Opinions
It was a busy week in Saint Paul with many late nights. Senate Omnibus bills have made their way to the floor and have been matched with spirited debates.
If you wish to stay up to date, the Senate webpage has a lot of resources to keep Minnesotans informed:
2023 Omnibus Budget and Policy Bills...
As this opinion piece is being written, the Minnesota House of Representatives is debating a bill that would legalize recreational marijuana use for adults in the state. The Minnesota State Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill tomorrow (Friday).
The House began debating the bill late Monday...
I don’t like change. It probably has a lot to do with my age. Nowadays, everything seems to be changing too fast. This is a common complaint of people who grew up pre-internet, pre-cell phones, and pre- streaming. Phones were attached to a line, people went to the library for research, and to see a...
Welcome Spring! Terry and I were able to spend time with our sons, daughter-in-law and our granddaughter last weekend. It’s always a joy to be with family. We even took a spring walk around Cascade Lake Park and Trail.
I’m now back in Saint Paul as we dive into the second half of the Legislative...
Once again Earth Day is upon us. This year’s event is Saturday, April 22.
Earth Day has been around for 52 years now. Many of us still remember that first Earth Day back in 1970.
At the time there was no Environmental Protection Agency, no Clean Air Act, no Clean Water Act. The day had its...
People my age enjoy the fellowship of others that share our developmental stage in life and often will sit around having coffee and discuss the state of the world. Since most of us have seven or more decades of experience to draw on, we usually have opinions on the way things “ought to be.”
Seldom...
Winter has melted away rather quickly in southeast Minnesota and I am struck again this year at how intense the feeling of newness is in this season. I think that is one of the things that God blesses us with, the ability to see things as new that we have gone through time and time again. I think...
Two stories in this week’s Dodge County Independent show the strength that the Kasson-Mantorville School District has in developing leaders in education.
Ariana Wright, principal at K-M Elementary School, has been hired as the new superintendent of schools in Lake City. Michelle Krell, who served...
As Sheriff of Dodge County, I was elected to enforce our laws and keep the public safe. With the Minnesota Legislature considering the legalization of recreational cannabis, my job may be changing substantially in the near future. These bills have been moving through the legislature at a rapid pace...
It was another busy week up at your Minnesota State Capitol! I have been immersed in discussions with my colleagues regarding the rollout of many of our committee budget bills. These bills must be carefully considered as they dictate our policy and budget for the next biennium.
TIME CHANGE: My in-...