Breaking News

Opinion

Ask a Trooper

Local Columns

Question: I saw your last article was about stopping. With school just around the corner, can you talk about stopping for the school bus? Answer: I certainly can and with last year’s law change it’s a good reminder. Previously, the law required drivers to stop for a bus’s red flashing lights and extended stop arm. Alarmingly, this could create a situation where some drivers might pass the bus when the lights were flashing but the stop arm wasn’t extended. The updated law closes the loophole and improves the safety of children across Minnesota. There’s no more trying to beat ...

Life is a series of tries

Local Columns

While visiting our local public library and having a conversation with a friend of mine — whom I'll name Bobolink — it ended with him saying life is a series of tries. There's a lot of wisdom in that statement, so let's ruminate on it for a bit. Don't we all try to be a decent person? We would all like to think that's true, but we know there are those “stinkers” out there who, for whatever reason, fall off the decency truck. Of course, we can't judge too harshly. Who knows what mental/spiritual or physical burden they are carrying. Therefore, let's always try to pass on ...

Habitat beyond the hunt

Local Columns

The first hunting opportunity of the year in our region is just a matter of days away with the early Canada goose season set to open in North Dakota on Aug. 15, and from there the rest will roll out as quickly across all of the places you read this column for all of the species you love to ...

Varmint vexations

Community Voices

Wildlife must be doing quite well, judging by the volume of roadkill I’ve seen lately. There seems to be a season for each species to commit highway hara-kiri. For instance, a month or so ago skunks were the prevalent source of roadside gore. Most of the stinkers appeared to be fairly young, perhaps the skunk equivalent of teenagers. This leads one to wonder what drove these youngsters to seek this smushed state. Maybe peer pressure was a factor: “I dare you to cross that road! Are you a skunk or a chicken? Bwaak, bwaak! There he goes... Run, Pepé, run! No! Don’t stop and ...

Contested primaries offer more choices for average voters

Community Voices

Minnesota is in the spotlight this summer thanks to primary races for several its highest offices. Endorsed DFL candidate Peggy Flanagan faces a widely publicized challenge from Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig for the U.S. Senate nomination. On the Republican side, several candidates for governor are hoping to advance to the general election where they would face Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Several candidates are also running for the Senate seat. Decisions will be made next week on Tuesday. Judging from posts on my Facebook, the Senate DFL race has led to divided opinions even among local and ...

Freedom or socialism is our choice

Letters to the Editor

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” A quote from former President, Ronald Reagan. The choice is ours, freedom or socialism. One cannot exist simultaneously with the other. Some people seem to have a difficult time grasping that truth. This country and our freedom survived solely because of those who were and are still willing to fight and die for the privilege of living in the greatest country this world has ever known. The United States of America has long been the world’s most generous country, bar none. We have come to the rescue of those in ...