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I have been spending a lot of time in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region over the past two years. While there, few things have sparked more enthusiastic conversation than the annual Minnesota State Fair. In town this week with the fair in full bloom, I made sure that I made time to go. After Richie's dill pickle cheese curd tacos, Union Hmong Kitchen's galabao, chicken on a stick, Corn Roast's corn on the cob and a twist ice cream cone, I felt disgusting and happy.

That's about the time that I realized I had lost my wallet. Surrounded by what looked like 10,000 people, I assumed all was lost. However, the lovely people working at an information booth near the Fine Arts Building suggested I go to the lost and found office and ask if someone found it. Ridiculous as that sounded to this East Coaster, I walked across the entire fairgrounds to find a small lost and found office near the midway. Inside, I told them my sad story. "Oh, my goodness," one of the workers said. "An older woman just rushed clear across the fairgrounds to turn a wallet in" — my wallet — "hoping that the owner with a D.C. license was still here and would be looking for it." I asked the worker if the woman perchance had left her name so I could thank her. He looked at me, laughing, and said, "People don't do that here."

Minnesotans really are different. They are really wonderful.

Ben Hecht, Washington, D.C.

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I went to the State Fair today with a few relatives and we made the rounds from the cattle barns to the midway and beyond. We ate lots of food on sticks (mostly deep fried) and we shared space and a few light conversations with fellow fairgoers. Along the way we stopped at the agriculture, dairy, eco and arts buildings and the DFL and the GOP sites. The weather was pleasant. The crowd, though large and growing rapidly, seemed peaceful. I felt hopeful, content. Then I saw "it" — a booth with huge lettering: DUMP BIDEN. It was jarring, mean-spirited, inappropriate and out of place. It made me angry, but mostly it made me sad. It seemed so unpatriotic, so un-American, so not Minnesotan. It didn't ruin my fair experience, but it did cause me to wonder when or if we will return to a time of civility. Will we choose to meet our differences with a handshake or a fist?

Michael Farnsworth, Minneapolis

With regard to the article about the "coaching" lawsuit ("City demands watchdog's private data," Sept. 1), it should be noted that if the "coaching" remedy for police misconduct were legally classified as "discipline," then presumably state law would allow this remedy to be appealed to arbitration, where the city has historically faced a significant threat of reversal. The city's refusal to classify "coaching" as "discipline" may therefore perhaps be driven more by this arbitration risk than by a concern over public disclosure. We must of course insist that the Minneapolis Police Department use normal "discipline" tools for more serious misconduct, but putting "coaching" on the arbitration track would severely compromise the utility of this useful, limited remedy.

John Satorius, Minneapolis

In the editorial "Latest grim test scores require correction" (Aug. 31), one cause given for lower test scores is the pandemic, which is true and a very significant reason, but it's not the entire reason. Ask most teachers when school starts in the fall how many weeks of review are needed to get their students back to where they were on the last day of school. The answer could be as much as six to eight weeks. One of the names given for needing all of this review is "summer learning loss." With the pandemic and summer learning loss happening, this problem cannot be overlooked anymore. No, we shouldn't cancel summer vacation, but both causes can be greatly mitigated by a major PR push to ask all parents to motivate their children to spend 30-45 minutes each summer weekday reading and or working in a low-cost workbook to maintain their skills. Most serious athletes work out and practice during their offseason. Students should do the same. Researchers on this subject for decades have said that students will start making up most of this lost achievement and teachers will have more time for new skills. The results should be higher test scores for all students in the future and having greater success in their lives!

Stan Feldman, New Hope

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Regarding the editorial "Latest grim test scores require correction," this troublesome and vexing issue is real! The fallout from the pandemic has caused an incredible amount of personal, professional and economic disasters for sure. One of the most disturbing is falling test scores in our schools. As suggested in the Star Tribune editorial, tutoring for students who are slipping in their educational attainment is needed.

I am concerned, however, about the self-esteem of struggling students who require help or assistance to get up to speed. It is vital that teachers and tutors brainstorm strategies where ultimately all students (those who are proficient and those who are not) feel validated and their self-compassion and self-esteem is intact. Separating students from one another, whether it is inside or outside the classroom, has a tendency to instill a sense of failure. The student often feels vulnerable, incapable and overwhelmed if tutoring is not approached or presented well.

Let's be cognizant of the emotional aspects of learning while students attempt to catch up to their peers. Undoubtedly, the students themselves also have a job to do. Acquiring a good attitude with positive self-talk that pumps up and pushes forward while doing the hard work and concentration of learning is vital. Self-compassion and patience is key. Learning new concepts and techniques is frequently painful and stressful on so many levels; therefore, it is incumbent upon everyone to do their part to ensure academic success!

Sharon E. Carlson, Andover

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I deeply appreciated Myron Medcalf's humble acknowledgment that perhaps he has been so laser-focused on his own past, present and future life that his writings may sometimes hinder conversations about what is best for the broader community. While I acknowledge that Myron is a columnist hired to press certain points of view to give them the increased visibility some readers would like to see, his willingness to shake his selfishness and do more to help students beyond his household encourages me to pay more attention to what he writes ("Teachers and kids need our support," Aug. 27).

Ross Moen, Golden Valley

The recent announcement of the 22 women who will vie for the "Golden Bachelor" in ABC's series this fall caught my eye (as a 70-plus senior myself). I am wondering if we can prompt ABC to release some stats, like how many have had cosmetic surgery? Have color-treated hair? Exercise regularly? (Not counting playing pickleball, which some of them claim; I'm skeptical.) And maybe how many have read a nonfiction book in the last month or are volunteering in retirement? Oh, oops, I guess we should ask that of bachelor Gerry first.

Elaine Phillips, Minneapolis