editorials

This editorial is an apology to the Beimdiek family. We inadvertently ran Scott Beimdiek’s Military ID on Wednesday’s front page, complete with his Social Security Number. For the majority of readers who didn’t notice, our apology brings attention to the issue again. For that,...

The fight for privacy has long been a losing battle, with corporations and the government amassing reams of personal data about people taken from social media, Internet history, cell phone use, license plate trackers and security cameras everywhere. But in Minnesota, there is the...

At some point, Minnesota needs to bite the bullet and fund its roads, bridges and byways. That day is upon us. Lawmakers need to stop carping about the costs and suck it up. We’ve had too many severe weather events wreaking havoc on our roads, aging bridges about to collapse, and...

Minnesotans are sometimes mystified by the doom and gloom in other parts of the country, and this may be why: A new Gallup poll shows that Minnesotans have the highest confidence in the economy. Minnesota was the only state in the union with a non-negative score in Gallup’s Economic...

Today is Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. Or not. With online dating services more popular than ever, navigating the waters of a relationship presents a whole new set of challenges. Experts say there are red flags that can signal heartbreak or scams ahead. There’s no...

There’s mixed news on a topic that’s near and dear to our area: clean lakes. As reported in a front-page Star Tribune story, keeping Minnesota lakes clean is hugely expensive. Over the next 20 years, the state will spend an estimated $2.5 billion from the 2008 Legacy Amendment...

The Individual Health Coverage Mandate is required by law through the Affordable Care Act. As of January 2014, nearly all Americans must have health insurance or pay a tax penalty. The amount of that tax penalty is increasing in 2015. No one likes to talk about taxes or penalties,...

Valentine’s Day is just two weeks away, and all those cards, candy, flowers and other symbols of love are great for business. Here, from that sentimental old U.S. Census Bureau is Valentine’s Day, by the numbers: 1,379: The number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced...

Cheers to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar for keeping telecommunication companies’ feet to the fire on the important issue of dropped rural calls. Verizon, for example, has reached a $5 million settlement with the Federal Communications Commission over the company’s failure to investigate...

We have seen some bad structure fires during the last few winters. Homes were lost and property was destroyed. Let’s not let that happen this winter. Most home fires occur in the winter and peak in January, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. More than $2...

The IRS is now processing tax returns, and the agency continues to emphasize the convenience and security of their online services for taxpayers. Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota offers some helpful tips for the public as tax season kicks into gear. “Most of...

If you are ever told to pay a fine for missing jury duty, don’t shell out a penny. It’s a scam, one that’s been around awhile but still seems to catch a few unsuspecting victims. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) sent out a warning about the jury...

It’s easy not to think about radon. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it, after all, and unlike carbon monoxide poisoning, for example, it attacks your health over a long period of time. But it can be fatal. Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United...

If the first weeks of his second and final term are any indication, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton will be making headlines. In cruising to an easy win in November over Republican Jeff Johnson, Dayton said he would not run again, thus freeing himself of the political restraints that somewhat...