To The Crookston Times readers,

It is with regret that CherryRoad Media announces the closing of The Crookston Times

Our company is dedicated to the preservation of community journalism. Since the purchase of our 1st paper in late-2020 to today, we have prided ourselves on our ability to fight the difficult battle that newspapers face in today’s digital society. Unfortunately, that battle cannot always be won.

The Crookston Times has struggled in recent years to find its footing in this community. Since purchasing The Crookston Times, CherryRoad Media has been unable to avoid financial losses every month. The paper was losing money when we bought it, and it continued to do so. We must now come to terms with the fact that we do not have a path forward to sustainability.

And we thank those who have supported us.

Opinion

IS THERE A SOLUTION TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTION

Thousands of creative and imaginative minds helped our country grow and prosper. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if those brilliant minds could come up with a solution for substance abuse and addiction? If so, what kind of changes would occur in a society without drug-related crime, people dying from overdose, and the resulting financial burdens? It may seem like a utopian dream that can’t come true, but let’s try to imagine what life in a drug-free society would look like.

Read MoreIS THERE A SOLUTION TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE & ADDICTION

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear editor, I opened the January 9 Crookston Times to see a religious opinion piece called 'A Time and A Place for Everything' covering 3/4 of the Opinion page. It read like a sermon but had no author or source listed.

Read MoreLETTER TO THE EDITOR

Spruce Grouse of the North

One of these days, I hope, I will observe with my own two eyes the fourth and final native species of Minnesota grouse. Long ago, the other three species were checked off on my species list: ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, and greater prairie chicken. I can also add another North American grouse species to the list that doesn’t occur in Minnesota—the dusky grouse, which is a western grouse of the Rocky Mountains and elsewhere in the West.

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Education and American Democracy

Preamble: Dear Readers, before we get to the story of Martin Luther King, please allow me a few reflections on a few direct encounters I and my darling wife Nancy had of this Ameri-can hero. First, in the earliest day of my student life at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, I took a religion course at the beginning of which we waited and waited for the professor to come.

Read MoreEducation and American Democracy

ASK A TROOPER

Question: I was driving on the freeway during the worst part of a recent storm. Just had a question— are people supposed to use their emergency flashers when they are driving? So many cars on the freeway were, and it made it impossible to tell if someone was actually stopped or moving slowly (also, if they changed lanes, there was no way to tell). I was having trouble seeing anyway, and this made it worse. Is this something they teach in drivers’ education these days?

Read MoreASK A TROOPER

Education and American Democracy

While the Germans and Japanese had surrendered and World War II was “thought” to be ended, there were so many hold-over issues of concern that international politicians and citizens dared not conclude that “warring is over”. As we proceed to consider inevitability, dear readers, preface your thoughts with the following quotations from Lucian and James Monroe.

Read MoreEducation and American Democracy

Moon of the Popping Trees

On a recent cold night, I left the warmth of my house for a brisk walk outdoors. I’ve always enjoyed the feeling of fresh, crisp winter air in my lungs and on my face, the sound of squeaky snow underneath my boots, and the supreme quiet of woodlands in the wintertime.

Read MoreMoon of the Popping Trees

A TIME AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

Read MoreA TIME AND A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

Resolve for the New Year

This time of year, everyone’s talking about one thing: how much collective weight we put on in December. (I know I did my part.) On a related note, they’re also talking about New Year’s Resolutions or NYRs as no one calls them.

Read MoreResolve for the New Year