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Letters to the Editor

National parks face staffing, financial challenges

Lillian Crook, Bismarck I have been in love with National Parks for as long as I have conscious memory. Back in the 1960s & 1970s, my family camped in countless National Parks. At this point in life, I have visited every National Park except the two, and I intend to visit those two. Later in my life, I got to work for the National Park Service, at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the only National Park named after an American President. By that time, I knew every single trail and much about the flora and fauna of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and quite a bit about the history ...

PETA sign not appropriate for public place in Minot

Patricia Marquard, Minot There are many reasons why the PETA sign (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) should not be placed in a public area in Minot. First of all the statement, “Get Over (That Meat Addiction)! is a false statement. It categorizes meat, a source of protein and essential vitamins with nicotine alcohol, drugs and other addictive substances. Most doctors would agree that eating meat is not a disease and hence not an addiction. Secondly, PETA is an out of state private enterprise that harasses farmers, cattle ranchers, property owners, hunters, and would ...

Service dog program needs to continue

Capt. Ryan Moss (Ret.) Jud Service dogs create an improvement in life when it comes to living with PTSD. I have had my service dog, Major, for over 5 years. During that time, I have gone from not being able to go shopping alone, not participating in family life or events, not being part of community groups, and not being able to hold a full-time job to someone that is able to walk into a store and not think twice about it because I have a partner by my side. I am able to more actively participate not only with my son’s life by getting involved with things that he enjoys but also ...

There’s no single story of immigrants

Terry Hansen, Grafton When President Trump labeled Somali immigrants “garbage,” he weaponized presidential power to diminish an entire community. In her insightful TED Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns that “power lies not only in the ability to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person.” Yes, some Somali Americans in Minnesota have been implicated in financial fraud. That fact should be reported, but it should never become the sole lens through which we view this ...

Minot’s contribution to Special Olympics was significant

Willie Ressler, Minot On behalf of Special Olympics North Dakota, thank you to the city of Minot for hosting the 2025 State Basketball Tournament. The Minot community played a significant role in providing 28 games for 28 teams, comprised of more than 302 athletes and 50 cheerleaders from across North Dakota, giving them a chance to showcase their ability and determination to succeed.  The athletes’ achievements were supported by more than 61 volunteer coaches and close to 200 hours of volunteer time and expertise from Minot, Nedrose girls basketball team and Minot Air Force ...

Endangered Species Act offers safety net

Lisa Finley DeVille, Mandaree Recent actions taken by the Trump Administration that weaken the Endangered Species Act should concern every one of us who depends on clean water, healthy land, and the survival of the wildlife we share this planet with. In the past year, the administration has moved quickly to undo long-standing protections that were put in place to keep species from disappearing and to ensure their habitats remain intact. They brought back the “God Squad,” a federal committee that can override endangered species protections when industry wants it. They reversed ...