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Passing computer-chip aid legislation shouldn’t be this hard

Local Editorials

Even during a time of intense political division, the global computer-chip shortage should be something both Republicans and Democrats be in total agreement that something needs to be done. Try buying a new car. Need a new home appliance — you may have to wait weeks. Even smartphones are more expensive. Members of Congress say they want to do something to help businesses and consumers. Both the House and the Senate have passed major computer chip aid legislation in what is one of the final opportunities before the November elections to show voters they are addressing the nation’s ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

What is 420 Day? To the Editor: The number 420 has become synonymous with marijuana. But how and why? More than 50 years ago, a group of high school students in California decided to meet at 4:20 p.m. near their school campus to smoke marijuana and get high. Why that time? School was out, but parents weren’t yet home. The story passed around and nearly 20 years later, a group of Grateful Dead deadheads began encouraging people to smoke marijuana, now nicknamed 420, at 4:20 p.m. on 4/20. April 20 has become known as a “stoner holiday.” Unfortunately, the event is getting more ...

Crunch time for Minnesota Legislature

Local Editorials

Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, called it the homestretch in his weekly legislative newsletter that he emailed out before the Easter break. There’s about five weeks left in 2022 session for the Minnesota Legislature. And like sessions of the past, members of the House and Senate are leaving all the big decisions to the bitter end. The Associated Press reported this weekend that there’s been little meeting of the minds between the House Democrats and Senate Republicans. Translation: A house divided. Here in southwest Minnesota, there are two items of interest that deserves major ...

Readers' Views

Letters to the Editor

We all take tax breaks To the Editor: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you Mr. Editor. Might I remind you, the owner of the Ogden press is among the ultra rich. Last century the titans of industry, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, Ford and McCormick, modernized things we utilize everyday. Today’s titans, Bezos, Musk, Gates and a long line of others, make our lives easier. These people gave us our internet, our ability to shop from home and our long needed Space program. True, they don’t use their own money, they borrow from banks just as the rest of us do. Home loans, car ...

Ukraine War dilemmas

Local Editorials

Thousands of civilians, including many children, were waiting to be evacuated to safety in the Kramatorsk railway station in eastern Ukraine on Friday morning when two missiles, later reported to be cluster weapons that are banned under international law, exploded in their midst. At least 50 people died, and more than 100 others were injured. A message in Russian on the surviving casing of one missile read “For the children”. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, understandably described the attack as the action of “an evil that has no limits”. Even amid so many other ...

Et. Cetera

Local Editorials

Speech students advance to state Last week at the section 2A speech meet, the Fairmont High School Speech team advanced ten students to the state tournament which will take place on April 23. Fairmont’s speech program has had a very successful track record and we’re proud of this year’s team for continuing with tradition. Good luck and have fun at state! Council hears from Foundation, YMCA Earlier this week at the Fairmont City Council meeting, members of the YMCA presented information on the programming they could bring to Fairmont. It was great to hear from the management ...