Articles

New state school rankings not completely bogus anymore

After years of nearly meaningless rankings, the state of Minnesota has finally been allowed to use what promises to be a slightly more meaningful system for ranking the progress of schools, and for helping those that struggle.

• Pete Langr

Column: Minor tweaks can’t fix health system

The steady drumroll of controversy regarding health care has continued locally in recent months.

• Pete Langr

Less divisiveness, more seriousness at this year’s Tea Party rally

“This better be the best article you’ve ever written,” said my daughter after sitting through nearly three hours of the Tea Party gathering at the Amsoil Arena earlier this month.

• Pete Langr

No need to be reactionary in being concerned about mines

I hardly think that those with concerns about mining and processing have to be reactionary to make a valid point. Rather, following the “mercury … rules in Minnesota are too strict,” line of thinking, I’m wondering just what percent of our children should have dangerous levels of mercury in their blood before our mercury rules are not excessive.

• Pete Langr

Raging Grannies have a good point

In December, the city council made Duluth the first city in the state to pass a resolution urging a constitutional amendment to overturn the “Citizens United” ruling. There is more to this relation between Occupy Wall Street and Move to Amend than just friendship.

• Pete Langr

Youth on the losing end of class warfare

The last presidential campaign seemed to be about “change” and the most recent congressional election about “Obamacare.” So far, it looks like the theme of the current campaign will be “class warfare.”

• Pete Langr

Parking entitlement couterproductive

Examine the tax situation of the resident who requires city-provided free parking in front of his home. Presumably he has not gone to the expense of providing his own off-street parking or garage space like most residents have. He has no cost to maintain those spaces, and no labor required in removing snow.

• Pete Langr

Discounted pork gets bought quickly

“We need a Congress that can distinguish between projects of national importance and of local or regional importance, and that will tell us that a local project is “a good project” about the same time we say we’re willing to tax ourselves, locally, regionally, or statewide, to pay for it.”

• Photo

Duluth students talk about new Lester Park Elementary School

This fall, many of Duluth’s students, teachers and parents are experiencing the opening of six schools which are either new or which have undergone drastic updating. One of them, Lester Park Elementary, opened last Thursday while heavy equipment continued landscaping the grounds.

• Annika Jarvela
• Slide at Lester Park

Pete Langr: Politicians and the art of the deal

The game of Monopoly has a lot to teach.

• Pete Langr

Columns

Religion vs. individual freedom a common worry

When my Catholic father was young, suspicion between Catholics and Protestants was greater than it is today. One result was that when my father’s family travelled around the countryside and happened to spy an unkempt farmstead, a comment such as “that’s probably a Lutheran’s place” might be heard. Certainly, no Catholic could fail to mow the lawn.

• Pete Langr

A few resolutions for those running the show

Here are a few resolutions for those driving the agenda in Congress, for Chip Cravaack, and for Amy Koch, that might truly help brighten my new year.

• Langr

Happiness isn't only stadium consideration

My daughter tells me that “for most people in Minnesota, we couldn’t care less if the Vikings cease to exist, especially with their recent record.” I’m not nearly so indifferent about the push by the Vikings to get a new stadium, but neither can I agree with others who say they don’t mind where the stadium goes as long as it’s in Minnesota.

Duluth's future more than just 'core services'

City councilor Jim Stauber has consistently been a budget watchdog, so it’s no surprise that he’s been cool to the Duluth parks levy. Expressing concern about the cumulative effects of the levy and other property tax increases, Stauber wrote that “businesses and citizens may find this burden too great and move on.”

There ought to be plenty of room to agree on healthcare

In early October, the Budgeteer reported on an Oct. 1 speech by Dr. Ed Ehlinger, Minnesota’s State Commissioner of Health. Much of the substance of the article was bookended by comments from Buddy Robinson, of the Minnesota Citizens Federation Northeast, and by Becky Hall, of the Northern Liberty Alliance, a Tea Party group.

Duluth school buildings no longer second-rate

Duluthians, kicking and screaming, have brought their schools far beyond just adequate. That’s awesome. And amazing.

• Photo

Pete Langr: Drivers, put yourselves in bikers' shoes

In the news recently was the death of bicyclist David Landgraf, one of only three skiers to have skied in every American Birkebeiner. A Hayward driver who reportedly turned around to talk with her kids hit Landgraf from behind as he bicycled along a Wisconsin highway. That accident is one of four fatalities in Wisconsin since July 1 in which a rider was reported to have been hit from behind.

• Pete Langr

Pete Langr: Founders won’t roll over because of regulation

Trying to co-opt patriotism and the American flag to push a political agenda is, in my book, pretty low. Maybe I’m too thin-skinned, but that’s what I felt was happening when I read the July 3 Budgeteer opinion piece by Jim Hofsommer, “This Independence Day, think about freedom.”

• Pete Langr

It's the local, local gardens that win out

A couple years ago I made a trip out to Wrenshall to pick wild blueberries — tiny, juicy things filled with flavor. Those were blueberries I actually wanted to eat, as opposed to the cardboard type we occasionally buy from the grocery store. Locally grown food is all the rage, and we’re treated to all sorts of news stories about it.

• Pete Langr

Pete Langr: Real state budget solution is to control supply costs

As we watch our Republican state legislative leaders and our Democratic governor at work (or not at work) on the state budget, the overwhelming appearance is that these people are clueless.

• Pete Langr