Friday, May 18, 2012
Stillwater Area School District Superintendent Corey Lunn writes about several changes that are in the works for the next school year.
During the recent budget adjustment process, everything that we do has been placed under a microscope. This has resulted in finding more efficiencies and encouraging the school district to not only think about doing things differently, but also to better meet the needs of our students, families and schools. With this in mind several changes are now in the works for the next school year. Many positions are being changed and eliminated over the next two years. Many of these are at the district level including the assistant superintendents, other assistant-type jobs and administrative support positions. These changes will dramatically change the make-up of the central services building with over half of the district services structures and …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
With summer parties on the horizon, Washington County Attorney Pete Orput gives a warning for a safe and healthy graduation.
With high school graduation rapidly approaching, parents need to be reminded that it is a crime to provide minors with alcohol or a place to drink alcohol. Though some teens drink without experiencing any lasting consequences, the activity is extremely risky. Alcohol consumption causes the death of about 5,000 American teenagers every year. These deaths are unnecessary and are often caused by the adults who provide minors with alcohol or allow underage drinking parties to occur. Those adults who encourage underage drinking are harming children and also exposing themselves to both criminal and civil liability. Some parents mistakenly believe that teen alcohol consumption is inevitable and allow it to occur under their watch. However, public…
Monday, May 14, 2012
Washington County Judge Greg Gallery explains a few "obscure and antiquated phrases" in the hopes of taking some of the mystery out of the probate court process.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, May 14
Over the last generation the judiciary has tried to make it easier for people without law degrees to better understand what is happening in court. Sometimes it seems that lawyers and judges speak a language that no one else can understand. Obscure and antiquated words and phrases are bandied about in what many thought was an attempt to confuse everyone else. Today, most of the legal jargon has been removed from the courts. Probate court, however, remains as the last court where obscure and mysterious terms are still sometimes used. Just what is probate court? Probate court originally referred only to the process of proving in court whether or not a will was valid. Today probate courts deal with all cases involving estates, …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
"This Mother’s Day, as you thank your own mother for all she does for you," Rep. Michele Bachmann says, "I ask that you take a moment to learn more about foster care."
Each year on Mother’s Day, we take time to recognize the women in our lives who are many times our unsung heroes. Our moms are there to be our champions—they stick up for us; they encourage us and help us reach our full potential. I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it wasn’t for the encouragement, inspiration and love that my mother gave me each and every single day. And even at 56, I love hearing words of support from my mom who still resides in Anoka. As a mother myself to five biological children and 23 foster children, I know the importance of having a strong female figure in a child’s life. When my husband, Marcus, and I welcomed our foster children into our home, we wanted to provide them the love, support and stability …
Ronda L. Nelson of Oakdale writes that Rep. Kathy Lohmer's "Autism Campus" legislation "takes Minnesota back 100 years of progress—and we cannot support someone who thinks it’s for 'the good of society.'”
In December of last year I met with Kathy Lohmer regarding her "Autism Campus" (House File 2252). At this time she was calling a "Boutwells Landing" type home and a "gated community." I have worked with children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities for 38 years, I have a daughter with Asperger syndrome and am presently an adult foster care provider for individuals with severe behavior issues. I understand that what she is proposing is not cost effective. I also told her that many people have worked for many years to get these individuals out of large placements and into smaller homes and that a "gated" community like this would not protect our vulnerable citizens from abuse because it is more segregated, and the …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
"One year later, the President’s mission in the war-torn nation remains unclear. He apologizes for America’s actions, and we are left with no clear mission for our troops," Michele Bachmann says. "I call on President Obama to reaffirm that mission.”
Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden: “One year ago today, a nearly 10-year mission ended with the assassination of Osama bin Laden. The world breathed a collective sigh of relief, and while we will never forget the devastation and grief caused by the attacks on September 11, there seemed to be a shared optimism that his death would bring closure in Afghanistan. One year later, the President’s mission in the war-torn nation remains unclear. He apologizes for America’s actions, and we are left with no clear mission for our troops. Our troops are one of America’s …
Friday, April 27, 2012
Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Lake Elmo) says to argue that divorce is purely a private matter, with no public consequences, simply doesn’t line up with the facts. Stillwater Patch asks: Do you think government should play a role in marriage?
Recently there has been reaction to a bill that I have signed onto, authored by Representative Peggy Scott. House File 2962 establishes a two-year waiting period before finalizing a divorce when one spouse objects to the divorce and there are minor children in the home. The bill, however, permits a spouse to seek a divorce immediately when there is domestic abuse, adultery, chemical dependency, or desertion. Some argue that this bill is unnecessary and unfair. The exact opposite is true – it is a reasonable response to the often devastating consequences of divorce in the lives of children and parents. This legislation simply seeks to establish a cooling off period before a divorce can be finalized. Research shows that, in response to …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sheryl Grassie of Edina writes a letter to the editor about her experiences initiating legislation with Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Lake Elmo).
- OPINION
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Wednesday, April 25
This year I had a very unexpectedly pleasant experience with initiating legislation and trying to get a couple of Bills passed regarding autism housing. As the director of a local non-profit The End of the Spectrum, I had no experience with government at this level and was told it was very unlikely I could get anything passed. I was referred to Kathy Lohmer and she listened patiently and sympathetically to the plight of the families I work with. She also very enthusiastically committed to helping in any way she could. We constructed two bills to address the problems, and Kathy was my driving force, especially with the more controversial bill to start an autism campus. She continually held firm to the belief that this was everyone’s issue, …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Mary Harrison, of Lake Elmo denounces Rep. Kathy Lohmer's sponsorship of a bill requiring a two-year waiting period for divorce if the dissolution of a marriage is disputed and there is a child in the home.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, April 24
Do we really need government to be so involved in our relationships they can decide when it is time to break up? With only a few weeks left in the session, Kathy Lohmer is championing a new bill to make couples wait two years in order to get a divorce. This amount of meddling in people's personal lives has really gotten out of control. Divorce is a terrible and painful thing. People do not break up their marriages lightly. I know personally that people will fight to stay together, especially if there are children involved. It is not the government's place to decide we haven't worked hard enough, in fact it isn't their place to dictate our marriages at all. When a couple finally makes the decision to divorce, it is time to let them get on …
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) recently sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, asking that North Korea be relisted as a state sponsor of terrorism. What do you think of her request?
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, April 24
Last week Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, asking that North Korea be relisted as a state sponsor of terrorism. Bachmann’s request comes in light of North Korea’s “well documented list of provocative actions against other countries, the recent failed rocket launch as well as rumors that a nuclear test is imminent.” The text of Bachmann’s letter Hillary Clinton is below. What do you think of Bachmann’s letter? Do you think the failed rocket launch attempt will put pressure on North Korea to “take even more aggressive action” like testing a nuclear weapon or launching a military attack? Do you think North Korea should be relisted as a state sponsor of terrorism? Do you think the …
Pete
7:06 am on Saturday, May 19, 2012
It seems these changes will be very easy . Over the past forty years, public school employment has risen 10 times faster than enrollment. There are only 9 percent more students today, but nearly twice as many public school employees. With public schools complaining about student teacher ratiaos, its a given that the bloated numbers come from those employees not in front of students. more ›