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Opinion

The danger of lead poisoning

Columns

In the Fall of 2024, some households were notified that there either may be, or are, lead water pipes supplying water to their homes. The notification is appreciated. The problem is supposed to be fixed in the Spring of 2025. Whether you received a notice or not, understanding the danger that lead represents is beneficial for all of us. A complicating factor in lead poisoning is that you cannot see, taste, or smell the lead to which you are being exposed. There is absolutely no safe level of lead in the blood or the body. Even if lead is in the blood for only a few weeks, during those ...

Earth action day: Unleashing our power for our planet

Columns

April 22nd will mark the fifty-fifth anniversary of Earth Day.  The power of those 20 million voices that came out on the streets that first Earth Day led the U.S. to create the EPA and the first generation of environmental laws addressing clean air, clean water and toxics.   Fast forward to today. Under the banner of, “Our Power. Our Planet”, EARTHDAY.ORG, the global organizer of Earth Day, is calling on people from all walks of life to join in “Earth Action Day” — an effort to once again mobilize people power to tackle the current generation of environmental ...

Suggest reading other sources of news

Letters

To the editor: I tip my hat to Kim Sjogren’s letter (April 10). Well written, to the point, and accurate. I personally visited Second Harvest Heartland several years ago and saw a brand new facility with all the latest bells and whistles. I thought something seemed odd. How could a volunteer operation give away food to people week after week, and seemingly not have a care in the world about finances?  Now the answer is here. It was Minnesota Government “generosity” funded through NGO (which basically means no oversight, no accounting). We’ve also been hearing a lot ...

Embrace our laws

Letters

To the editor: Thank you, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, for having a course called "Totalitarian Patterns” way back in the last century. It was taught by a professor originally from an East European country, who had held a high elective position there until ousted by the communists. We students of Russian language and culture and/or of politics, generally, learned to become more aware of the signs of a slide towards authoritarianism, whenever and wherever that happens. And it’s happening, isn’t it? Pardon me, for a few minutes, while I weep. Then onward. A Swedish ...

Not fit to lead most powerful country

Letters

To the editor: Last week four American soldiers died in a training exercise in Lithuania. When their bodies were recovered, Lithuania paused to honor their sacrifice. A crowd gathered as men carried the four coffins from the hearses to the U.S. transport jet. Many Lithuanians wept. When a similar event happened during his term, President Bush waited on the runway and saluted. When a similar event happened during his term, President Obama waited on the runway and saluted. When a similar event happened during his term, President Biden waited on the runway and saluted. But when ...

National shame in White House

Letters

To the editor: I would like to put aside the horrific economic policies and fractured international relations of this administration for a moment and concentrate on the current resident of the White House. It seems that many Americans no longer value common human decency so I would like to remind those people of a few facts. I believe that if these people were being totally honest with themselves, they would agree with these simple observations. Donald Trump is the embodiment of everything we would teach our children not to be. Donald Trump is cruel, he is a bully, he is ignorant, ...