I feel compelled to respond to the guest column by John Ward. To begin I must compliment the Brainerd School District for operating budget control. It’s 10-year increases have been less than most school districts. On the other hand, the spending control for new building construction gets a grade ...

During the Great Depression — the worst financial and economic times in our nation’s history — our leaders had the foresight to invest in education. Programs like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) not only put people to work, but also built schools, libraries, financed literacy programs ...

A new Chinese built oil rig, the massive Scarabeo 9, is slowly making its way toward Cuba with arrival expected in December. Owned and operated by Italian oil company ENI, it will be used to drill at least three test wells in Cuban waters, two by Repsol in partnership with Norway's Statoil, and anot...

I have received a number of questions about the facts surrounding the Nov. 8 Brainerd Public Schools operating levy. I always enjoy the opportunity to provide information and clarify any confusion. In doing so I reflect back on when I accepted the financial officer position with Brainerd Public Scho...

Minnesota has 'structurally deficient' bridges and other needs. First things first. Regrettably, bipartisan consensus has been in short supply in our nation's capital, but one thing we all agree on is that with our ailing economy and with millions of people out of work, creating jobs is the No. 1 pr...

“My 6-year old son told me about a conversation he had with his teacher.  She asked him where he was living and he told her he lived in Cambridge. The teacher then asked if they had found an apartment.   “My son told her, “No, but Jesus is letting us stay in his church.” — A stor...

With the approach of Halloween, we will try to calm our fear of witches, goblins, and zombies.  But there is an even larger concern which will occur around the end of October — the world’s population will reach 7 billion. Sixty years ago, we were just 3 billion. ...

“Wow, you're tall,” a first-grader said to me in a lunch line close to the Garfield school entrance. His teacher and an educational assistant were nearby, making sure the lunch line was moving well.  “You're almost as tall as my dad!” he exclaimed....

  On Oct. 11, 2011, the Crow Wing County commissioners will hold a public hearing on whether to retain or repeal the CWC Human Rights Commission ordinance. Following recent dissension and internal issues, the County Commission has reacted by attempting to dismantle the Human Rights Commission (...

In 2010, we humans extracted and burned some 15 billion tons of coal, oil, and natural gas, or 4,200 pounds for every one on earth. That put more than 30 billion tons of green house gases into the atmosphere. ...