The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda The other day, the radio played  a song that caught my attention. It was a John Sousa march, up tempo, as marches are wont to be. Bingo! A memory triggered by that song popped into my mind! It took me back over 60 years. Suddenly, it was around 1960, and I’m in… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I do a lot of over-the-road traveling for work. Can I stop and stretch my legs along the freeway?   Answer: Do not stop on the interstate or along the roadway. The only time you can stop on the freeway is for emergencies. Use the freeway exits/off-ramps and pull off onto… Read More

To the Editor, Thanks, DEMs Now in my 90th year and still have good memory, I look back to the 30s when I was born and the wonderful changes that have occurred for the middle and under classes…men and women of color, women‘s rights, voter’s rights, worker’s fair compensation with benefits…just a few liberal, progressive policies… Read More

To the Editor, I recently enjoyed reading the excellent article on Trinity Lutheran Church’s Open Youth Room nights. Thanks for covering it. Here’s a little more background I am happy to share. OYR began 15 years ago in 2008-09 and was the excellent idea of Charlene Norton (then a volunteer youth ministry advisor). She coordinated it for… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda There are some problems facing us here in this country, including but not limited to immigration, health coverage, cost of oil, Hillary, and finally, people who empty their ash trays at rural stop sign intersections. It should be noticeable to anyone paying attention that smokers seem to have fallen to last place… Read More

Publisher’s Perspective Chad Koenen My first job out of college was at the Pope County Tribune in Glenwood, Minn. It was a mid-size weekly newspaper located just a few minutes south of Alexandria, Minn. In those early days I was primarily the sports editor at both the Pope County Tribune and Starbuck Times, which was owned… Read More

To the Editor,  The way the political parties view issues abound. Women’s health care and who should control that care, how to deal with the economy, LBGTQ+, the effort by some to try to take over the agendas of the schools instead of allowing teachers to teach, the alleged crimes of presidential candidates, who should police… Read More

To the Editor, It’s time to restore our best protection against the meatpacking monopoly.  • What is the Packers and Stockyards act? More than 100 years ago, the U.S. passed the Packers and Stockyards Act (P&S Act) — the first law to protect farmers and ranchers from concentrated, abusive monopoly power in the livestock industry.  Initially the Packers &… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow By Jesse Grabow Ask a Trooper Question: I read your recent article about winter travel safety. I also heard you were a Boy Scout, which would apply to this also. Can you talk more in depth about what a person should have in their vehicle? Answer: Great topic to expand on. Yes, I serve… 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 15 years, up to retirement a couple of years ago. That’s my… Read More