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

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda As the years behind me add up, I’ve become somewhat more aware of those people who are gone now, and what they have left behind them. As in, for example, their name. The best person I can think of is the Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu, who died in 1792. Of all… Read More

Jessica Carlson  Otter Tail County Master Gardener Intern  In a growing movement to support pollinators and reduce traditional turf maintenance, Minnesotans are turning their lawns into vibrant, living habitats. A bee lawn is not a weedy free-for-all, nor is it an unkempt patch of clover. It’s a thoughtfully designed blend of turfgrass and low growing flowers… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: My husband and I are wondering if it is true that emergency vehicles can change a light from red to green, if they need to proceed through an intersection. Is this true, or is it just a myth that people now believe to be true? Also, if this is true,… Read More

Garver’s Movie Review Bob Garver I remember being a big fan of the 1976 “Freaky Friday” with Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris. Granted, I saw it when I was young enough to not know the tropes of the body-swap comedy, but I still have fond memories. I got a few laughs out of the 2003 update… Read More

The family of Hudson Shipman would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support. It was a blessing to see how many lives he touched and how many loved him.