LETTERS OPINIONS
River News: Our View
There is a simple yet durable rule in physics that systems tend to veer toward entropy unless external energy is applied. That is, in the universe, disorder is the default setting. Turns out, governments within social systems behave the same way, just substitute ‘accountability’ for ‘energy.’ Left to its own …
An open letter to Sen. Ron Johnson and Rep. Tom Tiffany
To the Editor: I’m writing to urge you to vote against the President’s SAVE Act, the bill to require states to make people provide strict proof of citizenship to register to vote, to show certain limited forms of ID when casting a ballot, and to require states to turn over …
The energy policy we could have had
Oil, oil, oil. The war with Iran has oil prices soaring. And no thanks, President Trump, for your other war, the one against green energy.
Grift and graft: A White House simply for sale
In the end, it wasn’t the disturbingly Gestapo-like tactics of her U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, smashing cars, pulling innocents off the streets and executing two American citizens, that did Kristi Noem in. It wasn’t the sneering contempt of court orders or the incessant lying that ended President Donald …
Protecting roadless lands protects our future
The wild forests and clear waters of the upper Great Lakes region are the lifeblood of our people. These places ground us, feed us, and connect us across generations. For generations, the St. Croix Chippewa Tribe has been a caretaker of these lands, doing our part to protect the clean …
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The first responders we don’t see
To the Editor: Emergency dispatchers are often called the first responders, yet their role is frequently misunderstood and undervalued. I’ve been a police officer for 24 years and understand how important dispatchers are to an officer’s and the public’s safety and how their mental health struggles are often overlooked, or …
Popular governors rise above party
Another exercise in nonpartisan cooperation ended sadly, as Donald Trump undoubtedly planned. Every year, the nation’s governors meet with the president to discuss common concerns. Trump had initially banned two Democratic members of the National Governors Association from attending — governors Jared Polis of Colorado and Wes Moore of Maryland.
River News: Our View
Remember that night your not-so-attractive neighbors left their curtains wide open while they changed their clothes. Of course you do because what you saw you can never unsee. It’s the cause of all those horrible nightmares and countless therapy sessions. It’s the reason you bought a second-hand print of “The …
Random Act of Kindness Day
To the Editor: Random Act of Kindness day is Feb. 17, and it is a day to celebrate kindness and the whole pay-it-forward mentality. The movement of Random Acts of Kindness inspires people every day.
Nudity is the new submission
Some listeners who are not entirely sold on Chappell Roan’s artistry brush off her songs and bawdy stage persona as “campy and loud.” They see a flashy, attention-grabbing circus act. And even as Roan markets herself as an over-the-top lesbian, the styling still reads as catering to the male gaze. …
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Fraud nation
Americans want to help people in need, but when government does that, about 500 billion taxpayer dollars get stolen. It’s how the system is designed, says the United Council on Welfare Fraud’s Andrew McClenahan in this new video. “You’re measuring success by the amount of money you put out.”
Change the culture, save the officer
To the Editor: As we enter 2026, I want to speak directly to police officers, supervisors, and leaders, not from a position of theory, but from lived experience.
Feeling insecure? You may be on to something
Groundhog Day’s furry forecaster Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of wintry weather. What if we asked Phil to apply his insights to the frigid job market? He might answer the way an alarmed groundhog does, with chattering teeth, and then squeak, “Wheet! Wheet! Cold days are coming for American …
The virtue of disloyalty
To the Editor: Is loyalty a virtue, or is the virtue of loyalty dependent upon the circumstance? You can be loyal out of love, out of fear, or because you benefit from your loyalty. One of the reasons I have a problem with the Trump presidency is that the fear …
Let the groundhogs hibernate
To the Editor: Groundhogs are wild animals and true hibernators, yet every year they are pulled out of captivity — not their natural dens — for a tradition that has nothing to do with their well‑being. The practice began with German immigrants in the 1800s, who used hedgehogs or badgers …
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