The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda It is a good year for raising apples. A learning year, of course, as is every  year with apples—maybe not so much the apples themselves, the trees upon which they grow. With all the Amish neighbors surrounding us here, we now have a working apple relationship with a family, headed by a… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I read your last article about school buses and flashing lights. Can you do a reminder on passing a school bus?   Answer: It is illegal to pass a school bus when its red lights are flashing and its stop arm is extended. If you are driving on a divided roadway,… Read More

By Alisha Asleson Master Gardener As summer winds down and most berries fade from the garden, fall-bearing raspberries take center stage. Also known as everbearing raspberries, these vigorous plants produce fruit on the current season’s growth, allowing for a harvest in late summer through early fall. Fall-bearing raspberries can offer sweet rewards when other crops are wrapping… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda “We who are about to die salute you.” That was what the gladiators said to the Emperor of Rome as they assembled in front of the royal box seats in the Roman Colosseum. And they were. About to die, that is. Beginning somewhere around 200 BC, fights to the death replaced the… Read More

To the Editor, The world we knew and loved has been stolen from us by a very smart, clever, devious, ambitious group calling themselves The Heritage Foundation to give some legitimacy to their existence. And they won. Not in an overnight raid of storm troopers at the gate but by decades of nibbling away at our… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: With school back in session, can you talk about school bus safety and what motorists need to know?   Answer: School buses have yellow and red lights that flash alternately to warn drivers they are stopping to load or unload students.   Bus drivers will activate flashing yellow lights at least 100… Read More

By Alice Martin Friends of a Feather The quintessential American Robin is a familiar sight to all of us.  Once they arrive in the early spring, and such a welcome sight that is, you will commonly see them in your yard hopping around, foraging for food and often tugging earthworms out of the ground. You will notice… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda The Widow Fistula woke me up in the middle of last night in a dream and asked me: “How come you ain’t visited me?” Meaning, I guess, that she’s feeling kind of ignored. There was a time when I visited with and wrote about all the citizens of Boatville. Her included. One… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I know the distracted driving law has been around for a while now, but can you please talk about it some more?   Answer: Driver distraction or inattention is a leading factor in crashes in Minnesota, accounting for at least 25 percent of all crashes annually. Distracted drivers fail to recognize… Read More

By Adam Johnson NYM School Superintendent Hello everyone! From all of us at New York Mills School, we are excited to welcome everyone back to the school for the 2025-26 school year. There are a few new things happening in the building. We would like to invite everyone to our open house on Aug. 27 from 4-6 p.m…. Read More