I am always interested in the unsung hero or the rulebreakers of nature. The kind of critter that is common, yet no one seems to pay any attention to them. Or the bird who is so common throughout the U.S., yet no one seems to notice them.
The April 10 letter to the editor, "Anyone can cherry-pick statistics," misleads readers of the Prior Lake American with inaccurate statements and innuendos.
Credit River has an important election coming up on May 11. I watched the candidate forum last night to learn more about those who are seeking to lead Minnesota’s newest city.
A brand new school is so exciting — everything is shiny, clean and bright! Yet, many people don’t realize that a new school still needs items like playground equipment and outdoor learning items, as usually these are items that are built or purchased after students and staff have settled in …
They were special places for special occasions: Harry’s Café, Charlies, the Criterion, Blue Horse, Gannon’s, Birch’s Café and more. It was the late 1940s and early 1950s, and I remember all of them because, at one time or another, I was there.
It's instructive that as I sat down to write about the problem of gun violence in the United States, three more reports of shootings with multiple casualties came across my computer screen. You literally cannot keep up with the number of mass shootings we have in this country every year. Eve…
We all live in Credit River because we like it here. Our town board has done such an excellent job of protecting our lifestyle. We had to become a city, and it has been in the planning stage for 10 years, to prevent adjoining cities from annexing our land and eliminating Credit River.
The rites of spring are particularly interesting, especially in the bird world.
I am incensed with what is happening at our southern border. If we have to be locked down, wear masks, social distance and keep business closed, why are we allowing illegal immigrants to be introduced to our general public with no COVID testing?
At Prior Lake-Savage Area schools we transitioned our secondary students back to in-person learning on April 15 so now all students, E-12, have the opportunity to be back learning in our schools. We also continue to provide distance learning for families who choose that model.
The for-profit national home builders want a one-size fits all approach in Minnesota’s 850 cities and 1,700 townships. That is why they are advancing legislation in St. Paul that is a serious threat to the local control entrusted to cities in how they grow.
Credit River Residents, we have a big decision ahead of us on May 11 as we have our first municipal election. This is very important as it will set the direction for our newly formed city.
April is national Volunteer Appreciation Month and I want to thank all the volunteers out there that make our communities stronger, safer and healthier for everyone. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers are needed more than ever at nonprofits and we applaud all of you that are…
Every Scott County business with unreimbursed COVID related losses since March 1, 2020 should be livid.
I’m bewildered and a bit offended by the April 3 letter to the editor ("Don't fall for the Republican sales pitch) by one Glen Weber of Prior Lake as he plays fast and loose with the facts and accusations and the Prior Lake American seems to have printed it without so much as a five minute c…
I am writing to ask all of you to contact your legislators in support of HF 358, the Comprehensive Sex Education bill. Comprehensive sex education programs encourage positive, affirming communication between parents and young people around sexuality to help young people establish individual …
As residents in the Pike Lake area, we recently received a heads-up mailer from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.
2020 was arduous in many ways for everyone. People were in lockdown with limited interactions and getting daily necessities was laborious. For those children and families who were already facing financial and food insecurities, this scenario was even more difficult.
The COVID-19 pandemic may end up changing our lives in some significant ways. To cite one example, it’s likely we’ll see a lot more people continue to work remotely, now that they’ve seen the effectiveness of tools such as video conferencing. Education, too, may be forever changed in some wa…
At one time developers paid local fees, built their subdivisions, pocketed their profits and walked away — but that wasn’t enough. They got greedy and wanted more. One of them sued the city of Woodbury over its road fees, and, in 2018, the Minnesota State Supreme Court ruled that local commu…
There is a bill on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives called Comprehensive Sex Education, HF 358, it will change the way schools teach sex education.
Spring is filled with so many cool and interesting natural things. The earth is awaking after a long and frozen sleep.
This year we seemed to zip right past Groundhog Day without even noticing. Perhaps this is because during COVID time, every day seems the same, just like the movie "Groundhog Day." Nothing new or different. Just one day like the other. But for the groundhog, also known as the woodchuck, spri…
This past week marked an important milestone. One year ago we were just beginning to understand the severity of what was in front of us as the governor announced the closing of public schools due to the COVID-19 virus.
In reference to the March 6 letter to the editor, "Opinion Section is For Publicly Expressing Views," the writer states that I “harbor an intense dislike for Republicans in general.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. I like my Republican friends and family and voted for Republicans fo…
My days of sitting behind an editor’s desk have passed, but I’ll never lose my newspaper blood. I regularly enjoy my first cup of coffee while scanning newspaper websites. It’s a great way to keep current on what’s happening in communities.
I wanted to clarify some facts about the pickleball courts and respond to the March 6 letter to the editor, “Taxpayers had no say in pickle ball spending.”
In 1950, at a time when long distance telephone calls were reserved for special news and family emergencies, the U.S. mail was the most reliable way for most people and families to communicate over long distances — and that communication, everything from the handwriting to its grammar and se…
Did you know that in 2016, more Blacks were aborted than born alive in New York City, according to the city's vital statistics report? Did you know that in 2019, over 9,900 Minnesotans were aborted? Did you know that the Minnesota Senate is considering S.F. 1352, which would legalize euthana…
Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) members were mailed a packet for MVEC’s Annual Meeting. Included was a bylaw question. One of the proposed bylaw changes removes director term limits.
There is a toxic concept being introduced in our society called critical race theory which attempts to indoctrinate Americans to believe that our country is fundamentally and structurally racist.
As winter loosens its grip on the northern states and it finally feels like spring, my mind turns to all the changes in nature. In particular, the animals in the northern climates that change the color of their coats (pelage) or the birds that change their feathers (plumage) from brown to wh…
In just a couple weeks, we will experience the vernal equinox — one of the two times in the year when the sun is exactly above the equator. Apart from this astronomical anomaly, though, the equinox is mostly known as the beginning of spring — a fresh beginning and the time to spruce things up.
This week, ballots arrive in the mail for Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative Board of Directors. MVEC is governed by nine member-owners who serve as the cooperative's board of directors.
Fellow Prior Lake residents, have you been to Lakefront Park lately? Do you or your kids sled, skate or just walk the pathways? How about those facilities?
Pravda was the Soviet regime’s official daily newspaper. It was communist propaganda bent on indoctrinating readers by pushing unity of thought. Individual thinking did not bode well for communists. Mindless herd mentality is much easier to steer. Ironically, the literal meaning of "pravda" …
I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri for 12 years of my life. As you would guess, my education was subpar compared to Minnesota even though I went to the top school district in my city. I pride myself on how I've conquered Minnesota's difficult curriculum and managed to keep up even though I w…
I am writing in response to two letters that concern the pickleball complex. Those two letters were published Feb. 27 and titled “Clearing up misunderstandings about pickleball" and "I applaud pickleballers for improving their field.”
A framed timetable from St. Paul Union Depot hangs on my office wall. I discovered it at an antique show many years ago; saved it, and look on it every day as a reminder of the passage of time and how it changes our lives.
Human-caused global climate change is one of the most complex issues facing society today. It is a global problem felt on local scales that cuts across many dimensions — science, economics, society, politics, and moral and ethical questions. It is here today, will be around for decades and c…
The bison turned quickly, ready to charge. The two feet of snow didn’t slow its powerful hooves, but rather kicked up a rooster-tail of shiny ice crystals into the cold winter air, highlighting the bison’s efforts.
The bison turned quickly, ready to charge. The two feet of snow didn’t slow its powerful hooves, but rather kicked up a rooster-tail of shiny ice crystals into the cold winter air, highlighting the bison’s efforts.
A recent letter to the editor contains a number of misunderstandings.
I am in a bit of pickle, trying to understand what has upset the Feb. 20 letter writer, who wrote to complain about the recent news regarding Prior Lake Pickleballers, who are trying to raise money to improve the field.
It seems evident from Glen Weber’s Feb. 6 letter to the editor about accountability and truth, and earlier letters, that he harbors an intense dislike of Republicans in general, and anyone else whose opinion differs from his own. Each letter of his, that I recall, has included a personal att…
Students are at the center of all decisions made at Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools and there is much to celebrate in our district. This is also the time of year when school districts work to determine the budget for the coming school year. As always, PLSAS strives to be fiscally responsible …
Assuming Congress passes the President’s request for another $1.9 trillion, which is in addition to the $3.1 trillion already approved, the total amount “allegedly” being justified for COVID-19 aid and relief will reach $5 trillion.
I am at a loss as to why Wes Mader so readily avails himself of the very vehicle he derides in many of his bi-monthly op-eds — namely, the media.
For many of us, the COVID-19 pandemic may be putting a hold on dinner at the charming local bistro, but the spirit of Valentine’s Day cannot be extinguished. This year, perhaps more so than in the past, you may want to make your Valentine’s Day gifts even more meaningful. So, for example, wh…
