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Pay homage to those who died in protecting, serving

Local Editorials

Police officers in Massachusetts have been running and walking a 425-mile foot beat this week to honor Officer Enmanuel “Manny” Familia, who drowned last year attempting to rescue a drowning teenager last June. The officers honoring Familia are headed to Washington, D.C., where the journey will end at the National Law Enforcement Memorial, where Familia’s name was recently inscribed. Officers will attend National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15 to honor Familia and other officers who have died in the line of duty. As with Familia’s story, that line of ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

Red, White and Benda To the Editor: For those concerned about the current course of our country, we have a unique potential to have our very own southern MN graduate represent southern MN at the United States Congress. Matt Benda was raised on a farm between Jackson and Alpha, graduating in 1988. Matt got his law degree and has been a partner in a successful law firm for 25 years in Albert Lea, specializing on representing farmers. Matt is setting aside his career to run for our next Republican Congressman. I want to make you aware not only that Matt is running to be our ...

Support protection of water resources

Local Editorials

Clean and abundant water remains a natural gem for Minnesota. It also is threatened from an increasing number of sources. Better protecting our groundwater and surface water is something that easily garners support from Minnesotans. The Legislature is considering two pieces of legislation that deserve support. HF 3888 by Rep. Kelly Morrison, DFL-Hopkins, and SF 3633 by Sen. Jennifer McEwen, DFL-Duluth, would provide $650,000 to the Water Council that would help ensure Minnesota has clean water for the next 50 years. The bill would appropriate $650,000 to be used by the Water ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

E15 - Good for All of Us To the Editor: Minnesota drivers have faced record-high gas prices in the last few months. It’s easy to see the toll that volatility in the global oil market is taking on consumers. But at the heart of some of the world’s most pressing challenges are those in our agricultural industry with a homegrown solution. Farmers have been feeding the world for thousands of years. And now, they’re fueling it. Biofuels like the plant-based ethanol blended into E15 are a clean and affordable energy source that helps save money at the pump and support Minnesota’s ...

Bipartisanship gets the boot

Local Editorials

“Can’t we all just get along?!” — Rodney King With the city of Los Angeles engulfed in flames following a controversial verdict that found four policemen not guilty of assault charges against a black man, it was the victim who called for peace. “Can’t we all just get along,” pleaded Rodney King as the city he called home burned to the ground. In the political arena, King’s desire to bring peace between two opposing parties is lauded as bipartisanship. Or at least it used to. As voters and Americans, we expect a certain level of rancor between our politicians. ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

FACC numbers might be misleading To the Editor: I am a retired long-time resident and taxpayer of Fairmont. I have lived in this town for almost 60 years. I wish to express my concerns about the recent City Council meeting where the Fairmont Area Community Center (FACC) representatives presented the results of the community center design survey. A first glance, the results seem impressive until you look at the numbers a little closer. In the last general election in Fairmont there were 5,283 ballots cast. Yet, there were only 499 resident surveys returned. This is about 9.4 percent ...