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Make a deal in St. Paul to help save state from crime wave

Open up the Minneapolis Star Tribune any day of the week. Violent crime is often highlighted on the front page. The inside of the Minnesota section is filled with disturbing reports. In Monday’s edition, the Star Tribune reported on a fatal stabbing early Sunday morning on a Metro Transit bus and a deadly shooting two hours earlier in the area of Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues. In Saturday’s edition, the newspaper reported of a forensic scientists with the Minneapolis police department shot multiple times while off duty. Another article reported on a man who was wanted on several ...

Adding safety to boating option to Twin Lakes Park

Earlier this month, Lyon County Environmental Administrator Roger Schroeder submitted a proposal to commissioners to apply for boat rental equipment for Twin Lakes Park. The grant would purchase kayaks and a pedal boat that could be used by visitors. The plan for the boating equipment was that it would be available to park visitors for free during times when there is a campground host present, Schroeder said. This year, that would include weekends and major holidays during the camping season. The commissioners were receptive to the idea, but directed Schroeder to add safety gear ...

Passing computer- chip aid legislation shouldn’t be this hard

Even during a time of intense political division, the global computer-chip shortage should be something both Republicans and Democrats be in total agreement that something needs to be done. Try buying a new car. Need a new home appliance — you may have to wait weeks. Even smartphones are more expensive. Members of Congress say they want to do something to help businesses and consumers. Both the House and the Senate have passed major computer chip aid legislation in what is one of the final opportunities before the November elections to show voters they are addressing the ...

It’s crunch time for the Minnesota Legislature

Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, called it the homestretch in his weekly legislative newsletter that he emailed out before the Easter break. There’s about five weeks left in 2022 session for the Minnesota Legislature. And like sessions of the past, members of the House and Senate are leaving all the big decisions to the bitter end. The Associated Press reported this weekend that there’s been little meeting of the minds between the House Democrats and Senate Republicans. Translation: A house divided. Here in southwest Minnesota, there are two items of interest that deserves major ...

‘Not Real News’ trumps real news

It’s a disheartening sign of the times when The Associated Press, the gold standard of reporting real news for the better part of two centuries, is compelled to publish a regular feature called “Not Real News.” This is what the digital medium has wrought: a dystopian hellscape of savage liars and propagandists where anybody can say anything, and any number of people will believe them. It’s incredible, literally, what ridiculous and utter nonsense is being passed off as news, and with the latest version of culture war being waged, an alarming number of people fall victim. Most ...

Suspending ethanol rule good news for motorists and Midwest

Last month more than 1,000 farmers, workers in the ethanol industry and other biofuel supporters sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to allow broader use of lower-cost ethanol blends like E-15. The letter stated that ethanol is the solution to record-high gas prices. Apparently, Biden got the message. He flew to Iowa on Tuesday and announced his administration will suspend a federal rule that bars higher levels of ethanol in gasoline during the summer. The decision was hailed by many in the Midwest, including U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Klobuchar has been a strong ...