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Manchin holds the power in Senate

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, (W-Va) holds the power in the U.S. Senate in regard to the $2 trillion Build Back Better bill that President Joe Biden is hoping to get passed. To get it through the Senate, which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats, Biden needs all 50 Democrats to vote “yea”. On Sunday Manchin said that he won’t be doing that for a bill he feels is too expensive and too sweeping. The White House shot back, with Press Secretary Jen Psaki called Manchin’s statement a “sudden and inexplicable reversal of his position,” and said Manchin had given ...

Thumbs Up/Down

Get mall settled Thumbs Up: City Manager Chris Dalton had some interesting news for the city Economic Development Authority, and indeed for citizens of New Ulm when he announced Tuesday that the city is close to closing on a deal for the Marktplatz Mall. If the city can get that giant white elephant in the middle of downtown New Ulm combined under one title, and turn it over to someone who knows what to do with it, it may become something of value. For too long, the mall struggled, especially when it was split between two owners who were more interested in warring with each other ...

The Minnesota difference

There is one thing that makes Minnesota different from every other state in the union. We are the only state with a divided Legislature — Democrats hold the majority in the House of Representatives, and the Republicans control the Senate. This may create some problems, like the inability to pass a two-year budget without going to special sessions, but it also produces one advantage. Since the House and Senate will never agree on a redistricting map every ten yeas, it falls to a panel of impartial judges. So instead of one party drawing up districts designed to add to their majority, ...

Need for blood is urgent

As we’ve said, this is the season of giving. Some people give money, some donate food items to help those in need. But an even greater need for health care is a reliable supply of blood. In Minnesota, the American Red Cross collects and distributes blood to health care facilities. It is constantly working to make sure that those of us who may need blood — and that could be any one of us, at any time — will have it when we need it. Right now, the Red Cross is struggling to keep an adequate supply. It has been for months, and the combination of the holidays and concerns over ...

Service and leadership

Two members of the New Ulm Park and Recreation Commission will be stepping down at the end of the year. Robert Skillings and Christopher Vorwerk have served their terms, and since the commission has decided it doesn’t really need nine members, it is downsizing. Skillings and Vorwerk won’t be replaced. Seven members may be all the commission really needs, but it will miss the service and leadership these two commissioners have provided over the last few years, as the City of New Ulm planned and put into effect the RENU projects which have revamped the city’s recreational ...

Vaccine anniversary

One year ago, something few people expected could happen, did happen. After nearly a year of people living in isolation, wearing masks and working from home, if their jobs hadn’t been eliminated due the the COVID-19 pandemic, a safe, effective vaccine was ready to ship to health care centers around the world. Developed over months, instead of the traditional years under the Trump Administration’s “Warp Speed” program, the Pfizer vaccine, then the Modern and Johnson & Johnson vaccine was administered to those most at risk from the virus. Within a couple of months, the number of ...