Last week, we published a commentary by Lee Hamilton titled “Fake news is a danger to democracy”. Quoting Hamilton: “Our representative democracy depends on ordinary people making sound judgments about politicians and policy. This is hard to do at the best of times. Issues are complex. Being able to sort out what matters and what’s a diversion takes knowledge and … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Technology vs. Relationships
With accessibility to continuously evolving technology comes a responsibility for exercising good judgement. I believe parents or guardians are facing a bit of a quandary, and leading by example is always our best bet. What am I referring to, specifically? Tablets, cell phones, video games -- and all of the above. Too often, parents are using technology as a … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Our community, our youth, and our Veterans
This past week, on Veterans Day, my wife and I attended the Veterans Day program at 1 p.m. at the Fillmore Central Elementary School in Preston. We both had the honor of observing something special. As the Fillmore Central students from second grade through sixth grade gathered in the large gymnasium of the school, they were blessed with the presence of the color guard … [Read more...]
It’s over… the election, that is
On election eve, while typical liberal national media TV anchors abhorred the proposterous notion that Donald Trump could win the road to the White House, the U.S. map was painted with a broad brush of the color red. Pundits and pollsters didn’t see this coming. All analytics indicated Hillary would be heir to the thrown. In Minnesota, of the 4,120 precincts throughout … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… A credit card scam – that’s authorized!
Have you heard about the credit card scam that’s completely legal? In recent months, almost all consumers have been issued new credit and debit cards with a chip installed to prevent fraud. Well, quite frankly, this is just another scam introduced by merchant services companies to sell more new equipment to businesses to maintain compliance with a system that really isn’t … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Are doctors on commission?
“The reality is the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable for an increasing number of people,” stated Governor Dayton on October 12, 2016. I keep hearing about how much more people in Southeast Minnesota are going to have to pay for health insurance premiums. A friend of mine in Fountain just told me that his premium is increasing to $3,000 per month ($36,000/yr) with … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Are doctors on commission?
“The reality is the Affordable Care Act is no longer affordable for an increasing number of people,” stated Governor Dayton on October 12, 2016. I keep hearing about how much more people in Southeast Minnesota are going to have to pay for health insurance premiums. A friend of mine in Fountain just told me that his premium is increasing to $3,000 per month ($36,000/yr) with … [Read more...]
Youthful coulrophobia craze
There has always been a percentage of the population consumed with an overwhelming fear of clowns. While there isn’t any official data regarding how many people struggle with coulrophobia, some estimates indicate around 12% of U.S. adults suffer from this irrational fear of clowns. However, recently, coulrophobia has become the norm among school-aged children. Back in late … [Read more...]
Got drugs?
“Most abused prescription drugs come from family and friends. You could be a drug dealer and not even know it.” That’s the message the Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department wants to share as they approach the DEA National Take-Back Initiative day of Saturday, October 22, 2016. The Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department will be staffing six locations throughout Fillmore County … [Read more...]
A 90% chance
What should a person do if there is a history of cancer in the family? At age 32, Angie Serfling was facing a life-altering decision. She knew that her mother had breast cancer when she was 42-years-old. And, she knew that she had two other family members that had died from breast cancer or ovarian cancer. “It had been something I had always been concerned about,” shared … [Read more...]