Editorials

What sounds too good to be true, probably is.
In most cases, we embrace groups that are helping register voters. Minnesota’s extensive voter outreach efforts conducted by the Office of the Secretary of State has resulted in an all-time high number of new registrations. That’s good news.

This column has offered me a voice for The Daily Journal.
It’s a voice I still feel a bit awkward using; I am trained and experienced as a straight news reporter. Few times, if ever, have I used the words I, me or we in news reports.
But this column has offered an opportunity to demystify for our readers the sometimes mysterious workings of a newspaper. It also offers a chance to discuss with our readers issues that we deal with, sometimes on a daily basis, for which there is no other appropriate forum.

Minnesotan’s passion for the election process most often translates into high voter turnout.
We should be equally as passionate about access to polling places by members of the media.

Many of us had high hopes for this campaign season.
We looked forward to productive debates, discussions and even advertisements about what matters to Americans.
But with the increasingly nasty attack ads from the candidates seeking this nation’s highest office, some of those hopes are fading fast.
There are certainly plenty of issues that candidates John McCain and Barack Obama could and should be expressing their views about. The list is lengthy, and includes, just to name a few, health care reform, troop involvement in overseas conflicts, and energy production.

Where did that post go?
Was it a Web site post that was irrelevant to the topic of the thread, was abusive or threatening, or was posted by an author who provided false information about their identity? It has been unpublished.
Many members of our online community have wondered what has happened on our Web site after seeing a post or a thread, only to find that it is gone later.
Last week, one of the new posters to our online community gave us a bit of a mystery to solve.

The recognition of Stuart Nordquist by the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame Saturday serves as a reminder of the role that coaches and other mentors play in our lives.
It makes sense to also acknowledge the many people who provide leadership to the young that aren’t officially recognized with such accolades. They, too, ought to be commended. Whether as a firearms instructor, 4-H volunteer, or church youth group leader, the people who play these roles have a lasting effect.

As news of a lender bailout looms and quick changes in the stock market are reported, regular folks wonder what they should do.
According to some experts, no action is the best action at this time. Hasty action caused by panic does no one any good.

A story on our Business Page today does something that we normally don’t do: Reveal the winners of a raffle.
In this case, the raffle was a national Bud Lite promotion and one of Borderland’s own, Sean Bahr, was the winner of an all-expense paid Caribbean cruise.
The Journal’s policy calls for winners of raffles promoted by businesses or an organization to be published as an advertisement.

The idea of honoring Koochiching County’s veterans is admirable and should move forward.
However, the idea of going $14,000 over budget to do it should raise concerns, even to veterans.
Koochiching County officials established a veterans memorial on the second floor of the courthouse several years ago with the idea that it would eventually be relocated outside. The memorial names each of the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice in wars fought by our nation.

With one sewer expansion under its belt, it makes sense for Koochiching County to consider another.
And while extension of sewer lines to the Island View will take a lot of money and planning, beginning talks about it now is the right thing to do.
Extending sewer should add value to residences, businesses, and vacant lots while at the same time helping to ensure that the quality of Rainy Lake remains high, something all county residents should favor.