Opinion
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 933
Our view: Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to people having fun together, even when it’s cold or snowing outside. It’s all over the recent issues of the Pine Knot, from the City Meet to the Mojakka Cookoff. Sure, it takes time to organize these things, but the payoff goes way...
By 
Harry's gang: How safe is your money?
Nothing strikes fear in a banker’s heart more than the words, “run on the bank.” It conjures up images of the Great Depression, the Great Recession, and Jimmy Stewart convincing his customers...
This conversation is stuck in the snow
Go forward, but turn your wheels a bit. ... The other way. - How far? - Right there. If you get any traction, hit the brake. - Nothing. - Yeah. I smell rubber. Try going back, but not too far, the pol...
Passing MNCare public option would give middle-income Minnesotans another choice
Everyone deserves health insurance that is affordable, simple to use, and provides coverage for what they and their doctor decide is necessary to keep them healthy. Minnesota is lucky to have this... Full story
Being a good citizen is harder now
A couple of decades ago, I wrote a book in which I talked about what it takes to be a good citizen in a representative democracy like ours. I thought the principles I laid out were timeless, but I... Full story
Our view: Some praise for the sunshine
Sunshine Week is an annual initiative to promote open government and journalism’s role in it. It is celebrated in the second full week of March. It was launched in 2005 by the American Society of News Editors — now News Leaders Association. The...
Harry's gang: we use a lot of salt, and it stays
Thaw, freeze. Thaw, freeze. We’ve seen that cycle quite a bit this winter, especially as we close in on a record seasonal snowfall — will we beat the record of 113.4 inches? Stick around until... Full story
Letters: Hooray for the Clean Energy bill
History was made last month when 34 strong DFL senators at the Minnesota State Capitol delivered the critical commitment to safeguard our children’s future. The Minnesota 100 Percent Clean Energy bill, passed by the DFL on party-line Senate and...
Korby's connections: Dart leagues hit their mark
After a couple of years off due to the Covid pandemic, the competitive retiree dart league has returned to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Cloquet. The league resumed in late fall, but now...
Letters: Current session has issues
This legislative session has proven interesting. In most bienniums, the first year is appropriations, not policy. However, there have been a lot of policies introduced and passed. Our local legislators have voted against most of the legislation....
Letters: Reporter got it wrong
I disagree with the Pine Knot reporter’s description of a community member shouting questions at the Wrenshall school board meeting in the Feb. 17 issue. I was sitting right next to that community member and he did not “shout.” In fact, he...
Letters: Importing needs a dialback
Back in the 1960s, China was a Third World country, but today it’s a superpower. We, through trade agreements and importation, have turned the tables, making them strong. What do China, Russia and North Korea have in common? They’re all led by...
Harry's gang: These are gifts that never gave
Gift certificates are very popular presents. They have been since at least 1978, when my sister Zora gave me a McDonald's certificate for Christmas. Fifty cents, which bought a burger and maybe a drin...
Notes from the small pond: Friends
Some friends are lifelong friends and others are seasonal. I once got an emotional email from a friend of 8 years calling me out for not being more friendly — I hadn’t been paying enough...
Forestry land ownership change could benefit all
In 2018 I retired as the forest manager for the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa after a 37-year career. I'm also an alumnus of the University of Minnesota, College of Forestry. I'm writing...
Our view: Thumbs up, down
THUMBS UP to Cloquet public schools and Members Cooperative Credit Union for working toward an agreement on naming rights in return for getting $4.25 million in athletic facilities upgrades across the finish line. MCCU has sent a letter of intent to...
Tales of another scary landing
As a youngster growing up in Superior and flying aircraft with my dad, I remember him saying, "If you want to wreck your airplane, put it on skis!" He should know. I watched him and his World War II... Full story
Nuclear should be part of energy planning
"Drill, baby, drill” is a fun slogan for those of us who can’t imagine a world without gasoline, and the protests over the Line 3 project cutting through Carlton County show that plenty of people...
Can small-scale farming save rural America?
The snow began just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. We had been driving north for days, watching the landscape change from green to brown until the world looked like an old black and white photo. And t...
Guest column: Forestry center is a key community asset
It has recently come to my attention that the University of Minnesota Board of Regents will meet to discuss transferring Cloquet Forestry Center land to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. I am writing to you as a university alumni and a... Full story
Running for office brings insight
It’s good to be back. Running for office was an interesting experience, but one of the most fascinating things I learned was how little most voters think about our lawmakers and how our legislature... Full story
Incorporate forgiveness into your daily life
"You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, 'You shall not murder;' and 'whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister,... Full story
Letters: The unbearable madness of taxes
My family moved to Cloquet 17 years ago. In that time, our property taxes have more than doubled, with an increase of 129 percent. This is before the pending new firehall gets added onto the bill. The valuation of our home has increased 98 percent, w...
Letters: Thomson meeting time change smells funny
It has come to my attention that the Thomson Township board of supervisors recently changed the time of regular board meetings from its long-established 6:30 p.m. to a much earlier 5 p.m. This will make it very difficult for many working folks to...
Letters: What is enough money for the rich?
A recent television news report of Exxon Oil’s annual profit for 2022 was $55.7 billion. Wow! If I recall from college accounting classes, business profit is what remains of revenue after all business expenses have been paid. In other words, profit...
