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The sunrise looked like it had a purple tint this morning as it shed light upon the football fields of Mankato. And it should as the Minnesota Vikings opened training camp today. The land of Minnesota Viking fans is once again ripe with the pre-season enthusiasm.
West central Minnesota and the rest of America were united Friday in grief for the victims of the Colorado movie shootings and in rage for the suspect. The incident was not even a day old before the debate quickly shifted to a debate of gun rights versus gun control. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued his call over the weekend for President Barack Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney to focus on gun control during this election. Gun control advocates quickly issued calls on Congress for a renewal of the ban on assault weapons and a ban on highcapacity ammunition magazin
The swagger of Penn State was smashed Monday as the NCAA penalized the institution and the football program for its failures to control its programs and sufficiently report sexual abuse. As the Tribune wrote earlier this month, the university's former leadership and the head football coach, the most powerful individuals on this campus, failed for 14 years to protect children from victimization by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The NCAA punished the university harshly, basically just short of the so-called death penalty suspension of the football program, with the following:
It was a day of asking "why" as America watched the story unfold of a mass murder event Friday at a multiplex movie theatre in a Colorado town. A lone suspect, clad in black ballistic gear, walked into a crowded premiere of the new "Batman" movie and opened fire with multiple firearms. When it was done, 12 people were dead and 59 were wounded. All Americans are left in the dark wondering what drove a lone young man to such insanity.
U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann is facing justifiable criticism concerning her recent accusations of the Muslim Brotherhood infiltration of the federal government. The firestorm of criticism of Bachmann was significant, including Sen.
The Willmar City Council and Kandiyohi County Board of Commissioners are to be commended for approving a 15-year tax abatement for the proposed redevelopment of the historic Lakeland Hotel building in downtown Willmar. The community is fortunate that the majority of these decision-makers had the foresight, wisdom and courage to take a risk in the form of a small investment for the potential reward of a $3.6 million redevelopment investment in downtown Willmar. We especially commend Mayor Frank Yanish for his tie-breaking vote in support of the city's approval of the tax abatement, es
"Folks, this is a big deal." -- U of M Regent Dean Johnson The official opening of the University of Minnesota's new Mid-Central Research and Outreach Center on the MinnWest Technology Campus is a significant development for Willmar and west central Minnesota. As University of Minnesota Regent Dean Johnson said Tuesday, "Folks, this is a big deal." "This is truly just the beginning," said U of M President Eric Kaler said. How right they are! The center, referred to as MCROC, significantly expands the university's presence in Willmar and west central Minnesota.
Sometimes we need to step back from a legislative issue to look at the big picture. The recent stadium issue is a prime example. It is important to take a broad view because limiting ourselves to the talking points sells us woefully short. The stadium vote is the most difficult either of us have taken as members of the House and it deserved thoughtful consideration from myriad angles. Both of us favored other options, such as private investors. In the end, the proposal which passed was the only viable option remaining.
State and local officials across west central Minnesota are taking the issue of aquatic invasive species seriously in 2012. Kandiyohi County officials and law enforce ment have said the era of education is over concerning invasive specifies law violations. More simply, no more warning tickets. Invasive species law violators will be cited, which could include fines up to $1,000. The threat of invasive species, especially zebra mussels, is a very serious issue, that can impact every taxpayer in Kandiyohi County. For example, if zebra mussels get into Green Lake in Spicer, not only will the
Jacob's Law is a signature away from becoming part of the law of the state of Minnesota. The bill passed both houses of the Legislature by wide margins and Gov.