By Tim Penny President/CEO Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation In this season of giving and gratitude, I am inspired by how generously the people in our region showed up on Give to the Max day, which was November 17 this year. In just five days, over $85k was raised by Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) 30 community foundations. As a donor myself, I am … [Read more...]

If you followed this year’s elections, at some point the question probably occurred to you: Why do people do this? The endless campaign events, the constant scrutiny... and increasingly, the very real and alarming threat of political violence. What drives someone to put up with it all? I suspect that if you asked a roomful of politicians, you’d get a roomful of answers. For … [Read more...]

Letter about grandchildren and great-grandchildren... To the Editor, What are we being told by thinkers and scientists about the years ahead? Some predict to just 2030, some go to 2050 and some predictions go to 2300.  I am very concerned as many of our grandchildren and great grandchildren will be living into the next century.  It is important that we start seriously … [Read more...]

By Steve Zmyewski Houston, MN The first century disciples of Jesus would not recognize the extreme Christian nationalist movement that is sweeping across America today. Laced with character assassination, conspiracy theory, disinformation, slander, white supremacy and motivated by fear Christian nationalists vilify anyone whose politics don’t line up with theirs as they … [Read more...]

By Kathie Haynes Canton, MN Retired Pastor Norm Omodt explained why he became a Democrat. He asks hard line Republicans and strict followers of Trump, “Why would you be against wind power, solar power and ocean current energy?” And, “Why do you accept mass shootings with the AR-15 military rifle intended for killing people in war?” Bonnie Haugen says Vote With Your … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com I remember back in about 9th grade, when I started running long distance with the endurance runners on our track team. Somehow, maybe by process of elimination, I was selected to run the mile (1600 meters) event instead of being a sprinter. I had to run with the guys who ran a minimum … [Read more...]

And we’ll charge by the leaf. That was our plan to become rich beyond belief in the leaf-raking business. “The Foolish Almanak For Anuthur Year” by Theodor Rosyfelt published in 1906, said, “It is said that nothing is impossible; but there are lots of people doing nothing every day.” We were kids from the sticks who had proven capable of doing nothing and doing chores, … [Read more...]

Thank you again to all of our veterans for their service to our country. Veterans Day has come and gone, but we can never forget their sacrifices of so many men and women from our region. Back in 2014, with the help of some amazing people on our team at the Fillmore County Journal, we started a project in which we had hopes of publishing our first-ever book dedicated to the … [Read more...]

President/CEO Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Over the years of serving as president of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), I have noticed that foundations, of which there are many in our state, are often touted as organizations that do grantmaking. However, I know that grantmaking is often just the tip of the iceberg of what foundations can offer the … [Read more...]