Bob CollinsHerman Borntreger, of August, Wis., not only owns a dam, he owns one of the most photographed places in all of Wisconsin: Dells Mill. Owning a dam can be an expensive proposition when it becomes unsafe. But we’re talking history here and some people just can’t walk away from it. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
By Bob Collins
Bob Collins retired from Minnesota Public Radio in 2019 after 12 years of writing NewsCut and pointing out to complainants that posts weren’t news stories. A son of Massachusetts, he was a news editor 1992-1998, created the MPR News regional website in 1999, invented the popular Select A Candidate, started several blogs, and every day lamented that his Minnesota Fantasy Legislature project never caught on.
Marilyn Hagerty, the columnist for the Grand Forks Herald, got roasted by those who thought they know restaurant reviews better because she wrote a restaurant review of an Olive Garden some years ago. Then Anthony Bourdain stepped in and defended her with a single tweet. Read more →
At last check, they’re still jamming in Fargo where they’re trying to break the record for the world’s longest jam session. Read more →
I’ve heard your calls for some “Friday” news that doesn’t leave you hopeless.
I’m here for you. Read more →
People are and have been asking for help. And too often the answer — closing a crisis hotline, rejecting a mental health clinic in your town because you’re afraid of the impact on your children, or turning a wellness check into a SWAT shootout — is ‘no.’ Read more →
Professional sports provides a distraction from life’s realities, but the athletic force field is no match for a scourge like Alzheimer’s. Read more →
Here are the stories, topics, and guests you’ll hear today on MPR News. Read more →
‘You can’t believe the dysfunction of the family,’ said Jay Dehmalo, who lives near Cleveland now. Read more →
The decision to close a statewide crisis hotline has never looked more faulty than with the news from the Centers for Disease Control that the rate of suicides in Minnesota is among the most severe in the country. Read more →
I try not to use the self-checkout lane in grocery and hardware stores. I’m old school; I think people should be able to make a living — or close to it — and the money they earn should circulate around the local economy, helping other businesses and maybe even leaving enough money for people to throw at the local public radio outlet. Read more →
The suicide of a well-known person has opened the window on a national dialogue on mental health and depression, a traditionally short period during which we are afforded the opportunity to learn something about the health scourge from which we typically turn away. Read more →
We are willing to overlook “the wave,” but let’s try to nip a sudden phenomenon in the bud. Cellphone lights. Read more →
In the category of attempts to apologize for your racism, a South Dakota legislator has provided a perfect example of trying to make the obvious go away. Read more →
Your kindergarteners are going to be singing new nursery rhymes. Read more →
Here are the stories, topics, and guests you’ll hear today on MPR News. Read more →