Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I was wondering what the state guidelines are regarding smoked or tinted headlights. Are they legal?  Answer: Minnesota law does not allow for this. It is illegal to equip or operate a motor vehicle with any equipment or material that covers a headlamp, tail lamp, or reflector.  I’d also like to remind… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda ( Every once in a while, I run this old column. I wrote it nineteen years ago when my prostate and I had just turned fifty. Those were the good old days, although at that time I didn’t know that. The point is: Today is one of tomorrow’s good old days—enjoy it.)… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener Hard as it is for avid gardeners to admit, fall is here.  If you are still waiting for ripe tomatoes, good luck with that. You can cover them with a blanket, or better yet, a sheet of bubble wrap. This may help them to ripen naturally. Do remember to remove the bubble… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda I serviced and installed heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration products while doing business as Lindy’s Hardware in New York Mills. Then I designed an HVAC (heating, ventilating, air conditioning) program for the tech school at Wadena, which I taught for fifteen years, up to retirement a couple of years ago. That’s my… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: My granddaughter had a project where she was trying to locate the license plates from all the different states. In our effort to help her we noticed that many license plates have a frame around them that obscures the actual state and only the numbers and letters are visible. Also… Read More

It is difficult to find the words to express to each of you how grateful my children and I are for the kindness and compassion you have shown us.  We appreciate the generosity of the entire community and surrounding area.  You have kept us in your prayers and reached out to help us in every… Read More

Publisher’s Perspective Chad Koenen Have you ever made a joke you thought was hilarious, but completely fell flat?  That is pretty much a daily occurrence for me at the Koenen household. However, a joke that I told a TSA agent last Thursday morning was followed by an awkward silence that made me wish I could get… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda When our oldest child was 15, and we were wrestling constantly with the freedom vs. safety issue, she came home from a night out with her friends with a tale that nearly drove us to lock her in her room until she was 30. She had been out the night before with… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: Is it legal for me to have a blue soft lighted “RAM” lettering logo on the front grill of my truck? It’s not flashing, but always illuminated. Any answer is appreciated.  Answer:  No vehicle is allowed to have a blue light or any colored lights illuminated on the vehicle if it… Read More

By Bev Johnson Master Gardener The garden is full of tomatoes, many green some just getting ripe. Bunkey hates to see any garden produce go to waste or freeze if he can save it, tomatoes in particular.  Here is one way to salvage at least some of them now. Start by cutting the indeterminate tomato vines… Read More