opinion

Question: I've heard the Minnesota State Patrol is carrying around some stuff to help people that might have an issue with opioid abuse. Can you talk more about that? Thanks for all you do! Answer: A Minnesota state trooper's job is surprisingly varied. Sure, you'd expect them to...

Project 112/SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense) is the name of the program for both shipboard and land-based biological and chemical testing conducted by the U.S. military between 1962 — 1973. VA will provide physical examinations to veterans who participated in the testing....

On July 12, 1973, approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files were destroyed when a fire ripped through the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. More than 40 years later, staff at the NPRC still are attempting to piece together those records. Kevin...

Question: I have a short box pick-up. A friend wanted me to carry two 12-foot aluminum boats he had purchased. Being as they would have extended far past my 7 foot or less truck bed, I declined thinking it was too long to be legal. Was I correct? What is the length limit for loads...

Thank you a thousand times to Josh from Verndale for stopping to help our client Leroy when you saw him fall on the ice on Sunnybrook Road. Thank you for helping him up and into your truck and bringing him back to his Parkwood home. Leroy has a mission to rid our neighborhood of stray...

In 2017, there were over 310 mass shootings in the U.S. in which four or more people were injured or killed. Since 2013, there have been 142 school shootings, with 19 already in 2018. What we sometimes forget are the almost 35,000 gun deaths and approximately 65,000 gun-related injuries...

Bob McDonald, who served as Veterans Affairs secretary from 2014 through January 2017, said connecting with others and not limiting yourself will help service members transition from the military to civilian life. McDonald, an Army veteran, was recently named chairman of the board...

Question: I do a lot of local driving for work, and every day I see an abundance of vehicles that roll through stops. This happens most frequently in a "right on red" situation. I have seen many near misses by vehicles rolling through a "right on red." I was just wondering what our...

If you receive Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) and have the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), you will see a change in your net pay and statements starting in April of 2018. Beginning with the SBP premiums due in April of 2018, DFAS will start deducting SBP premiums from CRSC...

Zeus or Jesus seems more like a first century choice, than a 21st century one, but here it is. A recent writer, troubled by uncomfortably frequent references to the Judeo-Christian God in the PJ, expressed relief at seeing the name of another deity (Zeus) in an article about a police...

My name is Forrester Pack and I'm a resident of the Twin Cities. As a University of Minnesota journalism undergraduate and follower of state politics, I'm interested in learning more about our state. One of the important issues I feel is healthcare.

Question: How and what does law enforcement do when they come across someone who is deaf or has hearing disabilities? Answer: This is a good question and as a State Trooper I have come across situations dealing with this on traffic stops, motorist assists and crashes.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has established a presumption of service connection for eight conditions associated with exposure to contaminants in the water supply at Camp Lejeune, N.C. These conditions were determined after a review of scientific and medical literature on health...

Question: If I'm driving a friend's car whose license is suspended, if the officer runs the plates and it comes back to my friend, can he pull me over just because the registered owner's license is suspended? Is that probable cause to stop me? My license is valid. Thanks. Answer:...

In the Pioneer Journal article on Zeus it was fascinating to see him referred to as an actual deputy for the Wadena County Sheriff's Office. It was also interesting that he had been named after one of the most powerful gods in human history. This can be mentioned because god has become...