This election week I thought it would be fitting to do some research reading the history of voting rights for people with disabilities. Here is what I found from the US Department of Justice website: • Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law from 1990 and it provides protection so everyone can vote no matter their disability.
Journalist and bestselling author Beth Macy, in partnership with Essentia Health, is hosting a virtual presentation to discuss the stigma surrounding substance use disorder. The presentation will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16. Titled “Hope and Help: America’s Overdose Crisis,” Macy will present evidence-based pathways for getting people into care; the need for health care teams to meet substance use disorder patients with nonjudgmental care; and harm reduction as a gateway into medication-assisted therapy.
Finding Joy I have been introduced to the wonderful world of Ted Talks on YouTube. They are led by professional and semi-professional speakers covering an endless range of topics.
Two contested council seats in Two Harbors were selected on Tuesday, with Mike Kasell pulling in enough votes to take over the councilor-at-large position. Uriah Hefter was elected to be the new councilor for the city's Ward 1. In other races affecting the region the state's longest-serving woman state legislator Rep. Mary Murphy (D) lost by a small margin to Natalie Zeleznikar (R) in her bid to represent House Seat 3B. As of press time it was reported by the MN Secretary of State website that Zeleznikar had won by just 35 votes, with it unclear at the time of press whether criteria has been met for a publicly funded recount.
Lake County residents ages 12+ wanting an updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster can sign up for Lake County and Lake View’s upcoming clinic. The clinic is Tuesday, Nov. 29, beginning at 1 p.m., at Lake View Medical Clinic, 325 11th Ave., Two Harbors. Appointments are required - register online at www.co.lake.mn.us or call 218-226-4443. The CDC recommends everyone stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines. You are eligible for the clinic on Nov. 29 if:
Dress for success The thing about fall is that it’s not winter. Winter is winter.
Democracy is a Greek word that means power comes from the people. One of the core principles of democracy is the ability to hold free and fair elections. In the United States, this means that everyone that is eligible to vote, can vote without discrimination or intimidation and elections are conducted with transparency and integrity. A critical issue for voting is making sure the general public understands the importance of making their voice heard on election day and to educate voters about the process of voting. In order to educate and engage high school students in the election process, Mrs. Wasko, teacher of American Government class taken by juniors and seniors at Two Harbors High School, organized a mock election on November 8, 2022. Government students acted as election judges and ran the election by devising basic processes and indicators based on election processes that occur in all polling locations across the country. The first step for student voting was to go to the registration judge and give your name and grade level, students in grades 6 -12 were eligible to vote, this information was used to represent your precinct in an actual election and the “polls” were open during the three lunch periods to ensure all students had equal access to cast their vote. Two Harbors students were then given a ticket that acted as a registration receipt for a ballot. Students were given a ballot and filled those out privately before placing them in our voting box and earning the coveted “I voted” sticker. The procedure was straightforward and assistance and instructions were provided at each step.
The deadline is approaching for Lake County’s appeal to the Federal Boundary Waters Appraisal. Because the Boundary Waters Canoe Area is not used for commercial or personal use and therefore incurs no tax benefit to the counties, the federal government makes up for this in an annual payment that is appraised every ten years. The most recent 10-year appraisal took place in 2018 and was significantly below the previous appraisal. Lake County formulated an appeal, based on what it felt was a fair and accurate assessment of the land value. In 2022 The Forest Service responded with another number based on a second appraisal, higher than the first but still significantly below the past appraisal.
- 1 lb. fresh cranberries, ground (easier to grind if frozen) - 1 cup sugar - 1 bag miniature marshmallows Grind cranberries, add sugar & marshmallows; put in covered bowl in refrigerator overnight.
Following the historic recall of its mayor on August 9, 2022, Two Harbors has been working to determine what the procedure for electing a new mayor is per state law. No Minnesota mayor has been recalled in the history of the state, leaving Two Harbors' administration to figure out how to move ahead without precedent.