The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda “Death cleaning.” A recent article that was so labelled was about what we old farts leave behind us for our children to take care of. Clean up. Oh, sure: We get old and talk a good fight about getting rid of the stuff that has accumulated around us–Okay, let me change… Read More

By Alice Martin Friends of a Feather You see them year around. Their oversized round head and tiny body, not to mention their curiosity about everything, have made them almost universally considered “cute.” Their black cap and bib and white cheeks are distinctive, and thus, the Black-capped Chickadee is one of the easiest birds to identify, even… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I heard about a thing called “Vanessa’s Law” the other day and I wasn’t quite sure what it was all about. I know it has to do with new or young drivers. Answer: Vanessa Weiss was killed just days before her 16th birthday in May 2003. In her memory, Vanessa’s Law was passed… Read More

By Tim Rova Guest Op-Ed For more than 25 years, the Roadless Rule has quietly achieved something extraordinary: protecting our national forests while keeping them open to the public. I know this not just as someone who values these lands, but as someone whose life has been shaped by them.   Since 2001, this policy has protected… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda I squinted and peered out past the dark V-shaped laughing gas mask that pressed so suffocatingly down upon my nose. All I could see, looming over me, were the arc-welder blue eyes of the dentist who was at a frightening pace removing tooth enamel with which I had become very attached. The… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question:  I listened to your radio show the other day and you were talking about fatal crashes were lower last year, what was the break down on the numbers? Answer: In 2025, Minnesota saw a significant improvement in road safety, recording 370 traffic-related deaths. This marks the lowest fatality count since 2019… Read More

To the Editor, Growing up in the Frazee-Vergas area, where my nearest neighbor was a cornfield away, I learned what it meant to be a neighbor. Hospitality and kindness, watching out for one another. For years I assumed that place would always be home, but then later, relationships drew me to Minneapolis. I arrived a little… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Another holiday has seemingly dragged its heels and taken forever to get here, but once here, has now sped past us with blazing speed and has disappeared forever.  Behind it, it has left Christmas photographs of new babies, questionably selected presents, sleds and toys, sneezing noses, and memories of a few hangovers…. Read More

By Jessica Carlson OTC Master Gardener Why not grow your own cut flowers this summer? There is nothing quite like bringing fresh flowers indoors brightening the kitchen table, welcoming guests, or sharing a bouquet with a friend. A cut flower garden doesn’t need to be large or complicated to be rewarding. Now is the time when hopeful… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I travel a lot and I see a number of people making some poor choices when it comes to passing semis and large vehicles. There is no way these big rigs can stop in time when people do these unsafe maneuvers. Can you write about this? Answer: A commercial vehicle is… Read More