editorials

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...

To hear pundits, preachers and an assortment of doomsayers tell it, the United States is going to hell in a handcart. Conditions have never been worse, they opine. The nation has never been more divided, they preach. The future for the next generation has never been as bleak, they...

This time, the alarmists are not crying “Wolf.” They’re crying “Too few wolves.” But the effect will be the same: a cynical public not only ignoring the calls, but also resenting the groups that keep raising false alarms. Expect a backlash, in the form of Congress taking...

While it was refreshing to see Congress pass the recent bipartisan spending bill to keep the government operating for another year, the 1,600-page budget bill contained some surprise provisions that were a gift to big banks and could come back to haunt the economy. One of the most...

The killing of two New York City Police Department officers on Saturday was another tragic chapter in 2014, a year unfortunately marred by racial tensions and accusations of police overreach across the country. Definitely not since the Rodney King case and the Los Angeles riots in...

The Minnesota State Patrol reported dozens of vehicle crashes and vehicles that went off the road in the northern part of the state. When it snows and the roads become slippery, Sgt. Neil Dickenson, Minnesota State Patrol NE Region Public Information Officer, wants to remind all...

Going to a hospital is getting safer: The chances that U.S. patients would pick up infections, get the wrong drug or dose, or be hurt in other ways, ranging from falls to bed sores, fell 17 percent between 2010 and 2013. But there is still a lot of room for improvement. A progress...

If you needed a reminder of what season it is, Sunday and Monday did the trick. The region’s first real cold snap moved through, with lows forecast in the single digits to below freezing, and coupled with the wind chill, you had actual temperatures in the 20 below range and colder...

Park Rapids and Hubbard County residents should be proud of our Fire Department. Park Rapids firefighters have trained aggressively to maintain standards and exceed certifications. Now, a behemoth of a new truck is gracing the fire station garage. We hope it doesn’t get used...

In all the whining, hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth over the number, intensity and negativity of political advertising, this paraphrased biblical truth from Galatians emerges: You reap what you sow. The mid-term election cycle that ended Tuesday was distinguished in that it set...

With winter right around the corner, it can be tempting to simply crank up the heat to stay warm. That can be costly, though. Here are some tips from the Minnesota Department of Commerce to stay warm and save money. n Set your thermostat low; use a programmable thermostat. Set your...