Commentary
The Renee Good shooting demands charges, not secrecy
Renee Good’s killing demands a full, transparent and independent investigation, with the underlying evidence released to the public. But the facts already known support saying more than that: It looks like a case serious enough to warrant criminal charges and judicial scrutiny. That conclusion does not require pretending every factual question has been resolved. It […]
Our school funding crisis demands action, even between budget cycles
Minnesota’s school funding crisis has moved past the point of being a nagging problem; it is a full-blown emergency, finally made impossible to ignore by painful cuts across the state. For too long, the default approach at the Capitol has been to apply short-term, stop-gap solutions, effectively trying to patch a sinking boat with duct […]
Science is under attack and Minnesota politicians are asleep at the wheel
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar recently rolled out some preliminary plans for Minnesota in her campaign for governor with a focus on fraud. Notably absent from her list of priorities: science. Leaders in Washington have gutted our crown jewel — the U.S. research enterprise. Many will argue that state government isn’t responsible for fixing the crisis […]
Minnesota can make social media safer for kids
By the age of 8, a quarter of American children have a personal phone. By age 12, nearly half of them are on social media. In the digital age, a kid’s journey into the world of social media is only natural. While the flashy apps that buy and sell our attention are disguised as harmless […]
Many products have warning labels, so why not social media?
NetChoice, the trade group representing Meta, Google, X, and most major social media companies, recently sued Minnesota in federal court over a law that takes effect on July 1, 2026, requiring platforms to display a “conspicuous mental-health warning” each time a user accesses them. NetChoice argues this violates the First Amendment by compelling speech. The […]
The Legislature needs to say no to the suburban mayors, and yes to more homes
Ask a Minnesotan under 40 about trying to buy a house, and they’ll inevitably share a nightmare about bidding wars and multiple cash offers, forgone inspections and huge mortgage payments for a starter home. Meanwhile, your attached garage in Lakeville has to be a whopping 480-square feet, and the city’s response to mild pushback from […]
Olmstead Plan needs revisions — and maybe a rewrite — to help Minnesotans with disabilities
Minnesota is currently engaged in a rewrite of what’s called its Olmstead Plan, which is named for a 1999 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that people with disabilities must receive services in the most integrated setting possible. The decision highlighted the need for community integration and compliance with the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act. The ruling […]
Minnesota, the birthplace of charter schools, needs to lead the way on reforming them
On June 4, 1991, the Legislature passed the first law in the nation that allowed for the creation of a charter school. In the 35 years since, nearly every state has followed suit, and charter enrollment has increased across the country every year. With over 4 million students, charter schools now educate 8% of the […]
US Rep. Tom Emmer is the most uncivil poster of Minnesota’s congressional delegation
After the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who was there, told Fox 9 that “We all have to do a better job of watching the rhetoric.” In the wake of the attack, voices on X cited Democratic rhetoric as the cause. At a White House press briefing Monday, […]
Algae blooms in the Boundary Waters show threat of global warming
Lienne Sethna and Adam Heathcote, scientists with the Science Museum of Minnesota, were paddling toward a portage in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness on a mild, sunny August afternoon in 2024 when their canoe sliced through a glistening green scum floating on the water. The scientists, who are part of the St. Croix Watershed […]
In the great north, we’ve seen firsthand that we need universal child care
In our northern Minnesota communities, we’re committed to building the infrastructure that we need — schools, health care, roads, businesses and more — so that we can grow and thrive. We may live in smaller communities, but our needs and hopes for the future are the same. But we can’t do any of it without affordable, available […]
Unfounded fraud concerns are putting an effective mental health program at risk
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared in 2023 that our newest epidemic is loneliness and isolation. While COVID-19 certainly impacted us, it’s not the only factor, and he recognized this as an issue prior to COVID. His report quotes surveys that found that nearly half of all adults experienced loneliness, and rates were […]