An estimated one million people in the U.S. live with Parkinson’s disease, the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. Symptoms vary, but can include tremors; difficulty with balance, swallowing, chewing and speaking; and cognitive impairment.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month, and I, along with the St. Cloud Area Parkinson’s Support Group urge everyone in the St. Cloud and central Minnesota areas to join our community as we promote greater awareness of how Parkinson’s affects those living with the disease, and their families. 

The Support Group meets monthly at two locations: 3rd Monday at 1 p.m., Independent Lifestyles, 215 N. Benton Dr., Sauk Rapids, 320-529-9000 or the last Wednesday at 10 a.m. Edgewood Living, 677 Brianna Dr., Sartell, 320-281-3343. 

Together, we can make life better for people with Parkinson’s disease by improving care and advancing research toward a cure. 

 

Did anyone bite you at work today?

On average, nearly 15 mail carriers a day will say “Yes.”

Postal Service officials report that in 2018, 5,714 letter carriers experienced dog bites or dog attacks. With deliveries every day, including Sundays and holidays, carriers continue to experience dog bites in urban, suburban and rural settings.

To ensure mail carriers’ safety, dog owners must securely lock their dog in another room until a delivery exchange is done. If outside, dogs must be leashed at a distance from the mailbox.

When a carrier feels unsafe, mail service could be interrupted, not only for the dog owner, but for the entire neighborhood. When mail service is interrupted, mail must be picked up at the Post Office. Service will not be restored until the dog is properly restrained.

With your help, we can keep our carriers, your neighbors, and your dogs safe.

 

Put in the context that most Americans received tax cuts, in my judgment is clearly a misnomer. When the country needs more money to meet our obligations, we merely increase our debt limit. With a debt limit in the trillions, are we really being honest with ourselves?

How does our change in debt limit impact our daily lives? Americans receiving tax cuts, is only to full truth if we include any change in our debt limit to a level well over 22 trillion dollars. When increased debt limit impacts our daily lives, then clearly must be included as a measure of benefit for all of us. 

When there is a disproportionate benefit, based on income, then how does America really benefit? 

Until such time as the divide between the "haves" and the "have nots" diminishes, we really are not experiencing tax cuts, relative to the country's economic base. This is not a political party issue but an economic reality that we are experiencing. Suggesting that 80% of the population experienced tax decreases, based on comparison to prior years, with either political party being in power, is merely distorting the full truth and deceiving the general public.