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Understanding the Permanent School Fund question on November ballot

Columns

As Minnesotans begin voting in the Nov. 3 general election, there is one question on every ballot that directly relates to public schools across our state. It concerns Minnesota’s Permanent School Fund — a resource that has been supporting public education for generations. The Permanent School Fund is not a new program or a new source of taxation. Its roots go back to Minnesota’s earliest days as a state, when land was set aside for the benefit of public education. Today, Minnesota maintains approximately 2.5 million acres of school trust land and mineral rights on ...

Gone antiquing

Columns

Our old neighbor Al Warnes had a knack for malapropisms that were unintentionally amusing. For instance, “transplant” always came out as “replant” as in, “She got a kidney replant.” And “rummage sale” was unfailingly pronounced as “rubbish sale.” That last turn of phrase ...

Thumbs up/down

Editorials

THUMBS DOWN Brown County cow confirmed for rabies The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed a Brown County Hereford heifer tested positive for rabies earlier this month. The cow’s owner noticed odd behavior on Sept. 1, including lying flat with its head down. By Sept 3. The animal began showing other symptoms including uncoordinated hind legs, was high-stepping, vocalizing, hyper-salivating, and had a high temperature. The animal was euthanized and tested for rabies, which came back positive. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommended nine people obtain rabies ...

Two journalists with passion for news

Columns

I am a big fan of newspapers in general and local journalism in particular. My reading world took a blow when two friends announced their retirement in the same week. Fritz Busch is stepping down to a part-time role as staff writer at The Journal in New Ulm. Deb Moldaschel is leaving the Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch where she has been helping out after a stint as editor. Fritz and Deb are my age and I’ve known them as far back as I can see. The age we are is made interesting by seeing how all of us boomers wrangle with this thing called “retirement.” Many of my friends are ...

What’s going on?

Letters

There are a lot of buzz words or phrases being used lately. I suppose they are used to sway people’s thinking to vote a certain way. The two in the forefront today are “Christian nationalism” and “Big Tent.” True enough the U.S. is a Christian nation, founded by Christians over 250 years ago. The spiritual intent of the law is to love God and the person next to you. As the “Big Tent” goes there is only one tent. That tent is not big. That “tent” is “you.” Take care of your own little “tent.” Joyce Meyer famously phrases “wisdom is sanctified common ...

Our leaders unable to solve problems

Letters

In the movie, The Odessey, the hero Odysseus must sail past the two most evil Goddesses in Greek mythology. On one shore is Scylla, represented by sharp immovable rocks and a six-headed man-eating monster, while on the opposing shore is Charybdis who is portrayed as a violent whirlpool who will suck everybody in and kill them. The similarities between these two Goddesses and our modern political system is unnerving. I see Scylla, and her sharp rocks as representing Republican conservatism while Charybdis is shown a whirlpool similar to liberal Democrats. Isn’t it crazy that American ...