editorials

Practically speaking, our River Falls Public Library is more than the name implies – it's our de facto community center. Besides a place to select books, magazines, movies, CDs, use the computer room, or maybe just browse, work on the latest jigsaw puzzle or hang out with friends,...

When a personal tragedy strikes, one of the most important details for loved ones to figure out is how to best honor the individual whose life was cut short. That is what a Pierce County family set out to do after Prescott High School junior Tyler James Orpen, a 16-year-old from River...

Four members of the City Council – a 4-3 majority – muffed it last week. They snubbed 821 residents who looked over and agreed to sign a petition asking that an advisory referendum be added to the November voting ballot. Yes, yes, we know their excuses for rejecting the request...

Can we be done with this issue finally? Let’s hope. Monday night the school board deleted the new name “Roger T. White – Pride Fitness Room as Presented by RCU” at Meyer Middle School and substituted it with: “Roger T. White – Wildcat Fitness room as Presented by RCU.”...

Lately you’ve read stories about how this locally elected group has grappled with deciding on the fate of the aging River Falls Academy building and the two school programs it houses – Montessori and Renaissance. Our seven-member River Falls school board always has a lot on...

Two packed public meetings last week generated copious questions and comments but no accord. Both dealt with issues that need solving but there’s time for that to happen. One was deciding the future of Kinnickinnic’s two hydroelectric dams. A meeting at City Hall was to begin...

A 21-year-old UW-River Falls student is busted off campus for marijuana with intent to distribute and drug paraphernalia possession. Allegedly in his rental house is a designated smoke room with a sign saying “Drug Zone.” In his fridge there’s a plastic container with the student’s...

The National Newspaper Association finished a readership survey in 2013. The gist was that even in the electronic/digital age, two-thirds of small-town residents rely on their local paper for news and advertising information. The survey noted this reliance continues even as more...

Earlier this month a town of Clifton letter writer to the Journal expressed dismay and disgust at having to step over a heap of puke to enter a downtown store. A postal carrier told her such sights are common. The store owner said not only vomit, but “urine and worse” is often...

As reported in last week’s Journal, the coming year will see a modest drop of 1.5% in the school district portion of your property taxes. That’s the first drop in five years. The main reason is more per-pupil state aid. The main reason for that is River Falls gained 70 students...