editorials

Technology is making its way into all parts of the school day. In Farmington, students carry iPads with them nearly everywhere they go, and Rosemount schools are in the process of rolling out their own iPad initiative. Students do more and more work on computers or tablets and less...

There was plenty of talk online last week about the Farmington School District’s plan to go on as scheduled with its school day Jan. 7. Parents jumped on Facebook to wonder why the district hadn’t announced its decision Tuesday night, as many other districts did. Students turned...

Rosemount city officials have long argued it’s a matter of when, not if emerald ash borers shows up in local trees. Now, with the insect spotted in nearby Lebanon Hills Regional Park, it appears that arrival date is nearer than ever. Farmington and Rosemount have already started...

It’s not entirely accurate to say the start of a new year brings a clean slate in Farmington and Rosemount. There are projects started in 2014 that will continue or conclude in 2015. Groundwork already in place will pay off in a few weeks or a few months. But the arrival of 2015...

The Vermillion isn’t exactly a big river, but it is a big part of life in Farmington. The trout that live there draw fishermen from all over the Twin Cities. Its waters provide a scenic backdrop for a summertime stroll, or a quick, cooling dip. It is a habitat for fish and insects...

A few weeks ago we ran a letter to the editor that suggested Farmington High School take drastic steps to secure the future success of its football team. The writer wanted the school to cancel other fall sports. To give male students looking for an athletic outlet no choice but to...

The news that the Minnesota Department of Transportation is considering improvements in the near future for Highway 3 in southern Dakota County — reported on page nine of this week’s edition — should come as a relief to anyone who uses or lives near the road. Highway 3 has...

The economy is showing signs of improvement in Farmington and Rosemount. But there are still people struggling to make ends meet. For evidence of that, you need look no farther than the case of the man found dead recently in a railroad building near downtown Rosemount. By all accounts,...

We have seen plenty of evidence over the years that Farmington and Rosemount are caring communities. There are well-used food shelves in both cities to help people who are having a tough time. There are organizations that offer free community meals. Residents pull together to hold...

For the past few years, Farmington’s annual homecoming week has been pretty successful. This year, though, one incident could have damaged that reputation. Thankfully, it didn’t. The 2014 homecoming week started off on a great note. On the first day, Sept. 27, the Farmington...

On the surface, Farmington and Rosemount can seem like comfortable suburbs. They are filled with nice houses, and with people living nice lives. Sometimes it’s hard to see problems like homelessness or hunger that seem more common in bigger cities. They’re there, though. Just...

Elections are a big deal, obviously. They determine who will make the decisions for your city, your school district, your state or your country. Residents with a stake in what’s going on in the world around them should vote. Putting those elections on is a big job. Getting people...

Sunday afternoon provided a fitting milestone for the work that has gone into creating Farmington’s new veterans memorial. The air was warm, the sun shone and there was enough of a breeze to keep the flags fluttering majestically. A large crowd came out to watch the dedication...

An interesting experiment took its next big step Tuesday morning in Farmington. Gateway Academy, a new school of choice in the Farmington School District, officially opened its doors to students, bringing to a close the first phase of a project that went from concept to concrete in...

When Last Hope got its start nearly 30 years ago there wasn’t much to the organization. Founder Bev Orr grew up with an interest in helping animals, and Last Hope, a no-kill animal rescue, was her way of following through. Back in the early days there were maybe 20 or 30 volunteers...