Opinion

For the first time in a decade, the United Way of Hastings has new leadership. Mari Mellick has been named to replace Tara Donohue Weiss, who stepped down last week. Donohue Weiss led the United Way through a challenging landscape over the past 10 years, and did an admirable...

While the discussion Monday night was brief, we are incredibly excited about the prospects of a pavilion at Levee Park in downtown Hastings. The Hastings Area Rotary Club came to the city council on Monday to seek council support for its fundraising efforts. The Rotary has already...

To the editor, Last week, the Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council (HPAAC) hosted a two-day conversation addressing the role of the arts in a community's civic life and economic development. Approximately 200 local residents participated in one of six meetings with Artspace, Inc.,...

To the editor, The voters of Minnesota should be very concerned. Our legislature recently passed one of the largest tax increases in Minnesota history. If you listen to those behind the increase, they are trying to tell us that it is for our own good and for the good of the sta...

This week we applaud Haley Comfort Systems and Duff's Meats 2 for going out of their way to thank the hard working construction crews by throwing a picnic for them on Tuesday. What a kind gesture on their part, and what worthwhile recipients for their generosity. Now that most of...

To the editor, Our jobs are going overseas because corporations have pulled one over on us. They sell us cheap products and send our jobs to workers in other countries that work for beans, and in poor conditions. Our goods are shipped back and forth overseas to be manufactured,...

Behind the scenes in recent weeks, City of Hastings officials have been hard at work to pull off a sendoff for the old Highway 61 bridge here. On Tuesday night, we all got to enjoy the fruits of their labor. The event was a simple one -- gather in the lawn at City Hall, wait for...

To the editor, I'm not sure what it is about some dog owners but in my neighborhood, which is in the Riverwood area, but we have many inconsiderate owners. There are nine dogs within just a few houses of where I live and very few of the owners have learned that it is their job to...

To the editor, What's all this talk about DFL overreach? Are we really paying too many taxes? Think about it. Maybe you don't really know how good we have it here in Minnesota. Travel around this country, and check out Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana,...

A family-owned business in Hastings took a big step this week, embarking on a major addition to its current site. Las Margaritas Mexican restaurant on Vermillion Street in Hastings is expanding, and we are excited about the concept drawings we are seeing regarding their new space....

To the editor, I write this letter with reflections on the recently approved bike trail through the Spring Lake Park Reserve just west of Hastings. This part of the trail will link Rosemount with Hastings and complete the bicycle path from St. Paul to Hastings. As an avid bike rider,...

To the editor, In regards to the letter telling me churches must be persuaded to approve of the homosexual lifestyle, what do you mean? Do you mean the so called religious institutions of late, or the true religious institution from the beginning, which we know cannot change? Would...

To the editor, I am amazed by how cruel some people can be sometimes. On Mother's Day, for instance, a basketball stand and hoop were stolen from a person who has very little. It most likely took two people to lift and carry a heavy stand that was a source of enjoyment for two little...

To the editor, Many folks are concerned by news of the IRS targeting Tea Party organizations. This is a problem with an obvious solution--end the IRS! This isn't as big a task as it seems--there is a bill in Congress right now that will do exactly this. The FairTax Act of 2013 (HR...

Tax revenues being collected by the state of late suggest restraint rather than over-the-top spending in these waning days of the 2013 session. Collections from corporate and individual taxes are far exceeding forecasters' projections for three straight months now, for February, March...