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Sextortion happening here

Columns

By Sextortion: threatening to distribute someone’s sexual images, videos, or information in order to receive something of monetary value. This is a word that is slowly becoming unavoidable when we open our social media or news articles. It is common for us to say, “Oh, that doesn’t happen here,” or “That won’t happen to me or my kid.” The truth is that it is happening here, and it could happen to you or someone you know. Although sextortion seems like a new term or is unfamiliar, it has made a very big impact on people in our communities’ lives. WRAP staff have ...

Fighting for the fallen, caring for the living

Columns

Memorial Day is a solemn occasion to honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. We attend parades, place flags at gravesites, and take quiet moments of reflection. But beyond the ceremonies and speeches lies another, often invisible war, one that too many of our veterans and active-duty service members are still fighting. Countless veterans struggle with substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, and an increasing risk of drug overdose. It’s a battle that doesn’t make headlines and is waged silently behind closed doors, far from the front ...

Different perspective on COVID

Letters

To the editor: I have been looking again at “COVID-19 and trust in our community,” an editorial/letter in the Journal in 2021 that was signed by 43 area doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. These signers invited our trust, but made claims that, from what I’ve seen, have turned out not to be correct, such as: “The vaccine’s mRNA is destroyed by your body within hours. It is gone.” Perhaps we need another letter. It could do many things. It could admit that elites and experts got things colossally and catastrophically wrong. It could heap the highest ...

Finding modern warriors mindset

Columns

There really are authentic warriors who live and work around us. We take them for granted, rarely give them much thought, and may not even notice them until something happens. We depend on them, can’t live without them, but may not even know their names. They protect us, and thanks to them, we can go about our lives in peace. Who are the warriors of our time? They are the men and women who serve in the military and those who work in the various branches of law enforcement. They deal with the worst situations, the worst people in society and the world, and occasionally with real ...

Slip sliding way from Constitution

Letters

To the editor: Very often families face the difficult decision of what to do about mom or dad or both of them when they’re no longer able to take care of their day-to-day affairs or themselves. All too often we hear stories of vulnerable seniors who are being stung by a scam to rob them of significant amounts of money. The uncomfortable decision to confiscate their car keys because they’ve become a road hazard is all too common. If your parents are speaking gibberish and going off on tangents that aren’t germane to any conversation you have with them, the possibility of ...

What you need to know about marijuana use

Columns

Many Minnesotans have probably seen media coverage over the last two years talking about the legalization of marijuana (cannabis). In August of 2023, Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize adult-use marijuana. Within the next year, store fronts will be opening their doors across the state selling marijuana products. While legal, there are risks associated with the use of marijuana that can impact both the health and quality of life for those who use it. Marijuana has high concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has intoxicating and mind-altering effects. The higher ...