Blog Archive: August 2018
Aug. 30
It’s heartbreaking when a law-enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty. It’s even tougher when the death is as preventable as Corporal Ted Foss’. Trooper Foss, a member of the Minnesota State Patrol, was conducting a routine traffic stop on Interstate 90 when he was hit and killed by a passing vehicle. That tragedy happened on August 31, 2000, and a law bearing his name was enacted in 2001. But this year, it was strengthened...
Aug. 27
It’s a bit surreal – it seems like just yesterday you were pushing your kiddo on the swings at the playground, and now here you are with your car packed full of everything they own, dropping them off at campus for their freshman year of college. You’ve given the lecture about not eating pizza for every meal. You’ve reminded them to get enough sleep so they can show up to that 8 a.m. Psychology 101 course. But have you talked to them about fire prevention?
Aug. 23
Many Minnesotans enjoy a cold beer or cocktail on the porch on a hot summer day. And if you’re like many of them, you don’t get behind the wheel afterward. You know that it’s not only illegal to drink and drive; it’s dangerous. The numbers show that Minnesotans are increasingly intolerant of drinking and driving. In 2008, nearly 36,000 people were arrested for DWIs. By 2017, that number dropped to around 25,000. And although we are making progress, drinking and driving is still a problem. In fact, we’re approaching the holiday with the third highest number of DWI arrests per hour: Labor Day...
Aug. 20
If you’re planning on keeping the time-honored tradition of attending the Minnesota State Fair, come say hello! Various divisions of the Department of Public Safety will be there with fun activities, demonstrations and prizes to help you and your loved ones stay safe all year long. So when you’re making your list of essential things to do at the State Fair, be sure to add us. We’d love to get together with you at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!
Aug. 16
If you’re a parent, chances are you’re somewhere in the throes of back-to-school frenzy: tracking down supply lists, making sure your kids have enough notebooks or socks, checking the school bus schedule. But while you’re getting them prepped to go back to lockers and classrooms and gym, don’t forget to talk to them about bullying. Chances are that at some point in their life, your child will bully, be bullied, or be a bystander to bullying – and possibly all three. Which is why it’s important to talk about it early and often...
Aug. 13
Text-to-911 is a bit precocious. It’s only eight months old, and it has already won an award. Emergency Communication Networks (ECN) received a Minnesota State Government Innovation Award (SGIA) for it at a ceremony last week. The judges reviewed 62 applicants and ECN’s Text-to-911 campaign was among the top 10 programs to receive recognition. Criteria for winning the award include proving that the work took place within the last two years and demonstrating growth beyond its conceptual state. Text-to-911 certainly fits the bill: It’s brand-new...
Aug. 9
“Without this helmet, I would be dead. There’s no doubt in my mind.” Geri Katte gestures to a scratched-up motorcycle helmet with her left wrist, which is in a cast, healing from three breaks. The scratches and breaks – along with three broken toes, a broken shoulder socket, a broken humerus and a lot of road rash – were sustained when Geri was in a motorcycle crash on I-35W. There is startling footage of the crash, which shows Geri rolling across three lanes of traffic and, miraculously, not getting hit by an oncoming SUV. And if it’s hard for us to watch, imagine how hard it is for Geri ...
Aug. 6
A bike is such a fun way to get around. And when the weather’s nice, it’s practical, too: no paying for parking, and you get exercise and fresh air. But reports of recent crashes involving cyclists — some of them fatal — might make you think twice before putting your feet on the pedals. In 2017 alone, preliminary numbers show 801 bike-involved crashes, which caused 57 serious injuries and six deaths. And although, as a cyclist, you have no control over what drivers do, you do have control over your own behavior. Bicycle riders in Minnesota are required to obey all traffic laws...
Aug. 2
There’s something to be said for personal relationships, no matter what field you’re in. Getting to know and trust people makes it easier to do your job in everything from sales to healthcare to education. They also make it easier just to live your life – like getting to know your neighbors and the people who protect them. The founders of Night to Unite know this, which is why they created a night to help celebrate and strengthen neighborhood and community partnerships, particularly between residents and their local law enforcement...
