By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Have you gotten a colorful flier from a pest company promising to make your yard mosquito free? Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? “Make outside fun again, and the only good mosquito is a dead mosquito,” “Kids love butterflies but not ticks,” and “Battle back to protect your kids and pets.”  They claim that… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda This is about windows. Some folks will read this because, well, they don’t have anything better to do. Some will read it because they either are now or are in the future building or remodeling a home. Or know someone who is. When I was teaching HVAC students, I spent a lot… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I have been receiving text messages about an “E-Z Pass Final Reminder.” It’s something about having an outstanding toll and submitting payment. I was told it was a scam. Can you get me more information on this?   Answer: Here is information from the Minnesota Department of Transportation E-ZPass page. https://www.dot.state.mn.us/ezpassmn/news.html  … Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardner Horace Greely wrote “go west” but don’t go to Minnesota because you can’t grow apples there. The University of Minnesota’s apple experts reply is “we’ll see about that!” They introduced their first cold hardy apple, the Minnehaha, in 1920 and since then have had a long list of cold-hardy apple successes…. Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda There’s a lot of focus lately on immigration, and although mostly it’s about the USA-Mexican border, I think maybe there’s something  there for us here in Minnesota, too. Specifically, I think there should be a better process to determine whether or not someone from some other state can survive here with us…. Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I drive truck for a living. Can you write about people that cut us off? These big riggs can’t stop on a dime. It’s frustrating because when they do that it can cause a wreck.   Answer: Changing lanes and cutting in too close in front of another vehicle is always… Read More

By Ruth Koehler Special to the Dispatch Spending my first six school years in a country school is what I did…not so much by choice but because it was the only way. I became an adult before I realized what a plus it was to have attended District 271 in Butler Township, Ottertail County. Many vivid memories remain…. Read More

By Adam Johnson New York Mills Superintendent The 2024-25 school year is quickly coming to a close. As I write this, there are 17 days left of school. The last day of the school year is May 28, which is a half day. There are still plenty of events coming up as well. The first one is… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda This goes back, way back, to an autumn day when, as if to remind me that life wasn’t already whizzing by at light speed, there came into the farmyard a long black limousine. It stopped and lurked right outside the front door of the house. Right there in front of our… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I read your last article about road construction and work zones. Can you talk about the zipper merge? It seems like a lot of people don’t know what it is or can’t figure it out. Thank you.   Answer: The “Late Merge – Zipper Merge” is a driving strategy that requires… Read More