To the Editor, When you buy a car…you sign a contract. The same goes for your mortgage, your cell phone plan, your car insurance. You receive a service or good in exchange for a promise of payment. Contracts are a key part of our financial system. In Washington, the federal government signs contracts. A friend said to… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda It’s tax preparation time again, and farmers all over the world are turning into creative accountants as they produce the one thing they can count on from their farm: tax deductions. Sure, there must be a farmer somewhere who sold beans when they hit ten bucks this past year, but they’re rarer… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Almost 80 percent of the flowers sold in the U.S. are imported, although some of them are grown in California and Pennsylvania. Those 2 states can’t grow enough to meet the demand especially since that demand skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic. Since the beginning of the year more than one billion cut… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I notice a lot of people walking and running along the highway. The thing that concerns me is that they are moving in the same direction of traffic with their back to the potential hazard. Can you talk about pedestrian safety and what people should do when on the highway?  … Read More

By Bev Johnson  Master Gardener Why would you ever plant heirloom tomatoes? They tend to ripen slower than hybrids, they don’t yield as much fruit as hybrids, they are susceptible to every tomato disease around, and, if you aren’t Johnny on the spot with your watering, they will crack, and are often a bit ugly—but the… Read More

By Tom Hintgen Otter Tail County Correspondent Here in Otter Tail County we are fortunate to have Daily Journal Media and six county weekly newspapers. Readers of these publications, in print or online, have access to school board and city council meetings, hobbies, sports, church news and contributions to communities from neighbors and friends. Area newspapers received several awards… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow A man, a miss, A car, a curve. He kissed the miss, And missed the curve. (I know. You’ve seen this before. I was six or seven and can remember seeing one of these close to home in Iowa, on Hwy 9, from the back seat of the family 1949 Chevrolet. Each time I “rediscover”… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: In your last article you wrote about suspended drivers licenses. I know a person who had theirs revoked. Can you explain how this happens?   Answer: Your driver’s license may be revoked if you: • Refuse to take a test to determine whether you are under the influence of alcohol or a… Read More

By Adam Johnson New York Mills School Superintendent I hope everyone is having a great winter. It is already February and the school year continues to roll along. This month, Mrs. Walz’s Intro to Acting and Media class performed the one-act play “The Yes-You-Have-To, Multiple-Choice, Terrifyingly-Significant, Biggest-Of-The-Big-Deal Exam.” This was an awesome performance from the students! Thanks to… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda I was 16 years old, still on the farm, eager to make money. So when Virgil, who had just purchased the neighboring farm, hired me, I was eager to go. He was in the heating, refrigeration, and electric wiring business. Although he was a licensed electrician, he did a various number of… Read More