opinion

I am always thankful when readers suggest topics to me. Ken, a reader in Hugo, asked that I write about Minnesota’s “special registration plates” which are sometimes referred to by the more colorful moniker of “whiskey plates.” Have you ever seen these? They are a plainer-looking...

In his June 26 letter, Mr. Grinols (“Remember Franklin’s words…”) claims “Today if I desired to speak in outrage over what has happened to our freedom I would need first to ask permission.” Yet there he is, in print, speaking in outrage - and I’ll bet he didn’t need...

I emailed Woodbury City Council members respectfully asking about the funding for the Bielenberg Sports Center (BSC). The city information on funding and taxes for the project is literally only a paragraph. I received no response so I emailed City Administrator Clint Gridley my questions...

No one asks to be a victim of crime, nor do we deserve to be. Yet every week in this newspaper we see stories of residents being victimized — from petty theft to assault to property damage, and seemingly everything in between. Sometimes those crimes are unavoidable; there’s...

Kate Soucheray Columnist The word freedom will be used liberally this week. As we sing songs, attend parades, and engage in fireworks, we will be reminded of freedom. But what is freedom? Is it liberty, or having the right to express yourself as you wish? Is it a lack of restrictions,...

Corey Lunn Superintendent's Viewpoint The legislative session has come to an end, and while there is much work yet to do to sort out the complexities of the new education bill, the bottom line is some good news for Stillwater Area Public Schools. For the first time in many years,...

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave, O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? Father's Day 2013 the answer is no.

Tod Johnson Resident's Viewpoint Over the past two weeks there have been varying viewpoints on why class ranking at East Ridge is an important component of competition among students. While I appreciate the unique perspectives that have been provided, I am compelled to write a...

Summer is officially here, at least for all the children who ran from their buildings and embraced their delicious break last week. So how dare I suggest that you make a trip to a local retailer to purchase summer enrichment materials, or go to your local library's website and check...

As I reflect on my first year as superintendent and the school year that has concluded, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of our accomplishments and what I've learned about District 833 and its community. It is an old cliché to comment on the pace of the year,...

A recent 833 school district change will implement a removal of class rankings at East Ridge, Park and Woodbury high schools. The purpose for this change is to prevent the ranking system from negatively affecting any senior high school student during the college admission process...

Thanks to Amber Kispert-Smith for highlighting the importance of protecting animals from trapping ("An end to trapping in Afton?"; June 12). Animals caught in barbaric leghold traps and snares suffer immensely from their injuries, long periods of distress, and ultimately a sad death....

As I watched this legislation discuss a "Bullying Bill" I asked myself, "Why would a school need someone to come up with a bill for them on how to control bullying?" When you decide to work in the education profession are you not aware part of childhood has always been bullying each...

I am proud of the work that was accomplished during my first term as state representative. Minnesota has been in an ongoing cycle of budget deficits for the last decade, due to one-time money, spending shifts and gimmicks. This session, we delivered an honest solution to fund Minnesota's...