DL News Staff
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The 2007 referendum was passed, yet there is talk about cutting teachers, once again, in the Frazee-Vergas school district. We were promised that the small classroom sizes in K-12 would be maintained if the referendum passed. Yes, in K-12; I was at the first referendum meeting on Sept. 27, 2007, and I was informed how important small class size was even in the high school.
Last year, a man in Detroit Lakes left work after arguing with his boss. He stopped for a few drinks then drove home in a bad mood. When he found his wife outside caring for the children instead of making dinner, he flew into a rage. As the children watched in horror, he threw his wife on the ground, kicked her, and when she tried to get up, twisted and fractured her arm. It was the fifth such attack in three months. A neighbor saw the commotion and called the police, who arrived immediately, witnessed the woman's injuries, and arrested the husband.
The growing popularity of motorized recreational vehicles such as jet skies, dirt bikes, ATV's, dune buggies, and mudder trucks, collectively termed "thrillcraft", has become a major threat to the American landscape. Once no more than an annoyance, these machines with their expanding power and agility allow motorized recreationists in ever-increasing numbers to penetrate and wreak havoc on the last wild places on the continent.
As I understood President Obama the first time, he said basically that we would not punish those involved in the techniques used to gain information from terrorists. Then later, he said that he would turn it over to his Attorney General to decide if any involved should be punished. This reminds me of changing the rules after the game is over, so one team can win over the other.
Thank you Eric Bergeson for a refreshing piece on global warming a couple weeks ago. I agree with Eric that the question, "do you believe in global warming?" is insane. It is insane to think that an educated society can be so easily duped by a few political hacks and an industrial lobby. If you get your "facts" about climate change from Rush Limbaugh, George Will or from ads by the oil and coal lobby, you are ignorant on this subject.
A recent article shined a favorable light on a Detroit Lakes woman who has been skinning beavers for over 40 years, but it failed to include information on how beavers are trapped and killed. Minnesota's trappers primarily use steel-jaw leghold traps and Conibear traps to catch beavers. As for the former, the device has been banned in 89 countries throughout the world, and several U.S. States have either banned the trap or put significant restrictions on its use.
The Frazee-Vergas School District is a strong School District with great students, staff, administration, school board, parents and residents. Even in challenging times, the mission, vision, priorities and focus of the District continue to be our students, their academic achievement, and efficient and sound operations. As we face the pressures of difficult issues and public scrutiny, I assure you the board and administration remain steadfast and diligent moving the District forward by systematically improving education. All aspects of school governance and operations are conducted in accor
As one of the "ignorant" listeners of talk radio, I'd like to respond to Eric Bergeson's column concerning global warming. First of all, I'd bet Eric's knowledge of talk radio is limited primarily to what he hears on MSNBC. He and many of his fellow "group thinkers" wouldn't be caught dead listening to something so "delusional." The primary debate isn't over the existence of global warming, but rather over it's cause, and what should be done about it. Global warming, as well as cooling, have been occurring every few hundred years for centuries.
Most of you are probably aware of Jason's struggles over the past six years or so. All the ups and downs and pain. Today, though, and in the days to come, I would like everyone to try to put aside those last hard years and remember the 30 years that preceded it and all the good times. And there were many, and the fleeting moments over the last years when Jason, our Jason, would come shining through to us.
Am I missing something? Some citizens want to decriminalize marijuana so it will be available without penalty. Don't people smoke marijuana? Will it be OK to smoke marijuana but not cigarettes? From what I have heard marijuana has more harmful ingredients than cigarettes? Maybe the smoke is cleaner? Will someone enlighten me, or are our priorities goofed up?