So-called “red flag” laws are being debated both in Congress and state legislatures in attempts to curb mass murders in the United States. Red flag laws would enable law enforcement to take away guns owned by people deemed by the courts to be clear threats to public safety. But the ...
Democrats in the House of Representatives are in a hurry to pursue their impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Two concerns argue against undue haste. One is ensuring all the facts are available, of course. Surely the American people have seen enough rushes to judgment, often ...
‘A small favor to ask’ To the Editor: In response to the recent Sentinel editorial: “Will foreign leaders want to talk anymore?” To say that the editors are disingenuous is to be kind. Would the writers please share with their readers what the conversation was about? Explain ...
It has been suggested by some that the current scare over e-cigarettes is overblown. Though hundreds of Americans have been hospitalized with respiratory ailments linked to “vaping” and a few have died, calls to ban the products are not realistic, critics say. But there is a valid, ...
What is the most serious respiratory illness threat facing Americans today? If you answered “e-cigarettes,” we commend you for keeping up with current events. But that is the wrong answer. The correct one is influenza. On average, about 8% of Americans contract the flu each year, ...
Coming out of left field The Fairmont City Council this week took a big step toward asking the state auditor to conduct an audit of the local Housing and Redevelopment Authority and the liquor store, dating back to 2002. This raises big questions. The specific focus tells us someone thinks ...
Still people who care To the Editor: On Monday, while on my way to work, driving down Blue Earth Avenue in Fairmont, I saw something that impressed me. Three young men were in the street in front of Freedom. When I got close enough to see, one was sweeping and the other picking up glass off ...
OWATONNA In 2016, Minnesotans were alerted to a serious lack of child care by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Since then, there have been many efforts to work toward solutions. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, we have been supporting the communities in our 20-county ...
Apparently, President Donald Trump believed he could score some political points by releasing the transcript of a July telephone call between himself and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Whether that is true remains to be seen. But one thing is obvious: Partisan politics has become ...
Clearly, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi smells blood in the water. Otherwise, she would not have launched an impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. The question now is whether House Democrats circling to take a political bite out of Trump will attempt to ignore a ...
Curious, is it not, that the major industrial power doing the most to battle climate change is the target of the bulk of criticism regarding that concern? With a new general session of the United Nations underway, multiple world leaders are citing worry about a range of issues. But climate ...
We do not know who Minnesota educators will choose as their next teacher of the year. They should consider Aaron Benner. The former St. Paul Public Schools teacher recently won a $525,000 settlement in a whistleblower lawsuit he filed against the district, which he says retaliated against him ...
Common sense needed To the Editor: Your Sept. 18 editorial criticized Beto O’Rourke for being holier-than-thou in stating that he, as president, would take your AK-15 and AK-47 assault weapons. Really? If you want to bring “holiness” into the assault-rifle discussion, I’m pretty ...
No doubt recent news about abortions will become a political football within days. It ought to be viewed as one of the great public health triumphs of the past few decades. Abortions have become less common in the United States than at any time since they became legal through a U.S. Supreme ...
GOP offers insulin bill The Republican-led Minnesota Senate has unveiled a bill to help people with diabetes get the insulin they need. Qualifying individuals must not currently be enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid or MinnesotaCare. Family income must be less than 400 percent of the federal ...
Officials in Saudi Arabia have said damage from an attack on oil production facilities last weekend is being repaired quickly. By Wednesday, about half the production capacity affected had been restored. Still, the interruption in exports from the oil-rich kingdom ought to serve as a ...
Wonderful memorial To the Editor: If you haven’t driven down Winnebago Avenue in Fairmont at night, you need to take the time to do so. Our Martin County veterans have done a breathtaking job on the Martin County Veterans Memorial. The lights on it are beautiful. I personally would like ...
Several weeks ago, Minnesota government leaders seemed close to a deal on providing relief for diabetics who cannot afford the high cost of their life-saving insulin. An emergency program would be set up to provide a 90-day supply of insulin to those who can’t afford it. It’s an idea that ...
If you’ve never moved in guns rights circles or been exposed to libertarian philosophy, you could be among those who wonder why citizens would ever need powerful firearms, despite what the Second Amendment says. You may wonder why someone who wishes to protect their home or hunt deer would ...
There is a hullabaloo in St. Paul this week related to a deleted video involving the first lady of Minnesota, Gwen Walz. The video involved a forum at which the first lady was present to talk about an upcoming PBS documentary about college coursework for prison inmates. The governor’s office ...