The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda (I found the first wood tick of the season; here’s my favorite wood tick column.) I sat in church last Sunday and marveled as I usually do at how one’s mind tends to ramble past thoughts much more freely there. Is it the austere tones of the interior decorating? The largeness of… Read More

Ask A TrooperSgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I was just talking with someone the other day and they mentioned there is an age requirement for operating an “e-bike.” Can you get me more information on this?   Answer: When it comes to E-bikes, a driver’s license or permit is not required. However, the minimum operator age is… Read More

To the Editor, May was a very busy month in Washington as the House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.  In mid-April, the House and Senate agreed to a budget resolution, which set House Committees off to the races to draft legislative recommendations based on the agreed budget targets. One of the largest of these components… Read More

To the Editor, With embers from Minnesota’s wildfires still smoldering and Canadian smoke darkening our skies, it’s worth remembering that fires burn more than trees—they consume peatlands, a living foundation beneath our forests that has protected us for centuries. Once lost, these carbon-rich wetlands cannot be replaced. Peatlands are waterlogged wetlands filled with thousands of years of… Read More

Despite record-high wind and solar generation, the U.S. renewable energy sector faces uncertainty. Tariffs and potential repeals of federal funding are creating roadblocks to the further buildout of energy projects. Wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects have helped revitalize rural communities by creating jobs, generating new tax revenues, and providing lease payments to landowners. However, energy… Read More

Tucker’s Telegram Tucker Henderson Life is often unfair. It can be incredibly challenging at times with its many stressors and obstacles. Unfortunately, life can also be far too short. We’ve seen that as a community time and time again over the past several years. I first think of Wade Salo who passed away in 2020 after… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Summer is coming, and for the first time in the history of automobiles, the number of fifteen-year-olds hitting the highways in a driver’s education car is decreasing. That means, maybe, that this hormone-riddled, vacuum-headed generation—and weren’t we all– has figured out that it is safer to log on than drive on. One… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I caught part of the news the other night and heard something about the 100 deadliest days. Can you get me more information on that?    Answer: I certainly can. Here is some information we shared on the Minnesota Department of Safety blog. The Minnesota State Patrol is urging drivers to… Read More

To the Editor, Federal grants often serve as the backbone of rural library services. Without their local library, many communities would lose access to basic resources. However, recent federal actions have placed critical funding for public libraries and museums in jeopardy. Following an executive order from President Trump, the future of the Institute of Museum and Library… Read More

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