To the Editor,  The 2001 legislative session saw major changes to the state’s property tax system and one of the results was that seasonal properties, “cabins” if you will, were taken off the school district operating levy tax rolls. The result was an impoverished local tax base for schools to try and convince local voters to… Read More

To the Editor, It was a sunny, winter day in the mid-1960s at the Channing outdoor hockey rink in Fergus Falls. Now, more than a half century later, his impression remains indelible. I stood nervously in tattered leather hockey skates on wobbly legs, struggling to stay upright. It was my first day of hockey practice. The… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda The  number 80 has always been around me. It shows itself in some quite different ways. One of the first ways it appeared to me was in the size of the farm in Iowa in which I grew up. It was the “home” 80, because the “homesteaded” 80, where my great-great-grandfather first… Read More

To the Editor, The election is coming up too soon and many have not done their homework yet on who would be the best candidates to vote for. This election will determine whether we remain with and strengthen our hard  won and fought for democracy or dive into the abyss of authoritarianism. The lines are already… Read More

To the Editor, Everyone benefits from child care, even those without young children. A lack of access to child care affects parents’ abilities to work and has a major impact on our local economies. Child care educators work long hours for minimal pay, are tasked with keeping our children safe and happy, and rarely receive the… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Out on a service call once, I was searching in vain for a wrench or wire or some missing part, this while everything was spread out on the basement floor in front of the furnace which I was trying to get working.  Although I had just had the part in my… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I was reading your recent article about headlights needing to be on in the fog. I have asked several law enforcement officers about this and I get the same answer about a judgement call. As a commercial vehicle driver, my two biggest gripes are people driving without headlights on when… Read More

Library Happenings Henning School Not including Alaska, Wisconsin and Minnesota are home to the biggest population of bald eagles in the United States.    According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources the Red Wing and Wabasha areas, which sit near the Mississippi River, is where you can find hundreds of bald eagles that overwinter there…. Read More

A little birdie hoped I’d get 80 birthday cards for my 80th. Can you believe I got over 100 cards! Thank you everyone for making my day so special. Also thank to everyone for get well wishes, prayers, calls, help, food and goodies and visits after my kidney surgery. My doctor appointments on Friday went well. God… Read More

Library Happenings Henning School Legend has it that when Paul Bunyan was trekking across Minnesota he left large footprints across the state. These footprints then filled up to become our 10,000 lakes. This iconic lumberjack can be viewed in many locations around Minnesota;  Akeley, Bemidji, Brainerd, Hackensack, and the Mall of America just to name… Read More