St. Joe is not “small” but is a thriving city, a true hub of growth. I wrote that haiku in celebration of National Poetry Month. That’s the month of April for those who might not be aware of it. National Poetry Month is a month-long, national celebration of poetry established by the Academy of American Poets, according to www.poets.org. It
Voters should nix proposed amendments
It is – unfortunately – official. The Minnesota Legislature’s Republican majority voted to place yet another issue on the ballot in next November’s election. This one, if approved by voters, will make it mandatory for anyone who goes to vote to have a government-issued photo identification card. If approved by voters, the requirement would become a constitutional amendment. The other
Job seekers, take note of illegal questioning
As if concern about economic recovery is not enough to worry about, job seekers have something else to add to their list of woes. Not only do those seeking employment have to think about how to get their resume to the top of a pile, but what they should and should not be asked to disclose during a job interview.
Compassion burnout is modern malady
Did you ever feel as if you are suffocating from compassion burnout? There is too much suffering in the world, and there is nothing – or not much of anything – that any individual, including me, can do about it. Oh, sure, when I’m able to, I contribute some money to this or that good cause. It’s better than doing
Death raises questions in gun-crazed culture
The murder of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., has rightfully raised howls of outrage far and wide. His senseless death, hopefully, will not be forgotten. Maybe, just maybe, we can all learn something from it and start facing head-on the problems caused by this gun-crazed culture. Martin’s killer – 28-year-old George Zimmerman – was not arrested simply because he claimed
Good customer service is scarce
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, one definition of the word courtesy is “polite behavior.” Some might think to themselves, I know what courtesy is supposed to look like, but a sad reality is it is becoming harder and harder to spot when it comes to customer service. Whether you’re shopping in the grocery store, your local mall or driving through
Health-care solutions abound elsewhere
Why is the United States so afraid of learning good things from other countries? Take health care, for example. Many Americans have been bamboozled into thinking the United States has the best health-care system in the world while the rest of the countries have horrible socialistic systems where people – if they’re not waiting in line – are dying in
Op-ed Senator Klobuchar: What I want to see in the next farm bill
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar During the past year I’ve visited dozens of Minnesota’s businesses and farms. All over our state you see “Made in America” isn’t just a timeworn cliche – it’s happening here and it’s happening now. Wherever I go, I’m always reminded of how important farming is to our state’s economy. In fact, you could even say agriculture