Letter to the Editor : 1918 Kasson Public School

Letter to the Editor

Citizens of Kasson and Surrounding Areas,
The Historic 1918 Kasson Pubic School is calling out to you. It has served Kasson for over 90 years and it will continue to serve for an equal number of years and more providing space, shelter and functionality. That obvious and visible role is in partnership with its representation of the history and social fabric of Kasson, Dodge County and the School District. That is true regardless of where you were born or where you went to school- This historic landmark belongs to you regardless of your origin in the same manner that Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA belongs to you. It deserves no less of your attention and advocacy.

The school was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 6, 2007. During the Minnesota Historical Society Review Board Meeting on October 16, 2007 board member and historian Dave Ebnet commented:

"Local history is as important as national history due to the fact that it occurs where people are living and spending their day-to-day lives so it is very important to recognize it."

Respectively Yours,
Kenton Spading

Bed Bugs

Most middle agers and older have heard the old saying, "Don't let the bed bugs bite. If they bite, squeeze them tight so they don't bite tomorrow night." Well, apparently the bedbug is making a comeback in Minnesota, the reason being their ability to travel in the climate we have had.
 
The bedbug prefers being inside and hangs out where people sleep-thus the name  bedbug.  I read the article released by the state on the bedbug  and by the time I was done I was literally scratching my head.

Look one of those little guys up on the Web some time and see what they look like. I would not want one on me in bed or anywhere else. As I went to bed last night I started thinking about those darn creatures and started itching again.

What really got to me is the fact the bedbug can feed on a human unnoticed.  A comeback in  bedbugs is not a good sign. I bet you are itching now too!

Driving To School

After taking my son to school the first day I drove through the high school parking lot after the day started. The parking lot was three fourths full.

I remember when I was in school,  there were maybe one-fifth that number of student vehicles in the lot. Of course the school population was lower.

In that day it was mostly seniors who drove to school. Very few underclassmen had the privilege to drive a vehicle. The exception were the kids who had after school extra-curricular activities.

In an archived Dodge County Independent Newspaper I found an article about Principal Harold Haugo encouraging parents  not to allow their teenagers to drive to school. Haugo, a teacher, principal and counselor, said there  were studies that showed kids who drove to school did not have the same academic success as those who did not drive to school.

I wonder what the academic success of students is for those who walk to school, take the bus or are given a ride by a parent? Now there's a study for someone to do.

Letter to the Editor : I’ll give Republicans credit for an illegal, immoral invasion of lies

Letter To the Editor:

Republicans want credit for Iraq?
Sure-I’ll give Republicans credit for an illegal, immoral invasion of lies:
Saddam was behind 9/11, he was developing atomic and chemical and biological weapons-WMDs, he ran
Al Qaeda terrorist training camps.

I’ll give Republicans credit for murdering and dismembering a few hundred thousand innocent people including the suffering and life long handicaps of tens of thousands of children, for making 3 million more homeless and destitute, for creating revengeful Al Qaeda terrorists where there were none, for sending tens of thousands of Americans to kill and be killed for nothing-oh-that’s right, they did get one bad guy.
I’ll give Republicans credit for spending a trillion dollars to do this all, to humiliate and torture Muslim prisoners DIRECTED FROM THE BUSH/CHENEY WHITE HOUSE to insure that the entire Muslim world would now listen to the “hate America” propaganda from their most extreme and violent fanatics who have recruited many more of their kind.

Yes, thank you Republicans for a future of religious terror and war. I would reward you all with a lifetime in prison at hard labor in Iraq.

Gary Wallin, Mantorville

Letter to the Editor: Festival in the Park

Letter To the Editor:

On behalf of the Festival in the Park Volunteer Committee I would like to thank all involved for their contributions, time and energy, because of you this year’s Festival was a tremendous success. Our park looked great and there were several comments from people visiting that we are fortunate to have such a gathering place. Again this year our local youth came out in large numbers. It is great to see so many participating in the free activities. I emphasize free because one of the goals for all the years of the Festival has been to provide activities free of charge. Any child can participate by being there! Adults you aren’t left out either, you can belly flop by just giving us a call before we call you.

The volunteer committee spends many hours getting ready for the Festival each year; it couldn’t be done without their commitment. We have finished wrapping up the 2010 event and are hard at work getting ready for the 2011 Festival to be held August 11-14. If you would like to get involved, even for just an hour, please give us a call.

To everyone who donated cash and merchandise, thank you. It takes about $20,000 to put on the event and it is all donated by local merchants and residents. Watch for our fundraisers throughout the year, we will again be doing a pancake breakfast in January and new for this year will be a chili cook-off in October, scheduled for Sunday, October 17th. Watch the DCI for more details.

Chris McKern
Co-Chair

Letter To the Editor: In response to the letter regarding the Dodge County Sheriff

Letter To the Editor:

In response to the letter regarding the Dodge County Sheriff.

Allegations are something most law enforcement officers live with their entire career. Investigations are conducted for even the most frivolous of complaints. Some investigations are short and others are lengthy.
Some investigations result in finding no proof of wrong doing. Others may find some wrong doing or unprofessional behavior. While yet others may show serious wrong doing or even criminal behavior.
Law Enforcement conducts the same type of investigation on a complaint regardless who it involves.

Usually a department will not investigate allegations against someone within their own agency. An outside agency conducts the investigation in order to avoid any favoritism or protecting of a friend/co-worker.
Outside investigations cost more. After all the outside investigators have to travel to conduct interviews, etc. The investigators have to set aside their own work in order to deal with allegations from another county.

If no charges are filed, or no misconduct is found the investigation is closed. There is no need to publicly admonish a individual as nothing was done that was considered wrong.

If charges are determined to be warranted or serious administrative action need be taken - then it becomes a matter of Public Record.

If every allegation or complaint against every citizen were made a matter of Public Record, how much unwarranted humiliation, distrust, and other issues would develop within a community?

Now multiply that distrust for law enforcement officers if the same rules applied, even though most if not all allegations were found to be false or without merit.

Someone once said, "A man who makes no mistakes... is a man who is doing nothing." Officers or officials who have no complaints against them are not doing their job.
Criminals or those being charged with a crime after an investigation is completed are seldom happy with the officers arresting them... the lawyer representing them... the prosecutor... or the judge determining guilt or innocents!

Allegations are easily made... Yet often hard to prove... but more times than not, "Impossible to live down especially when exonerated".

Dave Elliott
Dodge Center
Retired Law Enforcement
507-951-9571

Relay For Life

What an accomplishment. The  Dodge County Relay For Life  raised $182,500 two weeks ago. That is $10,000 more than the record set last year.

For 2009 the Dodge County Relay For Life was a national per capita award winner.  For counties with a population of 20,000-25,000 Dodge ranked fifth nationally. The per capita amount received was $8.38 for every man, woman and child in the county.

Last year Olmsted County raised $178,000 and their population is six times the size of Dodge.
When our economic downturn started in 2006 the Relay brought in $139,700. In 2007 the numbers jumped to $149,000, then $157,000, $172,500 and now $182,500 in an economy that is struggling.

Even in difficult times people in our local communities find a way to support this fantastic cause.

Unfortunately there is so much support because people are affected by cancer in so many different ways.
A survivors reception was held at the Relay before the other  activities started. My mother and a friend were standing in that food line. My mother's friend looked back to my mother and said,  "A year ago who would have ever thought we would be in this line?"

Isn't that so true. We never know who is benefitting from money raised from  events like the Dodge County Relay For Life donations go to research, education and patient care.

I am not about singling out individuals, but chairperson Aleta Abbott of Kasson has been the guiding force of this ship that continues to gain momentum. I'm not sure I will be around to see the cure for cancer, but I have been around long enough to see that the number of survivors continues to grow at a higher rate than those who lose that battle!

Leading the "Hunting For A Cure" Team at the Relay for Life are Russ Anderson and brother-in-law  Jim Struck, Cleveland, MN. Team leader is his wife, Lisa Anderson walking with daughters Jenna and Jaime Anderson and  Christy Leopold of Hudson, WI. They were the third highest fundraising team at $7,965. Russ Anderson is quite the sportsman/hunter so thus the "Hunting For A Cure" theme. Lisa is a cancer survivor. Photo by Wayne Hendrickson.