To the Editor, As a former educator and student of Minnesota’s state educational system, it is very confusing that Senator Jeremy Miller initially voted against funding Winona State University’s multi-million dollar Education Village. Then, by back peddling, Jeremy Miller voted for Education Village. I don’t get it. I want a state senator who will support Winona State … [Read more...]
Letter about Support for Greg Davids…
To the Editor, Fact: Schools across Minnesota are collecting more money from state government than they ever have in history. I mention this not as a shot at our schools, but as a thank you to State Representative Greg Davids for working across the aisle to secure this needed local revenue and for put our families first. A recent letter insinuated that Greg Davids hasn’t … [Read more...]
Letter about County departments…
To the Editor, Most of the county departments’ heads are now selected by the county board. Social service, health, veterans, assessor, zoning, etc. If we vote to change the law, the county board can get information and select the best qualified person. This is why we have elected a commissioner from each district to jointly supervise the county, including hiring and … [Read more...]
Letter about Voter paralysis?…
To the Editor, On the rare occasions when I get chance to talk politics, the feedback I get is disturbing. I assume it is brought on by the negative reporting of the traditional media. The consensus would seem to be, both candidates are horrible people and here we go again, having to choose the lesser of two evils. According to several polls, the American people are … [Read more...]
Recycling 101 ~ 10/24/16
Did you participate in the Fillmore County Hazardous Household Waste Collection held recently? The weather was exceptionally nice and gave many of you the opportunity to clear a lot of that unwanted stuff out of your homes. How many visitors did we have? According to the surveys completed by one person in each vehicle, 161 vehicles brought hazardous waste for proper … [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...]
Fighting for health care?
By David R. Webb, MD Object to your tax dollars going to pay administrators of Medicare/Medicaid programs? How then do you feel about your ever-increasing insurance premiums going to pay the ever-increasing salaries of for-profit health insurance company CEOs? In the last decade for which figures are available, CEO’s at the 10 largest of these companies pocketed nearly $1 … [Read more...]
Why we have backups
Who would have thought we’d see the Vikings as the NFL’s lone unbeaten team five games into the season? I sure wouldn’t, and most other folks wouldn’t either. After all, here in Minnesota we lost our starting quarterback and our star running back, the biggest name in Minnesota football for years... and somehow here we are, sitting pretty atop that wacky cartel they call the … [Read more...]
Do the debates help us choose wisely?
We’re in the middle of the presidential debates, and not surprisingly, they’re drawing viewers in great numbers. This is hardly a bad thing. Overall, presidential debates are a plus for the public dialogue. Yet I think our focus on debates — at least in the form they currently take — is misplaced: they don’t actually help us make a good choice. Here’s why: I’ve sat in on … [Read more...]
A message to all Trump supporters
If you are in the Trump camp, here’s the man you are supporting: 1. A candidate who refused to accept President Obama’s citizenship even after he revealed his American birth certificate. 2. A candidate who degrades and insults a former American prisoner of war (John McCain) and refuses to recognize him as a hero. 3. A candidate who publicly mocks a handicapped … [Read more...]