Powerline route described; Pope County is on the route

From Nancy Barsness,

Cyrus

On October 18 I attended a meeting in Glenwood concerning the large 345 KV Transmission line (BSSA) that will be coming through Pope County.  They (Ottertail and Missouri River Energy) had a new updated map that had narrowed the proposed route from the one circulated earlier this year.  I have yet to see that map published in the Tribune/Times.

According to the new map, the power line will be crossing Highway 28 somewhere between Starbuck and Cyrus on its way to Alexandria, MN.  It will first come east from near Ortonville, MN and then turn to the north somewhere before Benson, MN. Then it will turn northeast sometime after it crosses Highway 28. It will avoid Lake Emily, Page Lake, the lake area west and northwest of Cyrus, Lake Reno and Lake Mary. Everything east and southeast of Starbuck and south of Glenwood has been eliminated from the corridor.

This is a big line.  The towers will be similar to Excel Energy’s 345 KV line that runs along Interstate 94 in central Minnesota.  It will cross the large 500 KV DC line somewhere east of Lowry.

For more information, call 800-598-5587 and/or visit www.BigStoneSouthtoAlexandria.com to see the latest map, but I also hope the Tribune/Times will keep us updated on any changes to the proposed corridor.

Trump’s words compared to words from former presidents

From  Jim Thoreen 

Glenwood,

Recently, former and future would-be President Donald Trump offered some insights into his behaviors and postures should he be elected in 2024. He minced no words. In order to compare perspectives regarding past Presidents’ words offered by them to rally Americans’ patriotic feelings, and commitment to a “better nation”, let’s consider some quite familiar words from former Presidents of both parties:

• Franklin D. Roosevelt: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

• Dwight Eisenhower: “…we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex…”

• John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your county can do for you-ask what you can do for your county.”

• Abraham Lincoln: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

Well, Judge for yourself as to how the following quote from Donald Trump compares to the four quotations above:

(In a Veterans Day speech on November 12, 2023:)

“…root out the Communis, Marxist, Facist and radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our county…”

Election day 2024 is less than a year away. Remember to vote!

All educators deserve thanks

From Karen Tharaldson,

Starbuck

Thanks to the arrival of the November 13 issue of the Pope County Tribune/Starbuck Times, I became aware that this week is American Education Week! My eyes made their way from the top of the page downward, and my spirits sank as I came to the last picture only to realize that not all public education in Pope County was represented in the salute. Not wanting to be too hasty in my dismay, I checked the rest of the edition. With my dismay now fully realized I returned to the tribute page. In the upper right corner under the banner, the message was clear, “Thank you for supporting Minnewaska Area Schools.”  Along the bottom of the page, a great message was given, “Strong Schools = Strong Community”. Sandwiched between were full-color, large pictures of dedicated men and women invested in the education of students in Pope County.

You see, parents in our communities have options for their children’s education, and those institutions and educators should not be omitted from our thanks and our recognition that those “strong schools” contribute equally to strong communities. Ironically, it was also notable that one of the two tremendously poignant and meaningful Veterans Day programs enjoyed and appreciated by Veterans and those who love them as well as patriotic members of our communities was glaringly absent from being covered in this edition. On Thursday, Nov 9th, the students, teachers, administration, and staff of Glacial Hills Elementary School in Starbuck presented a wonderful program – equally as wonderful as the program presented by MAS students on Nov 10th. A reader of the edition would never know that if they hadn’t been aware of both programs.

I know that every administrator, educator, support staff, and school board member is dedicated to the education of the students who attend MAS. But I also know that it is no different for those in the same positions and careers at GHES. Also not to be dismissed are the parents who choose to home-school their children. We are blessed to have loving, dedicated people involved in the education of our youth in Pope County, and because of that, we need to include ALL of them in our THANK YOU!