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Opinion

Gambling: Time to approve sports betting

Local Editorials

A sports gambling bill is a good bet to pass the Minnesota Legislature this year after years of opposition from the Native American casinos, who have now embraced the idea as they will be the primary operators. But sports betting is also good for Minnesota business and consumers, who are already wagering on sports online and in neighboring states. House and Senate bills would give the tribes control of sports betting in the state with in-person betting at casinos. The tribes would also work with vendors for online games. The Senate bill also would allow sports in-person betting at the ...

War on civilians

Local Editorials

The Russian strategy in Ukraine has been thwarted since its invasion began by stiffer than expected military resistance and an armed and motivated civilian population that have turned targets like the capital city of Kyiv into fortresses. So the Russians have adopted a new strategy, apparently — attack those who can’t fight back. In the city of Mariupol, Russians have been bombing and shelling the city’s civilian population. When people try to flee the fighting, they are shot down. Corridors for evacuees have become killing fields. Those inside the city are bombed out of their ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

Diabetes prevention: Weighty idea To the Editor: Benjamin Franklin once said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure…” and Medicare has adopted this “weighty” idea. Medicare covers preventative services at 100 percent to prevent and/or detect diseases early when they are most easily treated. Diabetes is one such disease. According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2020, approximately 358,000 Minnesotans were diagnosed with diabetes, and an additional 118,000 people had diabetes but did not know it. Additionally, an estimated 1,441,000 people are living with ...

Et. Cetera

Local Editorials

Grant to help seniors age in place Several local individuals set out on a mission to hep bring services into the homes of seniors in Martin County. Now with a sizable grant from the Schmeeckle Foundation, the Martin County CHW Project is moving forward. The group is looking for community health workers to train in order to help seniors stay in their homes longer. Thank you to those behind this great project and to the Schmeeckle Foundation for supporting it. Robotics team earns high rank Last weekend the Fairmont robotics team placed fourth out of 53 teams at a competition in ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

Take a new poll on community center To the Editor: I agree totally with the previous letters to the editor regarding needing another vote before proceeding with the community center. I believe that there should be a new poll taken from the property taxpayers of the City of Fairmont to see if there is still support for the proposed 30 plus million dollar community center. I was told that the actual cost of the proposed community center has now most likely more than doubled from what was originally estimated. I would like to see updated cost estimates along with the estimated property ...

Fuel tax holiday?

Local Editorials

With gasoline prices at the pump rising like a SpaceX celebrity rocket launch, governors and state lawmakers around the country are looking for ways to ease the impact for their citizens. One idea being pushed is to call a holiday on state or even federal gasoline taxes. These are the per-gallon taxes collected at the pump with every gasoline purchase. The money collected usually goes into the state or federal transportation fund to build or maintain roads and bridges. Governors from several states, including Minnesota, are writing to congress members asking them to support a gas tax ...