Do we dare hope for fast action on bonding bill?
They’re more than $300 billion apart at last check, so you can’t blame Minnesotans for being skeptical late last week when Gov. Tim Pawlenty predicted that he and the Democrats in charge of the state House and Senate would be able to come to an agreement soon on a bonding bill in the early stages of the 2010 legislative session. Hey, maybe it’ll happen. Maybe both Democrats and Republicans in St. Paul know how important this session is to the short and long-term future of Minnesota, so they’d better get meaningful things done. Or, maybe it’s just more talk, and maybe that $300 billion-plus gap won’t be so easy to bridge. Stay tuned, though, maybe they’ll get something done.
Make Wednesday Night Lights just the start
Could there be a more obvious sign that there is interest in Crookston youth hockey among families who are not currently considered “hockey families?” After welcoming almost 50 kids in the inaugural year of Wednesday Night Lights last year, Jeff Perreault, at this year’s first WNL at the new Crookston Sports Center last week, welcomed more than 50 kids who want to learn how to play the game. So, Perreault is doing his part, but who’s going to help him with the next, important step? Who’s going to reach out to these families, who’s going to recruit them, who’s going to tell them what they need to know, and provide assistance if they need help? Wednesday Night Lights is a fantastic program, made even better now that it’s in the CSC and not outside in Central Park, like it was last year. But it has to be only the beginning.
It’s the Pirate girls’ turn to get a big victory
Last week we asked for a big section win for the Pirate boys' hockey team and we got it when they upset Thief River Falls. This week we're asking for the Pirate girls' basketball team to get a big section win. The Pirates host East Grand Forks Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and travel to Roseau Thursday. Both teams have 13 wins on the season. Go out and get that big section victory, Pirates!
A successful, rousing Winter Olympic Games
To some, whether it’s the change to professional American athletes competing or something else, the Olympic Games have lost some of their luster. And, to others, the Olympics are simply a bore, an exercise in excess. But to many, the Olympic Games are a magical time, a time for amazing stories to emerge and amazing athletes to come out of nowhere and achieve gold medal glory. The setting couldn’t be prettier this year, Vancouver, British Columbia, and everything gets started this Friday. Here’s hoping it’s a good one, for all nations competing.
An earlier Minnesota primary
The Minnesota legislature is poised to pass a bill changing the date of this year's primary from Sept. 14 to Aug. 10. Pushing it up a month would allow Americans overseas more time to cast their absentee ballots, which goes along with a new federal law that could impose penalties to states that don't go along. But having an earlier primary is preferred for other reasons, too. Having it in September gives the winning candidates less than two months to seriously campaign. An extra month not only extends this, it also saves the losing candidates money and time. Voters benefit by knowing who's going to be on the November ballot sooner, and, especially independent voters, have more time to explore the candidates. It's just a good all around proposal that could set the pace for an even earlier presidential primary.
