The Free Press, Mankato, MN

'Eyesore' inspectors have their work cut out
Potential eyesores abound on this reporter's property as he considers all the ways he may be out of line with North Mankato's ordinance changes.
Newspaper feedback often impassioned, sometimes downright insane
The newsroom and its reporters also serve as a sort of Town Hall, a place where people feel comfortable calling up or strolling in and saying what’s on their minds — be it thoughtful insights or hallucinogenic babble.
Many are amusing, some kinda scary.
Time is now for MSU, community to combat excessive drinking
Drinking-related deaths, along with alcohol-related crime and other public nuances have become a problem in Mankato.
Nothing memorable ever happened to me inside in the dark
The latest research says young people have become almost completely detached from parks, nature and the outdoors. ... Other studies tell us that when we are indoors we adults are usually doing things wrong.
Readers have gripes with gas stations — but not their prices
I asked, last week, for people to send in their annoyances about the Mankato area — things that aren’t major problems and can be fixed. Several people e-mailed about one issue — abandoned gas stations in Mankato and North Mankato.
What’s wrong with Mankato — let us all count the ways
I’d like to hear from you on things you see wrong with greater Mankato. ... We want to focus on the smaller, repairable, but still nagging problems that can drive us batty: yards overgrown with weeds, horrible street signs, shrubs blocking intersection views and stop signs, shabby and/or abandoned buildings, hazards, ugliness and other issues that make the area less than it could be.
Curbing drink specials won’t endanger pastime
The issue before the council was drinking, more specifically heavy drinking. The council plans a mostly symbolic stand against it by ordering an end to all-you-can-drink specials at local bars.
May have gotten lost when we got out of the box
Most every business-success book written in the past couple decades has a chapter on “Thinking Outside the Box.”
The catch-phrase surfaced about the time Japanese business leaders began showing up at American corporate headquarters and started measuring corner offices for drapes, seriously alarming the American executives having cocktails in those corner offices.
It has become mandatory for all managers to use the term “Think Outside the Box” at least twice at every business meeting.
Banning circus doesn’t change complex relationships between people, animals
The Minneapolis City Council is considering an ordinance that would bar any circus from coming to its city if it has animals.
‘Mindset List’ a reminder that time marches on
Beloit College in Beloit, Wis., annually publishes something it calls “The Mindset List.” It tells of what incoming freshmen remember in their lives and things they have no personal recollection of. It’s intended to help professors relate to the new students.
Labor Day a time to throw back a few, celebrate not working
Throwing back a few brews over the backyard grill was always part of the fall tradition, but bigger than the Superbowl?
Maybe it’s workers’ attempts to block out the memory of what they do for a living. A long weekend of contemplating that you spend half your waking life in a cubicle may inevitably lead to the beer cooler.
Regulations take lead — and fun — out of toys
I’m not sure when toy recalls started, but it must have been after I was a kid. Danger and toys seemed pretty much synonymous back then.
‘Greenwashed’ companies in it for greenbacks
Companies 'greenwashing' their intentions trying to appear earth friendly are really only trying to make more of a profit.
Make way for the oldsters
With Baby Boomers beginning to retire, businesses are losing a valuable asset.
Still great passion for 'Forgotten River'
Western Minnesota group shows how to turn love of river into action
Target targeting shoppers with profiling
A Little Twin Cities, A Little Problem with Slogans
Mankato has always had an identity crisis. We’re a growing regional center, but we never had a clear sense of what defines or describes the city.
Which is a real problem for the tourism, chamber of commerce and booster types who are trying to market the city to visitors and potential new residents and businesses.
Headline here; copy editor contract outsourced
Outsourcing jobs to places such as India has decimated many once-proud American industries, from steel workers to computer-chip makers.
But even with all the dark forces battering journalism today, we knew we reporters were at least safe from having our jobs outsourced.
Until now.
Everyone can visit my new house — for a price
I’ve been doing design work on my new house.
Which is quite a task for something as big as I’m planning to build: 15,000-square-feet.
Not long ago, I didn’t think it would be possible for me to build such a palatial home, what with a reporter’s salary and all.
But it turned out I just didn’t understand how it worked.
The Vikings went to the state Legislature this week with a plan for a new home for their football team.

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