Balancing public safety with the public’s right to know has been a challenge for local units of government around the country over the past eleven months, including here in the North Country. … more

Last Sunday evening, I was convalescing in my green leather recliner after a busy day. I was hoping the subject for this week’s column would drop into my lap. It seemed to be one of those … more

We’ve heard an awful lot of false equivalency when it comes to the Trump-inspired riot on Jan. 6, which was the subject of the recent impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate. Trump’s … more

I have been reading Michelle Obama’s book, Beloved, and waxing nostalgic about what was and what could have been. When Barack Obama was elected in 2008, I thought we, as a country, were finally … more

By early February, the landscape is heavily blanketed with many layers of snow. Some days I stand in awe at the silent beauty of this season. But there are other days I curse it! Today, it’s a … more

There is little reason to hold back on the latest COVID-19 response package that now appears likely to make its way to President Biden’s desk as early as next month. Some have claimed that the … more

It’s time for a discussion in Tower and Soudan about the future of law enforcement in the communities. Operating a local police department is expensive— really expensive— and … more

“Well, Jane, it just goes to show you, it’s always something — if it’s not one thing, it’s another.”Oldsters like me may well recall that classic catchphrase of … more

RELIEVED...is how I am feeling since the presidential inauguration. Over the past four years there have been multitudes of Facebook memes, cartoons and skits about the Trump era. Bernie Sanders … more

As we’ve reported in recent weeks, there is much to celebrate in the progress made by Minnesota utilities in reducing their carbon emissions. Those changes not only address climate … more