opinion

At the close of the 2016 session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a tax bill that provided $260 million in tax relief, but Gov. Mark Dayton allowed the bill to fail by pocket veto. Also, the Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill at the end of the session that would have provided...

As a city council member, I was recently asked to define my vision for Cottage Grove over the next five years. The following is a compilation of my goals and those identified as needs expressed by our community members (in no particular order): 1. Fulfill 100-percent occupancy of...

There has been a lot in the news recently about the idea of negligence. Negligence is a fancy way of saying that someone has fallen below an expected standard of behavior. The law often refers to it as a “standard of care.” The word negligence has the same origin as the word neglect....

I want to talk about Jen Peterson for a bit. When she ran for Minnesota House in 2010, the state House Republican Campaign Committee spent $32,800 for her opponent. She was smeared for her support for public financing for a new Cottage Grove City Hall. She was called a crony even...

Bill Lambrecht had a farm on North Lamar Street in Old Cottage Grove with his wife and three daughters. One daughter is currently 92. She told me that the lower part of the barn had 16 stalls for their 16-cow dairy herd. She also remembers that in the 1930s, the barn also had stalls...

My husband David was driving through your community on Monday, Aug. 8, and hit a tree at Grange Boulevard and Grenadier Avenue around 7 p.m. I was told that neighbors immediately ran to his aid and pulled him from his truck and started CPR. Unfortunately, David lived with an undiagnosed...

After reading recent letters, I can tell there are others with feelings of frustration about the city-owned golf course.

Thank you to all the students and parents of District 833 whom I’ve had the privilege to work with over the past 29 years. It has been a rare opportunity for someone, just by luck, to fall into an opportunity where I was qualified, available and wise enough to accept the opportunity....

Earlier this year, the Cottage Grove City Council took a unique approach to the management of the River Oaks Golf Course. In an attempt to improve our financial position, the council stepped in to act as board of directors and appointed me in the role of general manager where I have...

“And this, my little friends, is a leech!” Despite the collective chorus of “ewws,” every kid in the group rushed forward to get a better look at the wriggling creature I held out in my plastic spoon. We were standing on a path near Meadowgrass Avenue in Cottage Grove where...

As a lifelong resident of the area and homeowner in Cottage Grove for almost 20 years, I am certainly in favor of anything to make River Oaks self sufficient. I have golfed the course more times than I can count and wish them nothing but success. However, as I have been in the hospitality...

Seriously, now we want to spend more money at River Oaks Golf Course to open a supper club? Also, we are going to spend thousands on a remodel? Who approved all of this and when do the citizens get to have a say in this? I helped open River Oaks with Bruce Anderson. We made money...

I am writing in response to the letter placed on the South Washington County School District website from the School Board members. The letter is written as facts about the teacher negotiations. The letter insinuates that the teachers are not telling the truth about what has been...

During a span of less than three weeks in July, the citizens of this nation, this state and the Twin Cities have experienced heartbreak and loss for the lives lost in tragic shootings across this nation. What turned out to be one tragic day after another, the incidents took place...

As a fast-growing county, we need to work together to meet the demands this growth presents. According to the Metropolitan Council, Washington County is expected to add 100,000 residents by 2040. As a region, we need to prepare for that growth responsibly. In the 2016 Washington County...