Breaking News

Letters

Let Willkommen truly be welcomed

To the editor: One of the central values within our community is “Willkommen,” which even appears on the sign as one enters town. My concern is that many of our LGBTQIA+ neighbors feel quite the opposite, not only unwelcome, but also unsafe in our midst. I understand the opposing viewpoints regarding homosexuality well, as I grew up with one firm perspective within my Christian family. Through the authentic faith expression of LGBTQIA+ people I have known, however, I firmly believe that working toward welcome and understanding is the more grace-full Christian path. I grew up in ...

Too many letters from cranks

To the editor: Thirty years ago, Carl Pfluger wrote a great essay, “On Cranks.” If one submits more than four letters per year to the editor of one’s local newspaper, chances are, one is a crank. Here are a few takes from Pfluger’s essay: “A crank is a man possessed by a rampant idea… Anyone may have ideas, but a crank’s idea has him… We recognize a crank not by the content of his thought but by its style… I suspect that most people, on hearing a man described as a crank, cannot help making some association with the ubiquitous machine of the same name. We have, ...

Data — let’s check the sources

To the editor: I saw the letter to the editor by Ms. Jan Platz today (10/25/2022) I would like to know where Ms. Platz got the information — 50% increase in crime. I checked the FBI web page which has not released the 2021 or 2022 data (I only saw 2019 data there). USAFACT.ORG doesn’t have that data either. The BBC (British Broadcast Corporation)’s article “US crime: Is America seeing a surge in violence?” - https://www.bbc.com/news/57581270, doesn’t show the numbers remotely close to what Ms. Plaz mentioned. (Yes, I read news web sites of different countries.) Ms. ...

Elect challengers

To the editor: As the General Election comes nearer, it’s time to endorse candidates. ISD 88 is front and center in my mind. The ISD 88 website lists current MCA scores at: Science 50%, Math 50%, Reading 51%. I would say those are dismal scores by any measure, and would have earned me an “F” with an exclamation point in 1979. The website also lists goals for the district. 1.) Increase growth in state/national assessments by 3% each year. (Again, a dismal failure as scores have declined by 3-6% overall over the last 4 years. 2.) Advance Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity (DIE). ...

Strong Schools Vital to Strong Community

To the Editor: At a recent Board of Directors meeting for the New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce, the board voted unanimously to support the upcoming New Ulm Schools 2022 Referendum, which is up for renewal on the November 8 ballot. Continued feedback from our Chamber Members about the availability of skilled workforce, as well as community assets to attract this workforce, has influenced this decision. Quality K-12 education is essential for a thriving business community. Our ability to attract and keep a skilled workforce is crucial to our economic sustainability. In essence, if we ...

Ettinger for Congress

To the editor: Jeff Ettinger is a refreshing community leader running for Congressional District 1. From Austin, Jeff served as the Hormel CEO and built a capable, diverse work force while improving pay and benefits. He knows how to meet a payroll and deal with supply chain disruptions and inflation. Jeff now heads the Hormel Foundation and Co-Chairs Governor Walz’s economic development task force. I support Jeff because he brings together people of all walks of life - local government officials, new Americans, everyday workers and business people, to solve problems and improve ...