Sunday, May 19, 2013
In all, Minnesota’s prisons house approximately 9,500 adult inmates at an annual cost of approximately $465 million.
You probably know that there are two prisons in Washington County: The Stillwater prison (which is actually in Bayport) and the Oak Park Heights prison. Did you know that there are also eight other prisons in Minnesota? Nine are for men. The state’s only women’s prison is in Shakopee. Why are there so many prisons? Aren’t they all the same? First, understand that a prison is different than a jail. Prisons are set up in a number of different ways, one of the main ways deals with the “custody classification system.” This system differentiates between the levels of security necessary for inmates. The most dangerous offenders are kept at a level 5 maximum-security prison. Those who are considered the least dangerous, including some who are …
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Here are recent posts from Stillwater bloggers.
At Patch, we care about what you have to say in your community. Every week we will be recognizing our bloggers on Stillwater Patch, from cooking enthusiasts to local business owners, and everyone in between! If you’re interested in becoming a Local Voice on Stillwater Patch, email Hannah Gruber at hannah.gruber@patch.com Washington County Commissioners Meet to Approve Big Spending Increases 5-7-13 The 5-7-13 Washington County Commissioner Meeting had several big spending increases in the works. Junior Achievement Summer Camps make learning about business fun! Registration now open for Junior Achievement Summer Camps. Teens’ Summer Jobs Can Be An Investment In Their Future Teen Summer Jobs. (Eric St. Martin) Getting Organized: Choosing the …
Friday, May 17, 2013
Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater) writes about taxes, bonding and unionizing childcare.
Editor’s Note: The following is a news release from Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater). Lohmer represents the Stillwater area in Minnesota House District 39B. _________________________________________ We’re in the final stretch of the legislative session. Last night, House and Senate DFL leaders and Governor Dayton announced an agreement on a tax plan that would impose higher income taxes, increase the cigarette tax by $1.60, and hike taxes on some business-to-business purchases. If this tax plan is passed and signed into law, Minnesota would have the fourth highest tax rate in the nation. Given our community’s proximity to Wisconsin, it seems like Governor Dayton and DFL legislative leaders are encouraging our citizens to move across the …
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Everything you need to know about painting your house: stripping, powerwashing, fixing damaged wood and choosing paint colors. Sponsored by Home Depot.
It’s that time of year again and you’re outside, enjoying your yard. Then you start nosing around—maybe you’re inspecting your plants, or reviewing the condition of your lawn or setting up your sprinklers—and before you know it, reality hits. You need to paint the house. A daunting task. An expensive task. A necessary task—because it's not just about how your house looks, it's about your home's value. Neglect is not an option. Take heart, however. Information and resources have never been more easily available to help you through this project. Know Your Options Your options are to either hire a contractor or paint it yourself. Hiring a contractor is an expensive option, but if it's in your budget and you do the necessary research to …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Here are this week’s posts from Stillwater bloggers.
At Patch, we care about what you have to say in your community. Every week we will be recognizing our bloggers on Stillwater Patch, from cooking enthusiasts to local business owners, and everyone in between! If you’re interested in becoming a Local Voice on Stillwater Patch, email Hannah Gruber at hannah.gruber@patch.com Stillwater Revitalization Proposing to Start with a $30,000 to $60,000 Survey Stillwater Revitalization Committee to propose expensive research to find out how to improve the city apperance. (Matt Behning) Saving for Retirement? Give Yourself a “Raise” IRA's and retirement. (Eric St. Martin) Spring Clean Your 401(k) You can Spring Clean your 401(k) too! (Ric Lager) Getting Down to Business: Have You Got What It Takes? …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Rep. Kathy Lohmer writes about unionizing childcare providers in her latest Viewpoints column.
The following was written by Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater): During this legislative session, many problematic bills have been moving through the legislature. Among the very worst proposals that the Democrat-controlled House is considering is the unionization of in-home private childcare providers. This legislation represents an unprecedented power grab by AFSCME and their allies to unionize small business owners. Generally, the purpose of a union is for employees to have a unified voice as they negotiate salary and benefits with their employer. What’s frightening about this proposal is that it goes a step further and unionizes small business owners who run in-home childcare centers. Specifically, this legislation targets those childcare…
A guest column from Lois Larson, member of the Washington County Child Protection Citizen Review Panel.
Becoming a grandparent is a wonderful opportunity to offer love, support and all the knowledge we have acquired throughout our years of raising children. We have many answers to the childrearing questions our sons and daughters may have and are only too happy to impart our words of wisdom. We feel we know best as we have been in these situations and our children are living proof that we did the right thing. We might be surprised to learn that many childrearing methods have changed and what we once thought was best for our children has been proven to be not so. As a member of the Citizens Review Panel for Washington County, we work closely with the county and the Minnesota Department of Human Services to serve the needs of our children and …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
The state dropped two spots in the League of American Bicyclists’ annual rankings.
(Editor's Note: The map above was created by the League of American Bicyclists.) Minnesota is still among the top states in “bike friendliness,” but its ranking fell a couple notches in 2013, according to the League of American Bicyclists. The state was ranked fourth this year, down from second in 2012. It ranked high in legislation and enforcement, policies and programs and education and encouragement. But it was middle of the pack in infrastructure and funding and lower tier in evaluation and planning. Minnesota was also missing three of the league’s “Top 10 Signs of Success: Use the map above to see how Minnesota compares to other states in the various categories. Do you think Minnesota needs to do more to support cycling? Share your …
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Whether it's being the first in your family to graduate college or raising money for a local cause, tell us your stories. Sponsored by Grape-Nuts.
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Saturday, April 27
In honor of the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic scaling of Mount Everest, Patch is asking our readers across the country: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Have you kicked your smoking habit or finished a triathlon? Or maybe you made your final student loan payment, defeated cancer, lost 50 pounds or learned to knit. From everyday to extraordinary, please share your stories of the mountains you've conquered in the comments section below. You’ll not only inspire others, but also earn some well-deserved kudos! Tell Us: What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever had to overcome? Share your story in the comments section below. About this sponsorship: Patch has teamed up with Grape-Nuts cereal on this…
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater) weighs in on the proposed minimum wage increase in her column.
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Thursday, April 25
One of the proposals moving through the legislature right now is a bill that would impose an increase in the minimum wage from $6.15 per hour to $9.00 for small employers and to $10.55 per hour for large employers. The increase would come three stages with the new minimum wage level in place by August 2015. Every year after that, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on the annual increase in inflation. Some argue that an increase in the minimum wage is necessary because the current minimum wage is not livable for our state’s workforce. However, according to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, only 3.2% of all workers age 25 to 54 years old work minimum wage jobs. Well over half – 59.7% – of those making minimum wage are …
Randy Marsh
10:02 pm on Sunday, May 19, 2013
If you enjoy hypocrisy from someone who asks how high when asked to jump, Lohmer is certainly your gal, David. There's not a company in the world that would put this woman on its board of directors and yet here she is. more ›