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THUMBS DOWN Fraud speculation makes day care crisis worse in Minnesota The federal government is pausing federal funding for child care in Minnesota. This comes in the wake of YouTuber Nick Shirley posting a video in which he claims a dozen Minneapolis day cares were not really operating as day cares and fraudulently taking federal funds. Though the allegations have yet to be proven, it has resulted in the entire state losing federal funding for day care. Minnesota has long faced a day care shortage. There are not enough providers to meet the demand of parents. Even if this funding ...

Minnesota’s fraud problem

Columns

Every week, there is another headline about fraud in Minnesota. From the Feeding Our Future scandal to ongoing problems in childcare and health care programs, taxpayers keep learning that millions meant to help Minnesotans are being wasted or stolen. Minnesotans are generous people. We want to help families who need support. But when the state fails to oversee these programs, that generosity gets abused. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar that does not help a child, a senior, or a person with disabilities. Fraud should not be a partisan issue. Unfortunately, in Minnesota, it has ...

End tragic loss of life due to guns

Letters

To the editor: We were  very pleased to see the recent letter to the editor in The Journal that was sent in by Colleen Hokenson and  Vicki Pieser on behalf of Marlys Zetah dealing with shootings. We agree that some solutions need to be carried out to  prevent the terrible carnage like what happened at the end of summer at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. But it also seems like shootings have become an almost daily event in the U.S. Many other countries with stricter gun laws  have far fewer shootings. What can be done here in the US? We will never do away with guns but ...

Look at the good Trump has accomplished

Letters

To the editor: The letter to the editor in the Dec. 17th Journal points out some of the faults in President Trump’s remarks. Words mean everything and once spoken, they remain. We also need to look at the good he has done for our country, not just his remarks. Ourselves, we are graduates of the University of Hard Knocks, learning to take people for what and who they are, and respecting their point of view. We do not like the personal remarks that come from Trump’s mouth, however, We voted for the Trump Administration, not for who he is, but for some of the following reasons: ...

Finding connection in later life

Columns

Dear Annie: Now that my husband and I are in our 70s, it feels as if our social world has shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. Friends have moved away to be near their children, others are dealing with health issues, and a few have simply drifted off. We used to host dinners, take short trips and enjoy a lively circle. Now the phone barely rings. Our children are kind but busy, and I don’t want to rely on them for every bit of companionship. Still, the quiet gets to me. I just want something to look forward to besides doctor’s ...

Minnesota’s future being priced away — and next generation sees it firsthand

Columns

I am part of a generation that wants to farm here, build businesses here, and raise families here. But more and more, Minnesota is making that harder, not because we lack innovation or work ethic, but because failed DFL state leadership continues to ignore the basic costs of doing business. The warning signs are already clear. According to the Minnesota Chamber’s most recent Business Benchmarks report, from 2019 to 2024 Minnesota ranked 38th in GDP growth, 40th in labor force growth, and 41st in net domestic migration. For young people deciding where to plant roots, those numbers ...