The first lecture in the Heroin Highway series occurred last Thursday evening at Moraine Park’s West Bend Campus. The auditorium was standing room only. We heard first from Detective Mark Sette who gave an overview of the heroin problem in Washington County and the State.

He reminded us that this is an opiate problem. Heroin is the “dirty” word that is used quite often but it all stems from opiates. Continue reading

She didn’t know when. But deep within her soul, she knew it was coming. Some day.  Some day …

Some day.

Her mother. Her grandmother. Her aunt. Her uncle. All passed away from cancer.

So for Renae O’Laughlin – a sweet 60-year-old housekeeper here at Moraine Park Technical College with a vibrant, positive spirit – getting a diagnosis of cancer seemed inevitable.

“I’ve had so many family members die from cancer, so it wasn’t a matter of ‘If I’ll get cancer.’ I’ve just always had the mindset that I was going to get cancer – that it was just a matter of time,” Renae said.

Unfortunately, she was right. Continue reading