To the Editor, It was a sunny, winter day in the mid-1960s at the Channing outdoor hockey rink in Fergus Falls. Now, more than a half century later, his impression remains indelible. I stood nervously in tattered leather hockey skates on wobbly legs, struggling to stay upright. It was my first day of hockey practice. The… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda The  number 80 has always been around me. It shows itself in some quite different ways. One of the first ways it appeared to me was in the size of the farm in Iowa in which I grew up. It was the “home” 80, because the “homesteaded” 80, where my great-great-grandfather first… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Don’t chuck those seed catalogs even if you don’t plan to send for seeds.  But only if they originate in the upper tier, i.e. the cold states.  There is a plethora of information in those pages. For instance, if you plan to plant a tree this spring. A seed catalog can… Read More

To the Editor,  The 2001 legislative session saw major changes to the state’s property tax system and one of the results was that seasonal properties, “cabins” if you will, were taken off the school district operating levy tax rolls. The result was an impoverished local tax base for schools to try and convince local voters to… Read More

To the Editor, Everyone benefits from child care, even those without young children. A lack of access to child care affects parents’ abilities to work and has a major impact on our local economies. Child care educators work long hours for minimal pay, are tasked with keeping our children safe and happy, and rarely receive the… Read More

To the Editor, The election is coming up too soon and many have not done their homework yet on who would be the best candidates to vote for. This election will determine whether we remain with and strengthen our hard  won and fought for democracy or dive into the abyss of authoritarianism. The lines are already… Read More

Out on a service call once, I was searching in vain for a wrench or wire or some missing part, this while everything was spread out on the basement floor in front of the furnace which I was trying to get working.  Although I had just had the part in my hand, it seemed that… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I was reading your recent article about headlights needing to be on in the fog. I have asked several law enforcement officers about this and I get the same answer about a judgement call. As a commercial vehicle driver, my two biggest gripes are people driving without headlights on when… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener  University of Minnesota’s horticultural  science department’s Julie Weisenhorn says no matter how clever someone’s Instagram handle or slick looking TikTok video is, when it comes to plants, take   planting ideas with a bucket of salt. Some of these “hacks” can actually damage your house plants. This column has been guilty… Read More

To the Editor, Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29, 2024 On Friday, March 29, 2024, Vietnam War Veterans Day, the Charles D. Center VFW Post 3289, New York Mills, welcomed our Vietnam Veterans home and provided each Vietnam Era Veteran a free dinner at the VFW Post.  On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we honor all those who… Read More