The following is a reader-submitted letter to the editor. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper. To submit a letter, email nbowe@dlnewspapers.com.
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To the Editor:
Last week, Rep. Matt Bliss wrote a guest commentary and criticized Gov. Tim Walz for "abandoning" the Governor's Fishing Opener and not providing a Minnesota community an opportunity to enjoy the spotlight.
My first thought was "here we go again.” My God, does everything have to be politicized? If you haven't noticed, we haven't had a normal Governor's Fishing Opener in a couple of years because of the ongoing impacts from COVID and uncertainties with the virus.
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Organizing a fishing opener weekend involves months of planning, dozens of volunteers and as much as $100,000 in expenses for a host community. Obviously this has made planning a "traditional" community-hosted opener difficult, because few communities are eager for the expense and uncertainty of the event.
So the scaled-back event that the Governor's Office, the DNR, and The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe have put together in short order will continue the Governor's Fishing Opener traditions of the past.
It will take place over several weeks and in multiple locations in the Chippewa National Forest region and Leech Lake Reservation.
Rep. Bliss, you said the event, to your recollection, has always been a bipartisan affair. Then why do you need to turn it into a partisan affair? Just get into the spirit and get your fishing gear ready and get out and enjoy the opener.
And Gov. Walz, thank you for all you do for Minnesota.
– Fred Luckeroth, Park Rapids
