Columns

Everyone needs a hobby. It doesn't matter how busy you are. People must find time to do something they enjoy, away from the everyday hustle and bustle of the busy world we all live in.

Last Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012 in the Minneapolis Star Tribune there was an editorial that was headlined, "Dayton's first-year marks are high." The link to the editorial is here: http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/136453913.html.

I find it hard to believe that it is already January and we don't have snow up to our knees yet. The last substantial amount of snow was back in November when Kanabec County received over 12 inches.

We never were afraid of the silences. Not that there were many. There was more laughter than silence. Still is. I can tell you that for sure. Truth is, when you can weather the silences and not even be aware of them it means a lot.

Once in a while an idea comes along that should receive overwhelming bipartisan, if not unanimous, support. One such idea is being held up in the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Senate.

Axel Zirbes is a cute 4-year-old boy with bright eyes and a big smile. He also happens to have no hair on his head. That's because Axel is being treated for leukemia.

We have received our state's new budget forecast. It calls for a surplus of almost $900 million. This shows new efficiencies and cost-containment measures we enacted this year are working.

One morning not long ago, I awoke to find my husband's side of the bed empty. He came into the room a few minutes later. I asked where he'd been and he said I'd been snoring so he left for a quieter venue on the couch.

There are two types of people in this world: those who run and those who can't.

Nobody should have to choose between safety and shelter. Yet 48 percent of homeless women in Minnesota have previously stayed in abusive situations because they did not have safehousing options available to them.

As an editor, every so often I purchase a newspaper from the newsstand of a local competitor. I do so to find out what they are writing about, read other writing styles and look at how they do design and layout.

Property tax increases a result of Homestead Credit Elimination

You went to school to write? Do you ever get tired of writing? Where do you come up with your stories? Do you ever run out of topics to write about? The answer to some of these questions may not be clear, but I do have some thoughts.

Thanksgiving is my kind of holiday. Apart from the "thanks" part, the primary purpose of this celebration is eating. That is the one thing I do quite well.

What's the surest way to get a rummer mill buzzing? A carefully written, yet clear as mud letter sent by the school district to concerned parents.

Each year on Veterans Day (Nov. 11), Americans join together to honor the men and women in uniform who have served and sacrificed for our country.

When Scott County partnered with Honeywell to upgrade insulation, lighting, windows and energy-management systems in six government buildings, everybody won.

I find it amazing how many county residents were out trick-or-treating last Monday. It was almost as if bumblebees, were coming out of their hives, not knowing it was almost November. All ages were dressed up from those who couldn't walk to grandparents. Make sure to view photos taken by Marah Pahl and me from Halloween at the Kanabec County Times website, www.moraminn.com.

Halloween can be a great time of year - for all ages, along with a few must haves - carved pumpkins, pumpkin seeds, lots of candy, but my most favorite of all - homemade costumes.

To ensure its future the United States Postal Service (USPS) must do more than seek short-term fixes to its long-term financial problems. Year after year, the United States Postal Service continues to raise postal rates to cover its growing expenses without adequately addressing its significant underlying organizational and operational issues. Instead, it is offering to cut service by eliminating Saturday mail delivery.

Meow. It's me again. The cat. From time to time I take a crack at this column stuff. If you are reading this, today is your lucky day.

If we want a stronger economy tomorrow we need to give our kids a good education today. That was the idea behind No Child Left Behind: to ensure that every American child can graduate from high school prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.

This summer's government shutdown and special session are more than two months in the past now, but the lasting effects of the decisions made to end the budget stalemate are just starting to be noticed around the state. I've received a lot of questions about what happened this year and I'd like to clear up some of the information.

One of the reasons I ran for the Senate was to do right by our veterans.