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Et Cetera …

Reforms seem unlikely

Residents in Minnesota’s sex offender treatment program will not get their day in court. The U.S. Supreme Court said this week it won’t review their case.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton says the state will continue to make reforms to the program, but an attorney for the offenders believes there is now no reason for the state to do anything.

In the abstract, the sex offenders have a valid case about their indefinite confinement. But in real-world political terms, they are not garnering much sympathy. That is unlikely to change.

Race forum next week

Race is a complicated matter in American society. Some almost see it as a driving factor behind everything. Others cannot believe the attention race gets, given that we are all individuals, not simply to be generalized by our genetic ancestry.

The discussion, however, is good. And it is coming to Fairmont on Wednesday at a forum at Fairmont Elementary School. It will be held 10 a.m. to noon. Those interested in participating may register with CER by calling (507) 235-3141.

We encourage people to attend, to share their views and attitudes, and maybe to help our little corner of the world move past racial issues.

Extending internet

The internet is the driving force in American society today. The flow of information and commerce are centered around it. All of our lives are touched by it. But just as has been the case with electricity, phone service and cable TV, rural areas can be decidely underserved. This sets them back.

In Martin County, people are trying to change this. Government and business are cooperating to get more reliable and higher-speed internet to the countryside, which includes smaller towns. These projects will be of great benefit to our area.

School, business team up

Kudos to Martin County West Schools and Fairmont Foods for their cooperation on teaching students about real-world applications of things the kids are learning in the classroom.

The main focus is “food science,” which involves everything that happens to food from the time it leaves the farm until people eat it. A good thing for students living in a highly agricultural county to learn.

It’s great to see businesses and schools cooperate like this. We know more of these kinds of things are happening, and will continue, at other area schools.

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