Open Forum:

Once again, the Dispatch reports that Brainerd has the highest unemployment rate in the state for cities with over 10,000 people, 17.1 percent. Unfortunately, this is nothing new. For years Brainerd's unemployment rate has been well above the state average. Every city in the state is in the same recession, Brainerd is apparently the worst at managing it. For years we have suffered from stagnant leadership while other cities have moved ahead. Businesses and families have left Brainerd for better managed places. Some of our council members have been in office for decades. Brainerd has declined under their leadership, we need to replace them with people who can fix our problems instead of just talking about them.

In the mean time, our Brainerd City Council members should share the tough times that many of the citizens they represent are experiencing by going without their city paid health insurance benefits or part-time salary until Brainerd gets back on track.

Ed Shaw

Brainerd

The biggest scam in the U.S.

Thanks for bringing the biggest scam in American history back into the minds of the citizens of your state. It's high time Minnesota began to realize just how dangerous long-term exposure to fluoride really is.

The truth about this neurotoxin cannot be suppressed forever, and the science behind our fight against fluoridation won't change either.

I highly recommend reading the well researched book by Christopher Bryson, The Fluoride Deception to find out just how America began this insidious practice.

And, I recommend referring to www.FluorideAlert.org to read about the science and politics behind the continuing deception perpetrated by the CDC and ADA.

When I ceased using fluoridated water and toothpaste more than two years ago, I noticed that 25 years of mysterious symptoms that my doctors couldn't identify went away in one week. My health has been continually improving since that time, and I've even seen better tooth health.

This issue will not go away. And, the public is now gaining an awareness of what has been done to them.

Jack Cook

Nashville, Tenn.

Support the Montessori school

At the upcoming school board meeting, I urge the Brainerd School Board to allow Discovery Woods Montessori charter school to lease space in the Washington Educational Services building for classroom use. Allowing Discovery Woods Montessori School (DW) to lease space at Washington not only provides additional income to the school district, it also enhances the educational offerings in our community. Allowing DW to lease space demonstrates what I have known to be true since I was a student in ISD181 ... Brainerd, as a community, provides a high standard of education, regardless of whether or not that education takes place in an ISD 181 classroom.

Educational choices in a community raise the standard of education in a community. In any industry, healthy competition and collaboration are motivators for improvement and excellence, and our education system is no different. When choices abound, our schools (private, charter, or public) are driven to excellence. That excellence translates into better education for our children. The collaboration of Discovery Woods and ISD 181 would serve only to strengthen our educational community.

Studies show that strong community schools attract strong community members, and increasing the educational options in our community does just that. With our unemployment rate being our recent claim to fame at a state level, I prefer to focus where Brainerd has a history of excellence ... our schools. Supporting DW by allowing them to lease space at Washington strengthens our community, so please vote yes on this issue.

Amy Gray Ellingson

Baxter