Other Opinions

As federal budget appropriators begin to consider funding for fiscal year 2018, groups around Minnesota are calling on federal public officials to restore $300 million to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiation and invest in other Great Lakes regional programs. More than 150 organizations...

Between 1973 and 2012, the United States experienced 65 cases of rabies, while the National Institutes of Health offered 89 major research grants to tackle the subject. There were 266 polio cases during that time as well, and the NIH made 129 major polio research awards. Between...

With the expectation of additional snowfall before spring arrives, snowmobilers are already in snow heaven.

There is one thing that's a given when Gov. Dayton's budget proposal hits the table, it will include a tax increase. But if Gov.

When an expansion project as large as Sanford Health's new hospital in Fargo got under way, rumors were sure to fly. The scuttlebutt ranged from the project has been stalled to hundreds of layoffs are in the offing to the downtown campus will be shuttered. None is true. Meeting...

Rural Minnesota is losing its influence, reports a new study by the Center for Rural Policy and Development. Echoing the concerns of U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who a few weeks ago noted the weakening in Washington of rural America's clout, the St. Peter, Minn.-based...

Freshman U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., may be looking for a way to make a real difference as his first term in Congress begins. Here's an idea: If a new Farm Bill passes out of the House Agriculture Committee in the next few months, Cramer should make it his mission to ensure...

True, it's anybody's guess where politics and the economy are headed. But there are other measures against which the prospects for 2013 look more upbeat. In fact, there's a fair chance that the new year might fulfill the most optimistic prediction of all: 2013 likely will continue...

While Christmas may be over, the best time of year to give might be right now. Organizations like the Salvation Army, Food Shelf, Habitat for Humanity, Red Cross, Someplace Safe and the United Way can still benefit greatly from donations of all kinds. Perhaps you received a gift...

"Our schools are safe." In the wake of the horrific murders in a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, we're hearing that assurance over and over again. And while it might not seem so this week, it is true. Statistical evidence is clear. Young students are safer in school than virtually...

Maybe now it's possible for the people of this great nation to engage in a rational debate about gun violence. Maybe now, after the incomprehensible tragedy in Newtown, Conn., cultural and political leaders will summon the courage to stare down the gun lobby. Maybe now Americans of...

Reportedly, there were about 600 weather-related accidents last weekend when the state was hit with a snowstorm. In our view that is way too many and most were likely preventable if some caution had been exercised. Perhaps the first rule of winter driving safety is pay attention...

Don't let yourself become a victim of a silent killer. Take precautions against carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. It's not a threat to take lightly. CO is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S.

In July, a new five-year Farm Bill passed out of the House Agriculture Committee on a bipartisan vote of 35-11. Yet, despite that support, the bill sits idling away in a House that is shirking its responsibility to move legislation forward. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Virginia,...

With the election less than three months away, it's clear that the television stations, Internet and other media will soon be bombarded with ads from candidates, particularly ads bashing the opposing candidate. We would hope that your vote is not based solely on the information...