Sept. 18
You’ve left your “baby” – the one who fed you Cheerios from her high chair just yesterday, it seems – at college. You’ve thought of everything: Can she get to all her classes? Will she have time to eat? To study? Has she made some new friends? But there’s one more question to add to that list as your child settles in to her college career: Is she safe from campus fires? From January 2000 to May 2015 in the United States, there were 85 fatal fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities and off-campus housing, resulting in 118 fatalities — an average of about seven per school year...
Sept. 14
Sometimes it’s a conundrum: You want to go out with your friends, but you don’t want to make one of them be a designated driver or spend all your money on cabs. But drinking and driving is definitely not an option (seriously, who does that?!). And considering that Minnesota law enforcement made 1,370 DWI arrests during the most recent extra enforcement campaign (Aug. 18-Sept. 3), it’s clear that people need a better way to get home when they’re out partying. So what to do? If you’re in the Twin Ports area, there’s a really easy and affordable alternative: JOYRIDE...
Sept. 11
First it was the VCR. Don Weinberger told his 4-year-old it was going out to be repaired. Then it was a car, then their motorhome. And finally, Weinberger lost his family’s home of 15 years because he couldn’t stop betting on sports. Believe it or not, though, Weinberger’s fate could have been worse. That’s because sports gambling is illegal in the state of Minnesota. Terry Kelley, a special agent at the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division, reminds the public of that fact as football season starts up again...
Sept. 8
If you’ve ever been pulled over while driving, you know it can be stress-inducing, regardless of the reason for the interaction. After all, the last thing anyone wants is a ticket. Believe it or not, state troopers do a lot more than issue tickets. The tickets that are issued are done as a way to change behavior and the only purpose is to make our roads safer. None of the revenue from speeding citations even goes to the State Patrol. The mission of the organization is to provide for traffic safety through assistance, education, and enforcement...
Aug. 31
We know: You’re a safe, responsible driver. But that’s not all it takes to stay safe on the road. You could be cruising down the highway, seat belt firmly buckled, obeying the speed limit – but what about that drunk driver coming toward you? The sad part is, this may not be the first time that person has driven under the influence – they may even have prior convictions. In fact, 41 percent of drivers with DWI arrests in 2015 had at least one prior drunk driving conviction. And there are currently almost 266,000 Minnesota drivers with more than one DWI on their record...