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The power of workers and unions in 2024

Last year, scenes of striking workers and picket lines dominated the news. Workers from all corners of the American economy — from writers and auto workers, to teachers and health care professionals — came together to fight for their fair share. The labor movement had a big moment in 2023. I hope we can say the same in 2024. In the fall, I went to Hudson, Wisconsin to stand in solidarity with the striking members of Local 722 of the United Auto Workers.  About half those workers in Hudson are Minnesotans.  On that rainy day, amidst a small tent with snacks and drinks, I ...

SMSU’s Gold College proves that learning is a lifelong process

Southwest Minnesota State University’s Gold College is proof that learning never has to stop. Gold College is set to begin next month for a six-week spring semester. A kick off event is planned for Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. in Charter Hall 201. I’m thinking about signing up for a Gold College class for the first time. It would be fun to learn something new. It’s also a chance to go back to school without the pressure of tests or grades. I’m feeling almost like I felt 20 years ago when I enrolled in graduate school. Education still offers valuable opportunities. I have experience ...

The pickle blizzard

The recent cold snap that roared down from the north like the Four Frigid Horsemen of the Arctic Apocalypse should not have come as a surprise. Yet many of us were surprised. We had been spoiled by an unusually mild autumn and early winter. Up until Christmas, a person could go about his or her outdoor business without dressing in more layers than a four-foot-tall wedding cake. The profound cold that we normally associate with winter stayed away until mid-January. We shouldn’t complain, but we did. It’s in our nature to bellyache about Nature. The blizzard set upon ...

Kids returning home for visit a reminder the importance of childhood

We had kids in the house again. It was a trip back in time. One forgets what it’s like to share bathrooms and use all those dishes. Our children floated back home to live on and off as young adults between school and jobs, but they’ve been gone for a while. Now they live in far-flung places and getting them together is not common. Abby was here from Bogota, Colombia, and Ezra from Denver. We spent time with Anna who is comparatively close in Rochester. I have been thinking about how that part of your life where you are raising children seems so consuming when you are in it. But ...

As we enter this time of the year, I often receive questions regarding how our District makes weather-related decisions. I would like to take this opportunity to share a bit about our process. When determining whether to have in-person school, implement an e-Learning Day, or have a late start, we consider various factors. Our decision-making process involves analyzing multiple weather forecasting models, including input from the National Weather Service specifically tailored to our immediate area. We not only assess the current weather conditions but also take into account the ...

New state flag will be raised on Statehood Day

Editor’s note: Aaron Wittnebel wrote this op-ed in response to a New Ulm Journal story. A similar story was published in the Independent By Aaron Wittnebel In response to the Journal’s recent “Minnesota Flags Staying Put” article, I was hoping to clarify some of the misunderstanding, and correct some of the misinformation that is out there regarding the new State Flag and Great Seal. The first that should help city staff, is that the new State Flag has been approved, the statutory authority was vest in the State Emblems Redesign Commission by an act of the Legislature and ...