While we Americans were paying tribute to our fallen heroes during Memorial Day weekend, observant Muslims here and abroad were marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Even in Afghanistan, there was a pause in hostilities between government and Taliban forces. It came as U.S. and ...
Many public school districts are ending the academic year early or plan to do so, The Associated Press reports. In some, use of distance learning via online tools has been pronounced a disappointment. But come August and September, when American children return to school — we hope — ...
Every crisis has new heroes. During the 9/11 attacks, they were the first responders running into burning and crumbling buildings as others ran out. Now, during the Coronavirus pandemic, the most visible heroes are the health care professionals, who are saving others and risking their own ...
A slight turn of the dial THUMBS SIDEWAYS: As anticipated, Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday turned the dial a little more. But for some, he didn’t turn that dial enough. In fact, a lot of restaurant and bar businesses, along with churches, expressed disappointment. Minnesotans have been ...
Nearly every American has suffered financially from the COVID-19 epidemic. At least 36 million of us were laid off from our workplaces. Even those still on the job have seen their retirement savings decimated. But a few people — those who had some forewarning of the economic havoc to come ...
In the spirit of “Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow,” the Minnesota Legislature let the current session end Sunday without coming to agreement on a bonding bill. House Republicans voted en masse against the Democrats’ proposed bonding bill on Saturday, and Sunday’s ...
Unanimity over how much power intelligence agencies should have to pry into Americans’ personal affairs has disappeared with reports during the past few years of unconstitutional invasions of privacy. Victims of that have ranged from high-ranking government officials down to millions of other ...
It’s time to get back to work THUMBS UP: Gov. Tim Walz made the right decision in transitioning Minnesota from the stringent restrictions of the original stay-at-home order. The governor announced Wednesday that he was letting the stay-at-home order expire on Monday. Most retail stores ...
During three and one-half years, Americans converted a peacetime economy to become the arsenal of democracy and win World War II. The “greatest generation” accomplished that because it had to be done, for the good of all humankind. Now we as a nation face another challenge, of far less ...
As we approach another major decision by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on whether or not to extend the stay-at-home order, some local government officials are lobbying to let most businesses open up. On Monday, the cities of Wood Lake and Cottonwood sent letters to Walz to allow their small ...
“It’s a death march,” was the quote from Joe Enriques Henry of the League of United Latin American Citizens in a Minneapolis Star Tribune article on meatpacking plants. The Sunday edition article claims that thousands of workers are still not being tested for COVID-19. If that claim is ...
World War II and 9/11 both changed the way Americans thought about and understood their country. We may be going there again in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The rush to aid the victims of the pandemic by the health care system, nonprofits, business and, yes, the government, has been ...
Timing is bad for pay raises THUMBS DOWN: Timing is everything, especially when it comes to COVID-19. Unfortunately, the timing is bad for pay raises that were negotiated for tens of thousands of state workers. On Tuesday, we learned that the COVID-19 pandemic will be taking a $4 billion ...
It was widely assumed that the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures being taken to contain it would impact the state’s economy. Just how much was announced on Tuesday in the latest financial projection from the Minnesota Budget and Management office. In its February projection, the office ...
House Speaker Kurt Daudt stated over the weekend that it is appropriate for legislators to join in the decision making with Gov. Tim Walz over how to keep Minnesotans safe during the coronavirus pandemic. And therefore, the GOP members of the House won’t be voting on a bonding bill until the ...
Like everything else these days, wearing face masks in public has become controversial and divisive. An unscientific poll conducted on marshallindependent.com highlights this division among our readers. The question: Do you wear a mask when you go to the grocery store? As of Monday, 52% ...
Depending on the source, the coronavirus pandemic and its devastating human and economic consequences are the fault of the Chinese, the Trump administration, impeachment-obsessed Democrats, governors who either moved too quickly or too slowly to shut down their states, and profit-hungry ...
Dairy farmer gives back THUMBS UP: There is a military principle that is taught to leaders to inspire their soldiers: Lead from the front. As in the Army, or in the community, that often means leading by example. In one case of leading by example occurred Tuesday when Balaton dairy farmer ...
President Trump has figured out a way to deal with those pesky reporters who keep asking questions about his dangerous proposals on fighting the coronavirus and to cope with those medical experts who contradict him on his ridiculous remedies. He has simply stymied their role at the televised ...
“No one should lose their life because they can’t afford the insulin they need to survive.” — DFL state Rep. Mike Howard, (District 50A) Enough House members agreed with Howard to participate in a long-drawn out process involving disputes and bi-partisan negotiations that stretched ...