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Local Columns

Why Minnesota taxpayer dollars funded fraud, not families

The fraud and financial waste exposed in Minnesota under Governor Tim Walz are not just scandals; they’re a display of radical negligence, proving he is entirely unfit to manage a single taxpayer dime or protect Minnesotans. The theft of $1 billion from vulnerable Minnesotans across our ...

A year-end review

Another year has gushed through the culvert of time, leaving behind a scoured gully along with some unexpected and pleasant flotsam. The year 2025 began with my wife and I watching the famous ball drop in Times Square. Not in person, of course. We viewed it on TV, awakening from our ...

Let us resolve

As many of us know, we start the New Year with a New Year’s resolution. By George! This year we are going to accomplish that resolution-come heck or high water! That will make the coming year different from past years, right? We will do it! However, the big question is what will be that ...

Politics isn’t measured in words, it’s measured in results

Politics is a lot of talk. Sometimes, that conversation results in action. Other times, it fizzles out and gives way to the next headline, the issue forgotten and the solution left uncharted. In my decade as a Minnesota senator, I have seen dozens, maybe hundreds, of conversations bubble up and ...

Nativity scenes show real meaning of Christmas

This past week I did something I hadn’t done since eighth grade by being one of the performers in a Nativity program. I portrayed one of the Wisemen. I had a gown, a cardboard crown and a gift for baby Jesus. It was the 10th year that Boulder Estates has done a nativity program for ...

Reflecting on 2025; priorities for the year ahead

As 2025 draws to a close and Minnesotans enjoy a holiday season filled with family, friends, and, yes, snow, I wanted to take stock of what we’ve accomplished this year, reflect on some of the challenges we’ve faced, and look forward to the work ahead. This year started with the ...