Parking lots are cheap by comparison

From Douglas Dobson

Glenwood

Somebody or somebodies wanted a parking lot.  And someone from the county wanted to make it happen.  The issue was not about the appearance of the city center or what ripping out some old buildings would do to the heart of the city.  It was about convenience or perceived need.  It’s not clear to me from the front-page story in the newspaper, but if the cost of demolition is separate from the costs of acquisition of the other buildings (which also must be destroyed) that pushes up the costs to three quarters of a million bucks or thereabouts.  I am no expert, but it is hard to imagine that kind of money could not restore the Fremad.  However, the paper says it would take at least a million and half–we have the engineer’s word on that.  But I wonder if there wasn’t a little additional pencil work.  Did someone say for example: The Fremad sits empty so we would have to do more than just restore it.  We would need to convert it for apartments, or offices or workspaces. So that would mean interior work like walls and bathrooms (perhaps several) and kitchens and all of those facilities not to mention the electric and heating and air conditioning and internet service.  Now we’re talking real money.  Just fixing up the building as it once was is clearly not enough.  We would have to go much farther and that $1.5 million would be too expensive.  Parking lots are cheap by comparison.

Of course, a parking lot will not be an income generator for the county like a functioning building on the tax rolls, but it would take years to recover the restoration costs (probably never).  For those who want the parking lot, we’ll help them out and feel good about the good will we are establishing.  I suppose we could make the parking lot a pad parking area and get a little back for the county.  And, by the way, what will it cost to fill in the big hole, pack the round an tar the whole area?

Not to worry it will all be fine even if destruction of some of the downtown’s visual center is a significant price to pay.

Back in the 1960s Joni Mitchell sang about it: “So it always seems to go: you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.  Pave paradise and put up a parking lot.”

‘Social justice begins in the womb’

From Alan Bryce,

Glenwood

Governor Walz and the slim DFL majority made good on their top priority, to insure a woman’s right to end the life of her unborn child at any time up to birth.

If I caused the death of that same child, I could be charged with murder. In either case an innocent, unborn child ends up dead. I have often admired my DFL friends for their stance on social justice issues.

Life is Precious! Social justice begins in the womb.

Thanks residents for sucessful Radiothon

From Denise Dougherty,

Radiothon Chair, Pope County HELP Council

Thank you Pope County Residents!

Thank you so much for making the 2nd Annual Pope County HELP Council Radiothon to End Child Abuse such a success, and because  of all of you, we’ve raised over $7000!  This is truly amazing and we are able to keep 100% of these profits to utilize right here in Pope County.  These funds will be used for violence prevention and educational activities that help Pope County kids, families, and residents, right here at home.

A very, very special thanks goes out to American Solutions for Business for providing the online auction site and their staff support, pro bono, and also to Screen Prints Plus for providing the t-shirts and sponsorship, and finally to KMGK and Steve Nestor, for hosting the Radiothon.  Thank you Pope County Tribune for your great Radiothon ad.  Thank you also to all of the Pope County (and surrounding area) Businesses and Individuals who donated fabulous items for the Online Auction, and to the others who generously gave monetary pledges!

These businesses deserve a giant shout out:  AJ’S Bar & Grill- Affordable Floor Covering-Braaten Apiaries-Brother’s Market-Brownie’s Tire Service- Captains Bar & Grill-CEC Theatres-Denise Dougherty, Edina Realty-Eagle Bank-Glacial Hills Elementary-Glacial Ridge Veterinary Center-Glacial Ridge Wellness Center-Glenwood Family Eye Center -Glenwood State Bank-Hair Mix-Hilltop Lumber-Hope Community Church-Johnson Chiropractic & Sports Clinic-Larry Zavadil-Magnifi Financial-Marthaler Chevrolet-Meco 7 & the Valley Troll-Minnewaska Area School-Minnewaska Community Health Services-Minnewaska Fitness Center-Minnewaska Golf Club-Minnewaska Meats-MN Olive Oil Company-Northern Print Co-Palmer Creations-Pizza Ranch of Glenwood-Precision Auto-Rolling Forks Vineyards-Sisterology Glitz-Starbuck VFW-There’s No Place Like Home-Tom’s Market-Uptown Florist-Water’s Edge

Thank you so much for caring about others and making Pope County the BEST community to live in! May you all be blessed beyond measure!  See you next year for the 3rd Annual Pope County HELP Council Radiothon to End Child Abuse!

Thanks GFD for new power chair…

From Terry Allen Albers,

Villard

I would like to thank the Glenwood Fire Department for their generous donation in replacing a power chair for a local resident.  With their help and a couple of other people opening their wallets, we did get a brand new power chair.  Thank you also to Rainbow Rider for delivering the chair at no cost.

This shows that there are still many good and caring people willing to help others.