out for my daily walk down Highway 25 the other day, I saw the state highway crack fillers doing their annual spring crack filling. Whoops — did I say filling? They really don’t fill them; they just add a little liquid sealer as they did last spring. What’s up with that? Read more »
To the Editor: Recently a letter was written expressing disappointment that someone couldn’t see me on her group’s visit to the State Capitol, and I apologize for making her feel I wasn’t interested in her concerns. I take all constituents’ concerns very seriously. It’s a very busy time of year at the Capitol. We’re trying Read more »
To the Editor: I am writing to pose a couple of questions to my fellow District 9 constituents. First, who deserves an endorsement? Second, do we really want to send a new person to the Minnesota State Senate? I also want to leave my fellow constituents with a few thoughts. I believe that Sen. Gazelka Read more »
To the Editor: In 1970, Ken Collier ran for Congress in Florida to write a book about the experience and unexpectedly discovered extensive governmental vote-counting shenanigans/whitewashes in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including “hanging chads” on punch card ballots. A frustrating two-decade battle, partnering with brother Jim, ensued to uncover, expose and remedy massive Read more »
To the Editor: The Red Cross Bloodmobile at St. Francis Convent, Little Falls, received 252 units — 21 units over our goal. Thanks to donors who gave, who came but couldn’t donate, also first-time donors; businesses allowing for posters; Little Falls Radio, Morrison County Record, Channel 6—who informed the public, Pine Country Bank, Ace/Coborn’s and Read more »
By Don Heinzman, Guest Columnist Apparently there is bipartisan legislative support to pass a sales tax on online purchases made in Minnesota to online sellers located outside the state, like Amazon. This makes so much sense because it would bring in a badly needed extra $5 million this year and more next year. Critics will say Read more »
Weather is everybody’s favorite icebreaker, but it always amazes me how little we remember of the day-to-day ups and downs. A tornado stays in hearts and minds for a lifetime, but only the worst blizzards are recalled for more than a few years. So it was that I could not recall when we had a Read more »
