“London terror alert over New Year’s Eve attack fears”
“Memphis police address Beale Street safety concerns for New Year’s Eve”
“New Year's holiday threats prompt more security”
These are just a few of the headlines found on Google showing concerns from government people, law enforcement and just plain ordinary folks as the 2016 New Year approaches.
Security, safety, terrorism and the upcoming presidential election were just a few of the uneasiness a few people from the area expressed this past week.
Emily Praught, a Becker Twp. resident has a son who has signed up for the Navy and she has serious concerns about the evil that is out there and what the future president will do to alleviate some of those fears.
“The upcoming Presidential election is very important in my mind,” she said. “Where is the country going? What effect will it have on the military?”
Praught is grateful too that the City of Becker offices (where she works) will be upgrading their security systems at city hall to make entry into the building and offices more secure and protect her and others from any outside threats.
The city plans to install surveillance cameras throughout the complex and put in a protective clear glass screen at the reception window.
One of Praught’s personal goals for 2016 is to scatter kindness to others and encourage others to do the same.
“You never know what battle someone is walking through and sometimes an extra dose of kindness — even when undeserved — is just what someone needs to feel hope.”
Praught says anyone who knows her knows that she lives by the motto: “kill ‘em with kindness”. Her goal for 2016 is to make a conscious effort to do even more of that in the coming year.
Sarah Brunn is also concerned about the future of the world and the country and she hopes 2106 brings about unity in people and in government.
“My biggest worry is how divided this country has become over the last several years,” she said. “It’s sad to see so many people arguing and fighting over just about everything.”
Brunn, like Praught, wants to expend her efforts in 2016 to make the world she lives in a little better for all.
“I’m gonna focus on being positive and spreading that positive energy to all I encounter.”
In a poll by the Associated Press-Times Square Alliance this month shows the majority of Americans are mostly concerned about the mass shootings and attacks such as those in San Bernardino and Paris.
Sixty-eight percent listed mass shootings in the U.S. as very or extremely important news events this year and 64% said the Paris attack was a very important news event in 2015.
Forty-four percent of those polled rate as extremely or very important the deaths of blacks in encounters with police that sparked "Black Lives Matter" protests in Baltimore and Chicago.
Only 40% polled said the Presidential race was important to them.
Tonya Bratsch of Clear Lake is one of the many locals who say the upcoming presidential election is a major concern for them. She has three children and she’s hoping their future gets brighter in 2016.
Bratsch, an avid health and fitness enthusiast, hopes to continue to dedicate the upcoming year to better fitness and health for her and her family.
Hokan Bengtson, a Becker resident, teacher and coach said his hope for 2016 is “to continue teaching and coaching young people in Becker.”
Bengtson is notorious for getting his students and athletes to focus on being better people in this world — outside of school and athletics.
“My goal is to invest, influence and equip them to be better than they were before I worked with them,” he said. “My hope is to grow as a teacher/coach so that I am better at my job than I was in 2015.”
Bengtson looks to 2016 as an opportunity to be a better teacher, coach, husband and father of his four kids.
“Investing in people,” he said. “Not just spending time in the activities that I participate in.”
Most Americans plan to celebrate New Year's Eve either at home (48%) or at the home of a friend or family member (20%). Nine percent plan to be at a bar, restaurant or organized event, while just under a quarter (22%) don't plan to celebrate at all.
The AP-Times Square Alliance Poll of 1,020 adults was conducted online Dec. 11-13, using a sample drawn from GfK's probability-based KnowledgePanel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus three percentage points.
