When the Minnesota Legislature convened this week, legislators focused on how state government will deal with a $1.5-billion budget surplus. Democrats will demand increased funding for programs such as education and health care and Republicans will urge a tax cut. A Democrat sits in the governor’s office and Democrats control the House, but the Republicans hold a one-seat majority in
Now we’ve really lost Tom Emmer
We’ve lost Rep. Tom Emmer. We’ve never really had him you say, and there could be an argument for that position. Emmer rarely visits central Minnesota and much of his financial support comes from outside our area and outside the district. But now we’ve really lost him. Emmer’s GOP colleagues recently appointed him to lead the National Republican Campaign Committee.
Following ‘house rules’ can needlessly prolong family Monopoly games
During the holidays, my extended family engaged in one of our annual traditions, a game of Monopoly. Though my family has played many times before, there is often confusion about the exact rules, as many people have house rules they are used to. With this in mind I decided to read through the official rules once again, and clear up
Not all shoppers are created equal
There’s shopping and then there’s SHOPPING. The definition depends on what you mean by shopping. I’m more of a lower-case shopper. By that I mean I go shopping when I need a specific item. So I’m more of a buyer than a shopper., I’m definitely not a SHOPPER…someone who likes to check out products and dream about what they’d buy
Protect Minnesota voters’ secret ballot
The secret ballot may not be so secret if Minnesota’s presidential preference primary goes ahead as planned. The presidential primary law requires separate ballots for each political party, requires that all voters disclose to election officials the party ballot they choose and makes that data public record. The primary will take place on the first Tuesday in March 2020. The
Vaping devices aren’t harmless; ban them
These disgusting e-cigarettes remind me of the “candy cigarettes” we kids bought at Hackert’s Grocery Store some years before we turned on to the real thing – tobacco cigarettes. I sometimes wonder if those candy cigarettes were a “gateway” device that led me later to the real ones. The candy smokes looked like thin chalk sticks with red tips that
Reader encourages, ‘Go ahead, talk to strangers’
Carol Weiler, Sartell I agree with the editorial “It’s Time to Talk to Strangers” (in the Dec. 14 Sartell-St. Stephen Newsleader). I make an effort to do so, and it is rewarding. When my husband and I travel outside of this country, we inevitably wind up eating a meal in a restaurant and striking up a conversation with our neighbors at
Scrooge and Mr. Grinch deserve better treatment
Luke Green, Sartell During this holiday season I urge community members to be mindful of the transformative power of the Christmas spirit. It presents itself in many forms: goodwill, kindness, altruism and forgiveness. Two gentleman I believe that are in need of better treatment this holiday season, and henceforth, are Ebenezer Scrooge and Mr. Grinch. One hundred seventy-five years ago,