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This issue we can all agree on

On Thursday, Republicans in the Minnesota Senate laid out a proposal addressing the shortage of police officers in the state. It is no surprise that the ranks of police officers have been shrinking since the murder of George Floyd, the resulting riots and the calls for defunding the police. Officers in Minneapolis have been leaving the force, some claiming PTSD, some simply having served their time and seeing no reason to stay on. In the meantime, the supply of new recruits to the police academy has dwindled as well. The Senate Republicans are proposing to encourage more young people ...

Et. Cetera

Students host annual benefit concert This week the annual Kids Against Hunger Benefit Concert took place at Fairmont High School. This year a group of junior girls at the school stepped up to organize the concert and we want to thank them for putting in the work to hold this important event. Several hundred dollars was raised that will be used to feed people, both locally, regionally and in other parts of the world. Opera House expands adult offerings Last Sunday the Fairmont Opera House offered the first in a series of workshops geared toward adults. The first session covered ...

What state could be spending surplus on

The Minnesota Legislature is in session now, in a short session that usually focuses on bonding, but which this year is energized by the $7 billion surplus forecast for the state budget. While we don’t want the state to go on a wild spending spree, there are things that the state could and should fund while it has the money. Education is always a good investment. While Democrats and Republicans may wrangle on how and where to spend money on education, there’s really no bad spending on education. Given the rate of inflation we are all dealing with, the 2% increase in per pupil ...

Set election law straight

Former President Donald Trump has been stumping a lot recently, holding rallies in front of his faithful, making promises and pounding the idea that former Vice President Mike Pence could have and should have acted to stop Joe Biden’s election. On Saturday, Trump held out the idea that if he regains the White House, he will pardon the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters who are being put in jail for their insurrection. “If I run and if I win, we will treat those people from January 6th fairly,” Trump said Saturday night during a rally in Conroe, Texas. “And if it requires pardons, we will ...

North Korea’s way of asking for a favor

On Sunday North Korea launched an intermediate range ballistic missile, capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam. It is the seventh launch North Korea has made in January alone. This follows a long North Korean history of ignoring weapons agreements in its drive to develop its nuclear weaponry. It is also a typical step in the North Korean form of diplomacy. North Korea has a habit of rattling its sabers, either by missile launches, or provocative military exercises. It then uses those provocations as bargaining chips when it seeks some kind of concession from the West. It ...

First step on path of democracy tonight

Tonight is precinct caucus night in Minnesota. Political parties will be meeting, precinct by precinct — the smallest political subdivision. Neighbors will get together with like-minded neighbors to discuss issues, offer resolutions, consider candidates and elect delegates to represent them in upcoming political conventions. Within a few months, their input, along with the input of precincts around the state, will give guidance to their parties and help select candidates who will represent them. That’s the theory, at least. Precinct caucuses work best with a big turnout from the ...