Every. Year. It never fails. During this time we are hounded about receiving our flu shot. For most of us, we understand the general concept: flu shot = not getting sick, hopefully. However, how many of us actually grasp the details of this process? Is it really worth it? Why it is important? Let’s delve into that. Influenza (AKA ‘the flu’) is a generalized name for an … [Read more...]

By Mary True Bell I say, “No longer can we sit back and watch the lives and ways of native people being disrespected and threatened.” As of Saturday, September 3 over 60 tribes had gathered together at The Camp of the Sacred Stones to stand peacefully against the Dakota pipeline that threatens their precious water supply. In every way possible these people are giving and … [Read more...]

I was once told that the old idea of the “American Melting Pot” was a little... off. In reality, I was told, America is more like a stew: each of the ingredients add something to the entire ensemble, but overall retain their own structure. America is much the same, with little outposts of culture here and there because America doesn’t force assimilation. Where you might see … [Read more...]

I’ve been involved in politics for the better part of a lifetime, and have spoken at a lot of public meetings over the years. There’s one question, I think, that I’ve heard more than any other: “If I want to be an informed citizen, which sources of information should I consult?” For many years, I had a set answer for this. Read one or more of the respected national news … [Read more...]

Yet again, summer went by too quickly. As backpacks are reloaded with new notebooks and pencils and kids don new school clothes and gym shoes, at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we’ve been seeing some older faces filing into classrooms. Caregiver education is the main goal of SMIF’s Parenting Matters: A Workplace Education program, which began in 2012 and … [Read more...]

By Senator Amy Klobuchar There’s a cost that comes with the 450% increase in the price of EpiPens. Parents worry that they won’t be able to afford their child’s medication. They drive to pharmacies miles away from their homes just to get the best deal on EpiPens. School nurses watch as families weigh the risk of sending their child to school without this life-saving … [Read more...]

Our new president will be inaugurated on January 20, 2017. Leading and governing, especially after this election cycle, will be extremely challenging. Neither candidate has the trust of even a majority of the electorate; neither will have a mandate. We hear over and over that this is a “change” election. How each of us defines “change” probably covers a wide spectrum of … [Read more...]

Politicians spend a good bit of their time complaining about the media. But why should they have all the fun? I’m going to join in, though I tend to get upset about different things than most sitting politicians do. You see, I don’t actually mind when journalists — whether in print, on television or online — treat what politicians say with skepticism. That means they’re … [Read more...]

Who are you? Do you know? What dumb things to ask, you say, of course I know who I am. True, you may know yourself, but in the world of the lamestream media, on college campuses, and in the view of many in the political establishments, especially on the left, most of us are not who and what we think we are. There is a great email floating around on the internet that helps … [Read more...]