Beck Westrem

Short Takes: MSHSL/Target Center keep things absurd

SEEKING TO REVIVE USUAL ABSURDITY, MSHSL EXPLORES NEW TARGETS On April 10, the Minnehaha boys’ basketball team won their fourth-consecutive state championship at Target Center, but neither the Talon newspaper nor the Antler yearbook took photos of the historic event. Why not? Because we’re lazy? No, because we were denied …

Read More »

Another roaring ’20s?

From COVID-19 impacts to changes in thinking, the ‘20s predictions are here It’s 2021. For the next hundred years, people will refer to these years as “the ‘20s”. I, Beck Westrem, have predictions for the ‘20s based on recent trends and speculation. If the past year has left you on …

Read More »

Financial Fiasco?

Pandemic, amateur investors impact market For young people looking to enter the workforce, the state of the economy is a significant factor in determining how easy finding a job will be. Brought on by the pandemic, safety guidelines have forced businesses to close and shattered demand for others. Fewer people …

Read More »

Chet Holmgren’s growth, charted

For Holmgren, a long road to the top Nation’s top recruit credits work, listening, mindset, mentors for his rise For the last few years, Minnehaha senior Chet Holmgren and former-teammate Jalen Suggs, now a freshman guard for top-ranked Gonzaga, have dominated state championships, AAU showcase tournaments, and ESPN rankings. Now, …

Read More »

Insurrection

Addressing the storming of the Capitol A failure in execution and preparation allowed the “Stop the Steal” protesters to breach the Capitol building on Jan. 6. It’s not clear whether the Capitol Police treated the protesters passively because they were white or rather because officers have become ambivalent about using …

Read More »

Opinion: Trump’s social media ban

Inflammatory remarks just kept coming, bringing down accounts A vast number of media outlets have banned President Donald Trump and content supporting him from their platforms after the January 6 storming of the US Capitol. The list includes Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, TikTok, Shopify and even Apple, …

Read More »

The importance of open dialogue

Why listening is the first step to unity   Over the past few years, countless events have been digested by social media and turned into controversial topics. While the current political divisiveness is partially at fault, another important factor that is often over- looked is open dialogue. Most conflicts could …

Read More »

Expert insights on the 2020 election

Larry Jacobs, renowned U of M political scientist, shares thoughts on voting behavior Lawrence R. Jacobs is McKnight Presidential Chair in Public Affairs, the Walter F. and Joan Mondale Chair for Political Studies, and director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance in the Hubert H. Humphrey …

Read More »

The evolution of Westerns

For a century of U.S. history, Western movies reveal American values — good, bad and ugly Are you starting to get claustrophobic, having now spent weeks confined to your home? Social isolation will likely continue for the time being, but there is still an activity you can do in your …

Read More »

Coronavirus: Finding ways to provide service

Volunteering from a distance Health officials are not wrong that one of the best things you can do right now for both yourself and others is to simply stay at home and distance yourself. However, with so many communities struggling with finances and health, just a little bit of service …

Read More »