opinion

A basic principle of medicine is “First, do no harm.” When a medical practitioner sees a patient with a problem the practitioner must decide which treatment, if several are available, will help the problem without causing harm if possible. This principle should also apply to treating...

In response to recent letters/rants regarding the Enbridge expansion projects, first of all there are no guarantees in life. None! If we do not want to harm in any way, shape or form the environment we must all leave this earth to do so. That is not much of an option in my book. So...

We have always enjoyed the Long Lake flotilla on the Fourth of July. This year was no different even with the strong wind that was blowing! We wanted, however, to thank the folks who lobbed the great t-shirts at us from their pontoon! How nice! We don’t know if this was a group...

Bees and other pollinators are in trouble. And because they’re in trouble, we’re in trouble. Over the past few decades, there has been a significant loss of pollinators from the environment. Carmelita Nelson, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Roadsides for...

When people look at Friends of the Headwaters’ maps of the Enbridge route, they can see what’s at stake. The Enbridge route crosses the Mississippi Headwaters through some of Minnesota’s cleanest lakes, creates hazards for wild rice beds, and jeopardizes Park Rapids’ drinking...

How arrogant of you as representatives of Enbridge Oil to state “We’re definitely hearing the concerns and that’s why we’re out” and “We want to be a part of the conversation.” This is BS and you know it! Your comment that oil will move to markets whether or not the...

Propaganda. In the article in Saturday’s Enterprise, it is obvious to me, as a student of political history that most of Enbridge’s responses to their critics are pure propaganda. Calling people’s legitimate fears, suggestions and complaints into “questions” for Enbridge’s...

I read a letter to the editor (June 18) from a Mr. Tom R. Kovach. Obviously he gets all of his news from Fox News and so it is not his fault that the facts are not evident and leaves the reader with no understanding as to the source. Racism is a topic one should not discuss when...

Recently a citizen wrote in with concerns relating to my votes on budget bills. I’m happy to respond. During the 2013 Legislative Session, democrats increased government spending by 12 percent – a whopping $4 billion of your tax dollars. That’s $1,500 of additional tax burden...

We returned to Northern Minnesota for a family vacation after 10+ years and were not disappointed. Park Rapids is such a great town to visit. We loved it! As our vacation near an end, we decided to stay up late our last night and take in the Park Rapids fireworks. We were NOT disappointed....

With recreational marijuana now legal in Colorado and Washington, and medicinal marijuana available in more than 20 states, including Minnesota, many people seem to think the drug is harmless. They may want to think again: More Americans are seeking treatment for cannabis-related...

By Winona LaDuke HONOR THE EARTH On an overcast and quiet midday afternoon, 50 or so Anishinaabeg from ricing families and their friends gathered at Big Bear Landing on the shore of Big Rice Lake. It is 138 years to the day of the infamous Battle of the Little Big Horn. Some...

Rep. Steve Green would have you believe he has been working at the legislature to fight aquatic invasive species. The truth is far from it. In 2013, Green was a party-line “no” vote on every major budget bill, including the bill that provided revenue needed to finally balance...

As a citizen of Northern Minnesota’s fragile ecosystems, I say to Enbridge (and apparently Minnesota Public Utilities Commission needs to hear this also), if you run the Sandpiper pipeline down I29 and east along I94 to either St. Paul or Chicago, you can eliminate the need for...

Instead of spending so much time agonizing over the consequences of legalizing marijuana, more energy and attention should be focused on an already legal drug – alcohol. Sure, we all know how bad alcohol abuse is, but it’s become such an interwoven part of our social norms, it’s...