There are times when kicking the can down the road can be a wise governmental maneuver. The New Ulm City Council made artful use of the tactic on Tuesday on the issue of what to do to replace the Center Street retaining wall at Hermann Heights Park. Last week the New Ulm Park and Rec ...

Another day, another bill in Congress aimed at curbing the drug abuse epidemic sweeping the nation. This one was approved Monday by a vote of 99-1 in the Senate. A similar bill was approved several weeks ago by the House of Representatives. Now, the two chambers must reconcile their versions ...

The last-minute accusation that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh may have tried to force himself on a young woman while he was at a party in high school smacks of political opportunism, but the charge is serious in this #MeToo world and Kavanaugh deserves a chance to have it heard and to ...

The leaders of our local governments have a responsibility to do the very best they can for citizens and taxpayers. So when Congressman Tim Walz sends out his staff to ask how the federal government might be able to help them, our leaders rightly respond with their “wish lists.” Such was ...

President Donald Trump seems to be having a hard time with data from Puerto Rico. A study of deaths resulting from Hurricane Maria and its aftermath are making it hard for him to claim an “incredible unsung success” in his administrations response to the suffering in the U.S. ...

Hermann’s hillside THUMBS DOWN: Sometimes aesthetic concerns bump up against the cold, hard facts of reality. What is nice may cost a lot more than what one can afford. Such a situation was debated this week in the New Ulm Park & Rec commission meeting. Commissioners looking for a ...

Former New Ulm police officer and mayor Bert Schapekahm had a big impact on New Ulm. One of the longest lasting legacies of his long career in New Ulm is going on this week with a visit to New Ulm from police officers in Germany through the German American Police Program. This exchange, going ...

Public education is touted as a great equalizer. Which is to say that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can better yourself because you can attend public school and receive an education. With a high school diploma, a person could get a decent job, go on to technical school or ...

Les Moonves, the latest entertainment industry titan to be accused of sexual harassment and assault, announced his resignation as CEO of the CBS Network Sunday. On Monday, CBS revealed it has set aside $120 million as a “goodbye, good riddance” severance package — provided its ...

September 11, 2001 is a day that is seared in the nation’s memory. On this day 17 years ago, the worst terrorist attack in world history was carried out by 19 muslim terrorists at the behest of al Qaida. They hijacked four jetliners in a coordinated effort. Two were flown into the Twin ...

Politicians in the big-government crowd would have us believe that spending tons of money on public schools is the way to ensure children get good educations. Really? Ask parents in Detroit about that. At $14,259, Detroit public schools’ per-pupil spending is the eighth-highest of the 100 ...

Democratic senators who made a mockery of fairness in hearings for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh insist they are being denied information they need to decide whether he is qualified. Not really. Senators have been given many more documents regarding Kavanaugh than were provided for ...

HermannFest THUMBS UP: The HermannFest celebration in New Ulm continues to grow and thrive. The celebration takes place today at Hermann Heights Park and Harman Park, under the gaze of Hermann himself. Hermann has a special place in world history, the Cheruscan chief who set back the ...

Occasionally, members of Congress become ensnared in technicalities in ethics rules. Some have been criticized officially for potential conflicts of interest involving personal businesses that might be affected by bills upon which the lawmakers vote. What about measures providing billions of ...

Government officials often are not the most popular people. Whether because federal agencies do things that can cost people their jobs or due to general dislike based on ideology, some have good reason to worry about their safety. Apparently, former Environmental Protection Agency head Scott ...

Last year Minnesota suffered through its largest measles outbreak, with 75 cases reported, many of them in the Somali community in Minneapolis. The Somali population was vulnerable because many parents had received misinformation about the possibility that vaccines can cause autism. This ...

We hear a lot about unemployment rates, the gross domestic product, business inventories and a variety of other economic indicators. But among the most interesting are productivity reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In essence, productivity data compares the value of goods and ...

As we celebrate Labor Day today, most Americans are grateful for a day off, but we may not spend a lot of time thinking about the origins of Labor Day and what it has meant to Americans over the years. First proposed in the 1880s by labor unions to celebrate the country’s laboring class and ...

Tuesday was a tough day for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Members of his country’s parliament raked him over the coals because he has not done enough to keep the economy from crashing and burning. What a shame. Pardon our sarcasm, please. But news Iran’s leaders are becoming angry ...

Holiday safety Pointer: Labor Day weekend is upon us, the last weekend of summer before fall and school and Christmas shopping ads. People will be heading to The Lake for one last long weekend, or heading to the Minnesota State Fair, or holding parties and picnics at home. It’s also a time ...