Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Snow and ice are a fact of life for us Minnesotans. Generally, harsh winter weather results in more overall traffic crashes than the warmer months because of “fender benders.” The months of December, January and February can see more crashes than other months. Our Homeland Security and Emergency Management division and… Read More

By Chris Marcotte Special to the Dispatch Lard the size of an egg is how a second cousin of mine described the amount of lard to use for her pie crust. This recipe was passed on to her from her great-grandmother, and though all recipes today are altered to standard measurements, her no nonsense term always makes… Read More

Tucker’s Telegram Tucker Henderson This past week a pioneering mover and shaker of the Finnish American community passed away. Darrel Nicholson, who was 80 years old, passed away on Nov. 9 in Minneapolis, Minn. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, Spanish teacher, author, and musician among other things. Locally, he was known as the project director… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda One of the good things about deer hunting is that Cousin J. comes to visit. It gives us a chance to sit in my heated deer stand and, well, chat. (Real men don’t chat, you know. Just so you know.) We talked.  In the process, since he’s a fellow Vietnam veteran, we… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener A friend of Bunkey’s had spent some time in the hospital and had been gifted a Ficus plant. Since she has 10 brown fingers, she gave it to Bunkey. He tripped getting out of his car and dumped the plant on the snow-covered driveway. Fiscus are a pretty tough group of… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda There’s so much to know about deer hunting. One big one is don’t pee where you shoot. How do I know this? Well, the first year a long time ago when some local hunters took me hunting, they caught me doing so from 15 feet up a tree. I gathered from the… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I see school busses that do not use their flashing lights or extend the stop arm as they’re picking up kids. Cars are passing them from behind and from the front. What are the requirements for bus drivers to use their safety lights? Thank you for your time. Answer: Minnesota law… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda S. and I made our first walk of the early fall through the woods that exist at the far back-north of this farm. We look forward to resuming this revisiting of the woods. We hadn’t been out there since spring. Of course you know, if you’re a resident of Minnesota, that the… Read More

Publisher’s Perspective Chad Koenen I don’t know if there were more than a handful of times my family purchased an actual Halloween costume for me for Halloween. There were a few purchased costumes, like a football player with shoulder pads none-the-less and some ninja costume with a sword, but most of my costumes growing up… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: Hello, can a person who is working for a farmer during harvest driving a semi (no CDL) cross a state line (North Dakota and Minnesota)? Answer: Yes, as long as they stay within 150 air miles of the farm. With harvest season upon us, it’s a good time to remind everyone… Read More