When Jennifer Hughes’ son was in a mountain biking accident last year, she was prepared to go into full “mama bear” mode, overseeing his medical care and insurance details.

But the Chicago-area mom ran into repeated roadblocks — federal privacy laws — that turned an already stressful time into a nightmare.

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Her son, Vance Hughes, had recently turned 18, meaning she no longer had unfettered access to his medical records or his health insurance and financial information.

“It really got me thinking, ‘Gosh, what are we going to do if something happens when he’s at college and he needs our support? Will we be able to give it to him legally?’” Jennifer Hughes said. “I know it sounds crazy, but that was a concern.”

Hughes’ fears were quelled by a company with a name that resonated: Mama Bear Legal Forms. For under $100, college-bound kids can sign privacy waivers, granting their parents access to their medical records and educational information, including grades.

Technological advances have increasingly given parents the ability to track their children’s locations and technology usage. Mama Bear taps into a market of parents accustomed to this vigilance who realize their access changes when their kids turn 18 and are subject to medical- and student-privacy laws.

Mama Bear’s website provides a bundle of health and financial power-of-attorney forms, a release waiving the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, which prevents parents from accessing their child’s educational records once they turn 18, and a release waiving the student’s federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, medical-privacy rights.

Representatives of the Nebraska-based company did not respond to interview requests.

Mama Bear, which is not a law firm and doesn’t offer legal advice, markets itself as a solution for anxious parents to “feel confident knowing you can support your college-bound child.”

“It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind,” said Ruth Epps, a Littleton mom whose son at the University of Colorado Boulder signed Mama Bear legal forms.

Chatter about Mama Bear’s services pops up every few weeks in CU-related Facebook groups, where parents crowdsource questions about their children’s dorm-room assignments, ask where they can order soup for a sick kid, and find out which classes are best.

Parents on Facebook wrote that their social media feeds were filled with Mama Bear ads and posts wanting to know more from families who have used the services. Others replied that the company’s offerings felt like the answer to a problem they didn’t know they had yet.

It was a problem Hughes knew intimately. The professional blogger at mommyevolution.com said her son’s mountain biking accident opened her eyes to an issue that hadn’t been on her radar.

Vance Hughes is headed to CU Boulder this fall to study psychology — and ski in his downtime.

When his mom approached him about signing the Mama Bear documents to give her access to his health, financial and educational records, he said it was a no-brainer.

He knew the trouble his mom had been through dealing with his insurance after his biking accident and wanted to prevent that headache while allowing his parents more control over his medical decisions should an emergency happen again.

“The biggest thing for me is my mom can still hold my hand and help me through my formative years of becoming an adult as long as I need help in the future,” Vance Hughes said. “I don’t see the harm in it.”

Vance Hughes said he has a great relationship with his mom. He couldn’t imagine her using her new legal access to pry into his life willy-nilly.

“She’ll probably only look if I’m really, really struggling, and that will allow her to be like, ‘What can I do to help you?’” he said.

Jennifer Hughes agreed. Her son knows she wouldn’t misuse her new power, she said, and she knows he would willingly discuss his grades without her having to snoop.

“You think about your kid being an adult, but he’s still your kid, and they may need your assistance,” she said. “It’s not about making sure you keep a thumb on them. It’s that in case of an emergency, you can support them in the best way they need. He’s going to college to be his own person, and this is a great place for him to start learning how to adult.”

‘A one-size-fits-all approach’

Jennifer Hendricks, a CU Boulder law professor and co-director of the Juvenile and Family Law Program, wasn’t as sold on Mama Bear Legal Forms.

It wasn’t so much the medical directive or health care power of attorney that concerned her, although she noted it was more likely a parent would need those forms for themselves than for their children.

What worried Hendricks was what she described as fear-based marketing and a potential overreach in signing away students’ FERPA and HIPAA rights.

These forms go beyond allowing parents to have a say if a medical emergency strikes, she said. They could inform mom and dad that their child is talking to a therapist, taking birth control or going to the health center for a nasty hangover, Hendricks said.

“What I’m seeing is really infantilizing the adult children by having the mom prepare everything and then just say ‘sign this,’” Hendricks said.

Colorado-based family law attorney Rich Harris said he’s had conversations with his own family about whether they should consider some of these legal forms for their college-aged children. He advised talking to legal experts rather than outsourcing to a one-size-fits-all internet option.

“There’s a trend in these do-it-yourself legal form companies,” Harris said. “I’ve been cautioning people for years to be very, very careful about them because they purport to give you a one-size-fits-all approach for a super low fee and offer very little legal customization.”

Plus, Hendricks said, there are existing, free medical and university release forms allowing students to decide which parts of their lives their parents can access. For example, university FERPA waivers allow parents and kids to sign off on parents having access to their students’ financial information — useful for parents who are paying their kids’ tuition or handling financial aid forms.

“Parents have been trained to have a real sort of dystopian level of surveillance over their children, and this is a company trying to make money off of profiting off that anxiety and the need to monitor and surveil rather than to prepare their child to be an adult,” Hendricks said. “The company is playing on this fear that something terrible could happen and you won’t be able to help your kid.”

‘A gradual roll into adulthood’

Epps, the Littleton mom, felt her fear realized after her son got sick while at CU Boulder. He didn’t know how to advocate for himself when he went to the doctor, she said, and he didn’t say much when she asked how his appointment went. She tried to call the university to learn more, but was told she couldn’t access his medical information.

Epps’ son ended up developing pneumonia and needed to come home to get better, missing about a month of school, she said.

“Now that he has Mama Bear in place, I can talk to anyone,” she said. “Which would hopefully prevent something like that from happening in the future. I would have known had they said his oxygen levels are low that things were bad.”

Yet Epps would not define herself as a “mama bear.” Instead, she said she hails from the “suck it up, buttercup” line of parenting.

However, when she saw Mama Bear all over her social media feeds, she said it felt like the answer to anxieties that ramped up after her son’s sickness.

“I cannot recommend enough that people do it because you will have no authority, and it happens the day they turn 18,” Epps said. “There’s no grace period. There’s no, ‘Oh, let’s help you get used to this.’ It’s 18, and you’re cut off.”

Epps said she doesn’t track her son’s grades, but that it’s a nice feature to have just in case. Plus, she said the whole thing is a good deal because it doesn’t expire until her son revokes it, meaning she doesn’t have to pay some kind of annual fee.

She said she didn’t have much of a conversation with her son about the paperwork.

“I think I just said ‘sign this,’” she said. “I just don’t think they understand, to go from having someone who makes all of your medical appointments for you and manages your prescription drugs to being completely alone — they don’t understand that it’s so sudden. We’re covering his tuition and living expenses, so there’s a gradual roll into adulthood. It’s not like that for this. They’re so strict about privacy laws.”

By Jessica Fu, The Seattle Times

The draw of retiring overseas can be tempting, especially in the face of stubbornly high costs of living throughout the country.

But before you go, experts recommend thorough research and planning. Retiring abroad comes with complications, including lifestyle changes, immigration hurdles and disruptions to health care coverage.

Here are a few critical considerations, according to people who help Americans move abroad.

Map out a long-term plan

Evaluate what moving abroad would mean for your entire life, not just the cost of daily living.

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“You need to think about what’s important to you,” said Jennifer Stevens, executive editor of International Living, a magazine about retiring overseas. “What kind of access you’ll have to health care and what the lifestyle is going to be like.”

Beyond your own life, consider what moving overseas means for people you leave behind.

For those with older parents who need long-term care, that means having a plan and network to oversee and manage their well-being while you’re abroad.

It also means putting in place proper succession planning, expat adviser David Lesperance wrote in an email. He also suggested having medical and financial powers of attorney in place in case of emergencies.

As other countries have their own laws, professional advice should be sought and followed to avoid hidden pitfalls such as forced heirship rules,” he added, referring to laws that guarantee children a portion of an estate, regardless of what’s written in a will. “This is especially true for common law and same-sex couples.

Look at your finances

Americans who move abroad are still required to file U.S. taxes. Before setting out, experts recommend having an understanding of what your obligations will be to both your new home and your old one.

“What’s the tax planning I need to do? What’s the tax ramifications of that?” said Lesperance, listing the questions that expats have on their minds.

Experts also urge people to research the financial implications for their retirement income. While people collecting Social Security can do so abroad, some pension benefits can only be deposited into U.S. financial institutions. Make sure you can access your retirement income abroad before you leave.

Also be aware of the risk that exchange rates pose, said Alex Ingrim, founder of Liberty Atlantic Advisors, a financial advisory for expats. When your savings and retirement income are in U.S. dollars but you’re spending another currency, you’re vulnerable to the volatility of exchange rates.

Changing immigration pathways

Immigration laws in other countries, just like those in the U.S., are constantly in flux. Current retirement visa programs might be terminated in the future; others might be introduced in countries where they previously were none. But by large, migration policies trend toward becoming more restrictive over time, said Stevens, the editor of International Living.

“For someone who’s considering going abroad, whether for retirement or earlier, now is a really good time to do it,” she said.

That doesn’t mean you should rush out. Rather, just be prepared for the possibility that immigration pathways might change faster than your timelines and have backup plans.

Long-term, expats may have the opportunity to acquire citizenship in their new home country. That could come with its own advantages, as well as responsibilities, wrote Lesperance — all considerations to keep in mind.

Talk to an expert

Moving abroad is possible, but it’s a significantly smoother process if you have guidance from someone who understands the complexities of the decision.

In recent months, Ingrim, the financial adviser, has seen more interest from Americans who are fully committed to moving abroad, unlike in the past when more of his clients were curious but not set on the idea.

“We’ve spoken to numerous people that say, ‘I’m moving to Portugal in three weeks — what do I need to do to prepare?’” Ingrim said. “Three weeks is a really short amount of time.”

Enlisting an expert early in the process can help people get a comprehensive sense of what it takes to relocate an entire life to another country and how to make it happen.

©2025 The Seattle Times. Visit seattletimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has announced the details for the 2025 deer hunting season, and it’s basically the status quo for hunters in the northwest part of the state.

According to Blane Klemek, Northwest Region wildlife manager for the DNR in Bemidji, bag limits in most deer permit areas (DPAs) in the northwest are the same as last year, while two – DPAs 265 (three-deer limit) and 671 (two-deer limit) – increased from two- and one-deer limits, respectively. Hunters in DPA 111, which includes much of Red Lake Wildlife Management Area and Beltrami Island State Forest, again will be limited to a one-deer limit, bucks-only, Klemek said.

A second consecutive mild winter allowed the DNR to keep the bag limits in the northwest and many other parts of the state relatively unchanged, Klemek said. The Northwest Region includes 23 counties from Lake of the Woods in the far northeastern corner, to Traverse County in the far southwestern part of the region near the South Dakota border.

“It wasn’t quite as mild as the winter before that, but as Minnesota winters go, it was a mild winter,” Klemek said. “Deer were able to move around throughout the entire region in the snow without any difficulty. There was about a two-week stretch at the most when it got pretty chilly. But overall, Minnesota’s winter, at least in the northwest, wasn’t much of a factor at all for deer survivorship.”

Statewide view

In a news release, the DNR said 103 DPAs statewide have the same management designation as last season, while 25 DPAs have increased bag limits. Two DPAs have lower bag limits to reduce the harvest of antlerless deer, the DNR said, with the intent of increasing deer populations.

Minnesota deer permit areas and bag-limit designations for the 2025 hunting season. (Courtesy of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources)

Harvest designations remain conservative in far northern Minnesota, where deer populations are still recovering from the severe winters of 2021-22 and 2022-23, the DNR said.

No application is needed to take antlerless deer in permit areas with either-sex, two-deer limit, three-deer limit, or five-deer limit designations. Hunters should note that DPA 183 has been split into two smaller DPAs (153 and 154), the DNR said, both of which have last year’s designation of lottery with a one-deer limit.

Dates to remember

Firearm and muzzleloader hunters who want to shoot antlerless deer in a DPA designated as “antlerless permit lottery” must purchase their license by Thursday, Sept. 4, the DNR said. Hunters who buy their license by Sept. 4 are automatically entered into the lottery for the DPA or special hunt area they declare.

Season details for each DPA and electronic copies of the 2025 Minnesota hunting regulations are available on the DNR deer hunting webpage at mndnr.gov/hunting/deer . Print copies will be available in mid-August wherever licenses are sold, the DNR said. Regulations translated into Hmong, Karen, Somali and Spanish will be available online in mid-September.

“We love getting ready for deer season each year. Many hunters prepare for time out in the forests and fields like it’s a major holiday,” Paul Burr, the DNR’s acting big game program coordinator, said in a statement. “We’re reminding hunters to closely review the new hunting regulations and all the details that apply to them, so they’re ready to enjoy deer seasons.”

Changes of note

The DNR has simplified the process for buying a firearms deer license by eliminating the B season license in the southeast and offering one statewide firearms deer license instead. The statewide license is valid during both the statewide Firearms A season and the late Southeast B season.

Another important change is related to chronic wasting disease testing. Self-service stations will be available in CWD management and surveillance zones during opening weekend of firearms season and the following Monday (Saturday, Nov. 8, through Monday, Nov. 10), and during CWD special hunts. Because of the expanding footprint of CWD in Minnesota, the DNR will prioritize collecting baseline surveillance data in three new areas and will shift staff resources to accommodate the increased workload.

Hunters should check the CWD testing requirements and available sampling options for the DPAs where they hunt. Hunters can find DPA-specific information on the DNR website at mndnr.gov/deerhunt. Hunters are required to have deer age 1 or older sampled in all CWD management and surveillance zones if they harvest their deer during the opening weekend of the firearms season Nov. 8-9.

CWD management zones in the Northwest Region are DPA 666 east of Moorhead; DPA 671 near the South Dakota border; DPA 661 near Crookston; and DPA 684 in the Bemidji area.

If sampling efforts don’t find any new CWD-positive cases in 684 this fall, mandatory testing would no longer be required in that DPA, Klemek said. The mandatory sampling requirement is removed if no positive samples are found for three consecutive years.

“Hopefully – fingers crossed – it’s the last year we need to sample hunter-harvested deer” in 684, Klemek said. “If we can get by this fall and have no positive samples from 684, we would be able to, according to our CWD response plan, cease sampling in that CWD management zone.”

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Season dates

Here’s a look at Minnesota deer season dates for 2025:

— Archery: Saturday, Sept. 13, through Wednesday, Dec. 31.

— Youth and early antlerless: Thursday, Oct. 16, through Sunday, Oct. 19.

— Firearms: Saturday, Nov. 8, with various closing dates depending on location.

— Muzzleloader: Saturday, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 14.

— Late CWD (DPAs 605, 642, 643, 645, 646, 647, 648 and 649): Friday, Dec. 19, through Sunday, Dec. 21.

For a guide on finding the most up-to-date information throughout the deer season, including details about individual DPAs, preparing for hunting, to find CWD sampling locations or to request a mail-in sampling kit, check out the DNR website at mndnr.gov/deerhunt.

Opportunity waves

Our new state flag strikes me as the equivalent of a corporate logo. I see however that “Minnesota” is missing from it. That must be so that we can sell off the naming rights later.

Julia Bell, St. Paul

 

Litany and a question

— We have gone from an $18 billion state budget surplus to a long term $6 billion deficit.
— The federal government is now investigating Minnesota autism services providers for possible Medicaid fraud.
— The federal government is investigating a possible scheme to defraud the Minnesota Housing Stabilization Services Program.
— The Twin Cities Light Rail Green and Blue Line extensions are well over budget.
— Gov. Walz, a 12 year congressional representative, runs up $430 thousand in legal fees to prepare for a Congressional hearing.
— The Minnesota Department of Education provides $250 million in grants for meals to children during the Covid epidemic with few delivered.

When will state government provide the honest and cost effective programs and services Minnesota taxpayers deserve?

Richard M. Ryan, Woodbury

 

How long will it take?

The July 20 edition included a column headed, “Trump finally realizes that the Russian despot isn’t reliable.” It says he made this startling discovery decades after practically everyone else. How long will it take more Americans to recognize that a good share of Trump’s signed executive orders will not serve most citizens well?

Mary DePrey, Roseville

 

Toward a more perfect union, with emphasis on ‘toward’

The July 23 column by William Hine, “Perfection isn’t what made America great”, is a refreshing, and insightful reflection on the essence of the American political experiment. Indeed, “perfection” has not been attained, but that was never the goal. The goal was not for perfection, it was for an approach to perfection, “a more perfect union.”

The staggeringly unique contribution to world political history by the Framers, in addition to recognizing the absolute sovereignty of the people, was their creation of a constitution that institutionalized the process toward perfection. Yes, we have made every error a people can make toward itself and to others, but we have learned a little something along the way as well. This lesson has allowed us to get nearer to perfection. For example, would any Black person want to return to live in the America of 1950? Or would any Black person in 1950 want to live in the America of 1900? How about those living in 1900, would they want to return to the slave’s life of 1850? Clearly, during each 50-year period things got better, sometimes not much better, but nevertheless, better. No perfection on this trajectory by a long shot, especially if you are the one enduring endless racist inhumanities.

The best in our nature condemns these failures and attends actively and hopefully to a better present and future. With all our failures we can find special hope in the process. In our rage we should never lose sight of this fundamental. Endless exposés of social failure without reflecting on the unique potential and opportunity that brought millions of immigrants to America deeply distort historical reality. Alas, any recognition of this potential has too often been vilified as one pejorative “ism” after another. Though balance comes more nearly to the truth, it is seen as caving to the ‘isms’.

It is common in recent decades for social commentators and historians remind us of past failures on the road to perfection. But the reminding is often narrow and excessive. By narrow I mean biased to the point of near blind prejudice. Case in point, the “1619 Project” that views the Declaration of Independence as pure hypocrisy, and indeed all of America’s history as nothing more than a consistently vile travesty against Black people. The Project’s neglect of the full context, and its utter disregard of the process toward perfection, is too distorted to be very constructive. The treatment of the matter would be enhanced and better balanced with less expression of fiery hate of our past and more acknowledgement and celebration of the process.

Louis Lavoie, Plymouth

 

Go for the gusto

A recent letter writer made an intriguing proposal regarding the planned raising of the railings on the Mendota Bridge, in which he suggested that bicyclists should walk their bikes across the nearly mile-long pedestrian/bikeway rather than have the state raise the railings. Cyclists have pointed out that MnDOT lowered the railing from 54 inches to 42 inches during the bridge’s 2024 rehabilitation project. This has prompted concerns among bikers that the lowered railing could post a hazard to both bicyclists and pedestrians.  The main concern seems to be that, in the event of an accident or collision with another biker on the narrow pedestrian/bikeway, a cyclist could potentially be thrown over the bridge and into the river below during periods of heavy winds.  As it now stands, next year MnDOT plans to raise the railings back to their previous height of 54 inches, at a cost of $2.5 million.

I’ve bicycled across that bridge hundreds of times over the years. It’s one of the most unpleasant sections of trail anywhere in the state. The pedestrian/bikeway is quite narrow and windy. There have always been concerns from cyclists that a mishap or collision could occur on the bridge. Those concerns have only increased with the lowering of the railings.

The proposal that cyclists walk their bikes across the bridge, thus saving the state $2.5 million is an idea that has merit! However, I don’t think it’s possible to pass a law to require cyclists to walk their bikes. Bikers might be coaxed into walk their bikes on a voluntary basis. I can envision a concession stand being set up on either end of the bridge. The concession stands would rent life jackets to concerned cyclists. That way, if they go over the railing, they’ll be able to float down the river and be rescued. Under this plan, the state would save $2.5 million, and the concession stands would offer some up and coming entrepreneur the opportunity to supply life vests to wary cyclists. Hey, it would also add a spirit of adventure when crossing the bridge, a little tonic for tedium in our humdrum lives. Why be tepid about life?  Go for the gusto and save the state some money.

M.L. Kluznik, Mendota Heights

 

An approach to fixing St. Paul’s rent-control problems

The latest rent dispute on Ashland Avenue in St. Paul could have been avoided, along with most other St. Paul tenant/landlord problems in recent years. The landlord-abuse issue came to the forefront in 2021 when the Saint Paul Housing Justice Center collected enough signatures to have a referendum placed on that year’s ballot. It called for a 3% cap on rent increases. It would retroactively impact existing landlords, large and small. That vote and future City Council decisions were made by those either with conflicted interests, both the tenants and landlords, or by those simply not understanding the rental business.

The abuses tenants have experienced are large monthly rent increases without adequate early notice from “predatory landlords.” This was usually done by larger, out-of-town developers who initially offered new rental units, inexpensively, in order to quickly obtain occupancy and initiate cash flow. Later, large rental increases would follow, without much notice given to the tenants.

St. Paul now finds itself in yet another bad situation that rewards newer construction by not limiting those properties to any rental cap. At the same time, it penalizes owners of older properties by not allowing more than a 3% rent increase.

One thing I learned early on was that the most important asset for a landlord was to keep good tenants. The same holds true for tenants who have good landlords. The open market creates this dichotomy. A landlord will keep the rent as affordable as possible for his best tenants.

So back to Ashland Avenue and fixing our rent control mess going forward:

The City should require, through ordinance, that landlords be required to offer an initial lease term to renters, a minimum three-year lease. The leases would have to reflect total rents for each following year. This would require the landlord to plan for future expenses and be open and honest to his renters. At the same time, his tenants would be allowed to terminate their occupancy annually, for any reason. The lease term can also be extended annually by mutual consent. All other lease terms would apply.

This approach will improve stability in the market and for tenants, It will help as well with lenders’ and developers’ confidence. That will then both increase new development and help stabilize the City’s tax base.

John Mannillo, Mendota Heights
The writer, a former landlord and developer, is involved with the In$ight St. Paul group.

 

Gratitude for the way West Seventh Pharmacy did business

On June 30, our neighborhood said goodbye to a trusted friend, West Seventh Pharmacy. After 110 years of service to the people of St. Paul, it closed its doors for the final time.

For so many of us, West Seventh Pharmacy was more than a place to pick up prescriptions. It was a thread in our neighborhood’s history and a constant in daily life. During Jeff Johnson’s 25 years of ownership, it became an especially familiar and deeply valued presence. Jeff and his team remembered your name, asked about your family, and made sure you had what you needed. Their kindness and consistency made the pharmacy feel like home.

On behalf of Riverland Community Health, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Jeff and the entire West Seventh Pharmacy team. Your commitment to this neighborhood has been extraordinary, and your presence will be deeply missed.

In recent weeks, some community members have found themselves navigating a gap in care. We’re grateful for the trust Jeff has shown in pointing several of his longtime customers our way. That trust is not taken lightly, and we’ll do our best to honor it with care that feels like home, as he did for so many years.

David Thorson
The writer is CEO and chief medical officer of Riverland Community Health

 

Garbage gaffe

One of my neighbors, some renters, put electronics waste next to their garbage containers; I presume that they expected it to be picked up by regular trash collection. After a month of not being picked up, it then appeared in the alley next to the garage of another neighbor. Rather than properly dispose of the electronics waste, the original owner obviously chose an easier solution for the waste. I told my neighbor where the electronic waste originated from and then I reported what happened in a very detailed manner on St. Paul’s concern/incident form and submitted it.

I realize that it’s limited what the city can do. Neither my neighbor nor I saw the renters transfer the electronics from their property to hers. So, I didn’t expect the city to cite the renters for this. I did presume that the city would remove the electronics and properly dispose of them, though.

What happened instead? After nothing happened for about two weeks, I reported it again. Then, the city sent a letter to the victim telling them to remove the electronics promptly or she would be fined $450 and also charged additional money for the city to clean it up.

Here’s what it states on St. Paul’s “Property Code Enforcement” page: “If materials are illegally dumped in the public right-of-way the City’s Public Works Department will remove the items. If materials are left on the property, including the boulevard or alley, the owner must arrange pick up with their garbage hauler, or remove the items and properly dispose of them.” That’s right, the victim (the property owner) is responsible for properly disposing of illegally dumped items in both the alley and the boulevard next to their property. I contacted a St. Paul code enforcement person to confirm this. Yes, this is correct.

After reading St. Paul’s property code enforcement rules on illegal dumping, I was embarrassed for both the City of St. Paul and myself. For St. Paul, that they would further punish the victim of an illegal action. For me, because my actions that were meant to help my neighbor instead led to her being threatened by the city for a code violation. I apologized to her that my actions hurt instead of helped her. My question is, what will the City of St. Paul do to right their very inappropriate actions against a homeowner, my neighbor? She maintains her property to a very high standard and, in other ways, is a good neighbor to have.

The residents of St. Paul have endured a lot over the past few years. Although some things have improved to a limited extent, St. Paul still seems to be part of the problem with the lingering negative issues present in the city. We are especially discouraged when the city adds to our burdens. Please don’t do things that encourage yet more good residents to leave. Correct and apologize for your mistakes. This is definitely one of them. Stop punishing innocent victims and correct this injustice.

Dale Carlquist, St. Paul

 

Inspiration

Thank you, Pioneer Press, and especially Mary Divine, the author of the obituary/article about Wendi Ward, the owner of Practical Goods in St. Paul.

We live in trying times, of so many wars, a loss of care for the poor, disdain for the immigrant, and a disregard for our common home, the Earth. How inspiring to know that there are (or have been people) of Wendi’s caliber, living her truth, committed to peace and also committed to our common home, our planet. May she rest in peace.

Pat Schober-Branigan, St. Paul

 

More humor and humanity

Although I often disagree with Joe Soucheray, I do read his articles. I very much enjoyed the article about his battles with the “mulch mountain” in his driveway. I understand that he is going for a “crank” vibe, but it gets tiresome – especially when there is no balance. I miss the days when Joe Soucheray’s articles appeared alongside Ruben Rosario’s humanity focused articles (may he rest in peace).  I also miss Molly Guthrey’s family focused “Daily Juggle” articles. To restore some balance to the Local Section, I am respectfully requesting that the Pioneer Press add a weekly article alongside Joe Soucheray’s articles that counters his testiness. We would all benefit from more humor, humanity and positivity.

Kelly Anderson, St. Paul

 

Sainted

I was standing in line in Siren to buy strawberries from a vendor. When the ground is uneven, I use a cane; but that day I pulled my collapsible cart. It would enable me to transport the berry pails over to my car while using the handle to steady myself. While I was waiting, my granddaughter drove past and saw me. She told her 6-year-old son, Jackson, that they should help me get the berries to my car. We loaded them in the trunk and I collapsed the cart and returned it to the trunk. Jackson looked up, worry on his face. “GiGi, you don’t have a cane! You can use my head for a cane.” He stood ramrod straight, I put my hand on his head, and we carefully walked from the back of the car to the driver’s door. He was certainly a SAINT that day.

Joyce Glover, Grantsburg

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