crookstontimes.com http://www.crookstontimes.com/section/OPINION crookstontimes.com delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest top stories, weather, entertainment, politics and more. Wed, 22 May 2013 10:31:56 +0000 Esther Cepeda: Missing school -- for vacation http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130522/NEWS/130529886/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Wed, 22 May 2013 1:01:00 +0000 By Esther Cepeda, Washington Post http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130522/NEWS/130529886/1007/OPINION This also happens at the beginning of the school year and during the holidays as parents take their children out of classes for long family trips. But I can tell you from first-hand experience that there’s nothing worse than getting through the [...]]]> EDITORIAL: Billboard itself is no big deal, just don't mock Minnesota http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130521/OPINION/130529892/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Tue, 21 May 2013 13:05:33 +0000 Mike Christopherson http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130521/OPINION/130529892/1007/OPINION Bergeson column: Nothing more comforting than the first thunder crack? http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130521/OPINION/130529893/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Tue, 21 May 2013 13:05:19 Eric Bergeson http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130521/OPINION/130529893/1007/OPINION COLUMN: Bison Football move to FBS: Leave well enough alone http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130521/SPORTS/130529899/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Tue, 21 May 2013 10:53:36 Derek Martin, Sports Editor http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130521/SPORTS/130529899/1007/OPINION Editorial: This week's five things http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130520/OPINION/130529950/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Mon, 20 May 2013 11:55:19 Times' Staff http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130520/OPINION/130529950/1007/OPINION CHS Student Writer: The life of a high school senior http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130520/OPINION/130529971/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Mon, 20 May 2013 11:21:38 Kaitlyn Spivey, Student Writer http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130520/OPINION/130529971/1007/OPINION George Will: On immigration, ghosts of Christmas past http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130519/NEWS/130519684/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Sun, 19 May 2013 1:07:00 +0000 By George Will, Washington Post http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130519/NEWS/130519684/1007/OPINION Last week, a disagreement between two conservative think tanks erupted when the Heritage Foundation excoriated the immigration reform proposed by a bipartisan group of eight senators. Heritage’s [...]]]> Kathleen Parker: Benghazi redacted http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130518/NEWS/130519686/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Sat, 18 May 2013 1:03:00 +0000 By Kathleen Parker, Washington Post http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130518/NEWS/130519686/1007/OPINION This, we are supposed to accept, is the conclusion to be drawn about the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, despite congressional testimony suggesting that significant efforts were made to camouflage those mistakes.
As Democrats and Republicans alike know all too well: It’s always the cover-up.
Yet in this case, where so clearly the State Department and others in the Obama administration took extra steps to mischaracterize what happened the night Ambassador [...]]]> COLUMN: High-profit food companies target sugar farmers http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/OPINION/130519613/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 10:38:15 Jack Roney, American Sugar Alliance http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/OPINION/130519613/1007/OPINION EDITORIAL: Online dating? It is what you make of it. http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/OPINION/130519615/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 10:33:34 Jaime Jensen, Staff Writer http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/OPINION/130519615/1007/OPINION CHRISTOPHERSON COLUMN: Old, empty buildings aren't the real hazard http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/OPINION/130519618/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 10:31:38 Mike Christopherson, Managing Editor http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/OPINION/130519618/1007/OPINION CHS STUDENT WRITER: Crookston, forever my home http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519632/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 9:52:14 Kylie Simmons, Student Writer http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519632/1007/OPINION CHS STUDENT WRITER: Costa Rica, here we come! http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519637/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 9:45:33 Abbie Anderson, Student Writer http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519637/1007/OPINION Costa Rica!]]> CHS Student Writer: How animals play a part in our lives http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519645/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 9:11:57 +0000 Brian Chapman, CHS Student Writer http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519645/1007/OPINION Dana Milbank: Asleep at the wheel http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519690/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Fri, 17 May 2013 1:01:00 +0000 By Dana Milbank, Washington Post http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130517/NEWS/130519690/1007/OPINION Late Monday came the breathtaking news of a full-frontal assault on the First Amendment by his administration: word that the Justice Department had gone on a fishing expedition through months of phone records of Associated Press reporters.
And yet President Obama reacted much as he did to the equally astonishing revelation on Friday that the IRS had targeted conservative groups based on their ideology. He [...]]]> Cheers and jeers http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130516/OPINION/130519681/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Thu, 16 May 2013 11:20:49 +0000 Amanda Wagner, Intern Jaime Jensen, Staff Writer http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130516/OPINION/130519681/1007/OPINION Cheers to a little calm, finally

Cheers for the wind seemingly settling down at last. Most of the time, there really is nothing wrong with wind. It can cool us off on a hot summer's day and it can provide energy (just imagine the excitement of the people running regional wind farms in the past week).

However, it has been quite dangerous around here lately, and all over Minnesota. [...]]]> Michael Gerson: The IRS needs an audit http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130516/NEWS/130519875/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Thu, 16 May 2013 1:35:00 +0000 By Michael Gerson, Washington Post http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130516/NEWS/130519875/1007/OPINION The IRS has managed a similar confirmation. For years, tea party and patriot groups have breathlessly alleged that federal bureaucrats were conspiring against the [...]]]> ATV, golf cart rules are about avoiding a recipe for disaster http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130515/OPINION/130519762/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Wed, 15 May 2013 11:32:52 Warren Strandell, District 2 Polk County Commissioner http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130515/OPINION/130519762/1007/OPINION public roadways.]]> Senate's budget solution benefits Minnesota families http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130515/OPINION/130519768/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Wed, 15 May 2013 11:19:00 District 1 State Sen. LeRoy Stumpf http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130515/OPINION/130519768/1007/OPINION that has endured deep cuts to education, transportation and other state programs.This year is different]]> E.J. Dionne: ‘Slow-motion mass murders’ http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130515/NEWS/130519876/1007/OPINION?rssfeed=true Wed, 15 May 2013 1:32:00 +0000 By E.J. Dionne, Washington Post http://www.crookstontimes.com/article/20130515/NEWS/130519876/1007/OPINION Massacres and terrorist incidents cannot be ignored, but the day-to-day toll from gun violence is often swept aside. Politicians who tout themselves as advocates of law and order don’t want to be unmasked as caring even more about their ratings from gun lobbyists.
And opponents of the most moderate gun reforms engage in a shameless game of bait-and-switch. Because measures such as background checks would not stop [...]]]>