Letters to the Editor

‘It’s over, Johnny. It’s over.’

To the editor:

Carlton School District will not even discuss consolidating with Wrenshall under the recommended two-site option. It’s Carlton who killed consolidation.

If there are residents of the Wrenshall School District who have been apprehensive about supporting a referendum to fix school facilities because they were waiting to see if Wrenshall would consolidate with Carlton, they can rest assured that the Wrenshall School Board made a concerted, good faith effort to consolidate with Carlton School District in a fair and equitable scenario.

I have been told by some “Bleeding Blue” Carlton folks that things are just “fine” the way they are. That is great news. What that means to me is that if things are just fine, there will be no additional financial support requested of the taxpayers. No more operating levies. No more building referendums. No more nonvoter approved levies, where they impose taxes without taxpayer approval, like they did on South Terrace Elementary ($5.5 million).

From this point forward, I don’t believe the taxpayers in the Carlton School District should be obligated to provide additional tax dollars to support the status quo. If so, we become enablers who foster more poor decisions.

If the Carlton School Board is able to negotiate a consolidation with another district (or dissolve), and the new leadership presents taxpayers a request to secure more funding that helps the kids and teachers in a well-conceived, responsible way, that will be an opportunity for the community to help out. If

alternatives are sought out, Carlton kids and teachers still have opportunities in neighboring school districts — there are five to choose from, plus a tribal school and a private school.

Dave Chmielewski, Blackhoof Township

New paper appreciated, but jeers to jabs at President

To the editor:

A lot of us were happy to see your new paper, the Pine Knot News, start up. We thought this would be an alternative to the papers dominated by the Duluth News Tribune. We were looking for a paper that would be unbiased. We also hoped it would be factual.

What a surprise when we saw an anti-Trump editorial. Why? Do you think only Trump haters subscribe? You are wrong: a lot of us who subscribe have benefited from the Trump economy.

Then came “Jeers” to the wall. Did you talk to those who live on the border, or law enforcement who say (among other things), “We need a wall to stop drugs, human trafficking, serious crimes against Americans,” etc.

The worst was yet to come! The comparison to the Nazis. In case you forgot history, they were shot, buried alive, gassed, etc., and this paper compared this to putting up a wall to protect Americans.

Shame and jeers to you!

Tony Sheda, Wrenshall