This isn’t a column for everyone; it’s about air filters. Air filters bring with them very little humor, well, except for the times new home owners—some of whom had been in their home for a couple of years or more—have proudly shown me their furnaces, knowing I’m interested, with my HVAC knowledge. Those furnaces were… Read More

By Jessica Carlson Otter Tail County Master Gardener Intern The outdoor gardening season is ending, and the Holidays are right around the corner. Many gardeners have brought in their plants from the patio after summer vacation. Sadly, uninvited guests often come along for the ride. Tiny insects can thrive in the warm, sheltered environment of our homes,… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: Hi. I have two grandsons, one 17 years old with a driver’s license the other is 15 with a permit. They both have a bad habit of driving with one hand on the wheel.  I stress how dangerous this is and both hands need to be on wheel all the… Read More

To the Editor, “We the people” are afraid… with good reason! The political climate in this country is so volatile right now that people are being mocked, ridiculed, and even killed, (on both sides of the aisle) for having an opinion! To prove my point, I will venture to guess that someone will be offended by this letter! I… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda I was there, inside my mother, in the forties, when the government was extolling the virtues of smoking, and how good it was for you. Especially for pregnant women. Then I was there in the late fifties, when they said it wasn’t.  I was growing up, but I was there in the fifties,… Read More

By Jessica Carlson  OTC Master Gardener Intern Autumn cleanup plays an important role in keeping diseases and pests under control for next year. A clean garden is a healthy garden, and many problems can be avoided simply by removing and properly disposing of infected plant material. The University of Minnesota Extension reminds gardeners that fall is the… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I feel like I see so many vehicles tailgating and following too close. I remember people talk about a so-many second following tip. Can you remind me and others what that is? Answer:  Applying the “Three-Second Rule” helps you keep a safe distance between your car and the vehicle ahead of… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Fifty-six years ago I was in Vietnam, up by the DMZ at a place called Quang Tri Combat Base. It was named Quang Tri for a small village close by. I turned 25 years old there. I had been drafted by the U.S. Army and assigned the MOS  (mode of service–or,… Read More

By Alice Martin Friends of a Feather There are approximately 350 species of hummingbirds in the world, but only about 16 varieties of them live in the United States, and the only one living east of the Mississippi River is our Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  The name is a bit of a misnomer. Their throat isn’t “ruby” at all.  It… Read More

To the Editor, An open letter to Minnesota Representative Michelle Fischbach: A primary mission of the League of Women Voters is to empower voters through voter education and engagement. In early July, the five local chapters of the non-partisan League of Women Voters of Congressional District 7, supported by the LWV Minnesota, sent a letter to your… Read More