While spring time brings vibrant colors, sunshine, and happiness, it also poses many risks to our pets both inside and outside the home.

Easter basket candy, flowers, and pest prevention all can have serious, and potentially deadly, effects if ingested by our pets.

The following are the most common toxic substances to keep away from your pets:

• Lilly flowers and plants: these cause acute kidney failure in cats, and can quickly become fatal.
• Chocolate: this can cause upset stomach and diarrhea in mild cases, but in severe cases can result in heart issues and seizures.
• Xylitol (artificial sweetener in many candy): causes acute liver failure in dogs and is often fatal if not treated promptly and aggressively.
• Rodenticides: these products cause bleeding disorders as well as acute onset of severe seizures, progressing to coma or death.
• Organophosphate field chemicals: these can cause severe adverse effects such as profuse vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, seizures, and acute death if not treated promptly.

We hope this helps serve as a friendly reminder of the toxic substances used in our every-day life, and helps keep your pets safe this up-coming spring!

This content was provided by The Harmony Veterinary Clinic Team located in Harmony, MN. For more information, contact 507-886-6321.

Great question — curb appeal can literally influence whether buyers decide to schedule a viewing or keep driving.

Here’s a few tips to ensure your home makes a good first impression!

Freshen up the landscaping – mow, remove weeds, trim shrubs, and add fresh mulch. Update your entry door and trim with fresh paint, replace outdated hardware and exterior lighting.

Clean everything from the siding to the sidewalks, windows, and garage doors. Freshen up house numbers, stain decking, and fix anything broken (loose railings, cracked steps, etc.). Remove extra yard art, keeping it simple and fresh.

For a pop of color add a new doormat and plant by the front entry and add solar lighting along the sidewalk to elevate the look for those evening showing.

The final step is to stage the front porch or entry like a mini room, add chairs or a bench keeping it simple, keeping it clean, and inviting. Reach out for more tips on home care.

Professional guidance makes your move smoother and less stressful, reach out with your real estate questions to: Roxannejohnson@remax.net
Roxanne Johnson, Harmony, MN
Ph: 507-458-6110

Many vehicles have one button on the heater controls that looks like a car with a “U” shaped arrow on it which is recirculation mode and another with an arrow going through an outline of a car which is fresh air mode.

When in recirculation mode the air used for the heat or A/C comes from inside the cabin of your vehicle. When in fresh air mode, the air will be drawn in from outside the cabin before it is cooled or heated.

Recirculation mode is most used in hot conditions. This allows the A/C system to operate more efficiently since it is cooling already cooled air from inside the cabin. It can also be helpful when driving through dusty or smoky conditions, preventing those containments from entering the cabin. Fresh air mode is usually recommended when attempting to defog your windows. This allows cooler and drier air to hit the windshield, helping clear the fog faster.

This content was provided by James Hagen at Total Care Care located in rural Preston, MN. For more information, call or text 507-322-4057 or visit www.yourtotalcarcare.com.

There are five types of purifiers: HEPA, Carbon Filtration, UV lights, Ionization and PCO technology.

HEPA, Carbon and UV lights are all passive and require capture of the allergens, smoke, odor, bacteria or germ. Capture means the pathogen has to find its way to the element, and if it does, it is trapped but not neutralized. This is inefficient at best and it is alive in the filter.

Ionization binds to ultrafine particles and brings them down out of your breathing space. You may find more dust on surfaces but your air no longer has a multitude of “floaties!”

PCO technology proactively reduces viruses, mold, odors and VOCs. Call and ask how PCO technology is Active and uses UV light, ionization and PCO to stop the spread of even the smallest particles to .001 microns! It’s been called one of the top seven inventions to come from the Space Station.

For your breath of fresh air, contact Clavonne today at 507-254-1121. Website: drivetohealth.com Email: drivetohealth@gmail.com

If you’re a local business owner, a workplace retirement plan can be a powerful tool – helping you manage taxes, support employee retention and build long-term financial security.

Despite common misconceptions, these plans aren’t just for large companies. Today’s options work for businesses of every size.

If you’re self-employed or don’t have employees, there are three commonly used types of plans:

• A SEP IRA is simple, low maintenance and lets you vary contributions each year.
• An owner-only 401(k) offers higher contribution limits and borrowing features in exchange for more complexity.
• And an owner only defined benefit plan allows the highest contributions and provides guaranteed income. (But this option requires steady funding and more administrative work.)

If you do have employees, additional options like a SIMPLE IRA, traditional or safe harbor 401(k), or a cash balance plan may fit your needs.

A financial advisor can help you compare these choices and select the best fit for your business and your retirement goals.

This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by Maggie Schoepski, your Edward Jones financial advisor at 507-867-1460. Member SIPC

This is a bit like asking how long it takes to get in shape—it depends on the dog, the goals, and your consistency.

Basic obedience skills can start to take shape in a few weeks with daily practice. However, real reliability—especially around distractions—often takes a few months. Behavior issues like reactivity, anxiety, or aggression can take longer and require a structured plan.

The biggest factor isn’t the dog—it’s consistency. Training isn’t a one-time event but an ongoing conversation. Dogs learn through repetition, clear communication, and follow-through.

If you practice a few minutes every day, set clear boundaries, and meet your dog’s physical and mental needs, you’ll see progress much faster. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s steady improvement and a relationship built on trust and clarity.

This content was provided by Carla Ladd at Ladd K9 located in Preston, MN. For more information, contact 507-951-7398 or visit www.LaddK9.com.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed right now. Everywhere you turn, there are promises about health—if you just focus on this one thing, everything will get better. Supplements. Therapies. Exercise regimens. Diets. Resolutions. Medications. Each matters and offers part of the picture, but none stand on their own. Health is not meant to be addressed in pieces.

Often, the clearest path forward does not begin with adding more, but returning to basic design and natural rhythms—sleeping at night, eating real food, moving during the day, accomplishing meaningful work, tending to the responsibilities and relationships in front of you, and living with integrity.

When these are in place, the body tends to thrive. When they are not, no amount of fine-tuning can replace them. This is often why people feel stuck despite doing so much. If you’re wondering what to do next, ask: where is my life out of order?

Start there.

This content was provided by Bethany Grace at Waniya Healing located in Lanesboro, MN. For more information, contact 612-790-7101 or visit www.waniyahealing.com.

Great questions. Grief is a tough thing to navigate.

We often refer to it as the “grief journey” as it seems when it comes to grief there really isn’t a set path with specific instructions, but a shared path that can vary from person to person. It’s interesting how grief can sneak up, it could be a sight, a sound, even a smell (flowers, cookies, etc.) can trigger grief – it jogs our memory of the person we lost. It’s normal, it’s real and it’s okay.

My recommendation is to take advantages of grief resources and give yourself grace. Many funeral homes offer a variety of resources at no charge. We provide free grief support with our Circle of Friends program and you can sign up for free online at our website. Whether we handle your families service or not, we are here for you.

This content was provided by Ashley Hoff-Czaplewski at Hoff Funeral & Cremation Service located in Lanesboro, Rushford, Chatfield, Winona, Houston, St Charles and Lewiston, MN. For more information, contact 507-467-2130 or hofffuneral.com.

At our dealership, we’ve built a buying process around one thing—your time.

We keep everything simple, efficient, and hassle-free so you can get in, get your vehicle, and get on with your day. Cash or check purchases are typically completed in 15 minutes or less once paperwork begins. Financing usually takes between 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the application, especially if it hasn’t been filled out beforehand.

No waiting around. No drawn-out process. Just a fast, straightforward experience from start to finish.

Because buying a car shouldn’t take all day.

This content was provided by Josh Lewis at Top Gear Auto Sales located in LeRoy, MN. For more information, contact 507-324-1800 or visit www.topgearautosalesllc.com.

Every spring, we hear from rural homeowners dealing with rusty or discolored water. Snowmelt and rain can stir up iron in well systems, causing orange color, metallic taste, and stains in sinks, tubs, and laundry.

Start by checking filters and flushing your system. Sometimes that’s enough. If it continues, you likely have iron in the water. An iron filter or water conditioning system can remove it before it reaches your home, helping protect plumbing and appliances.

Spring conditions can also allow bacteria into wells. A UV light system is a simple, chemical-free way to treat water and improve safety.

If your water has changed, spring is the right time to test your system and explore treatment options. Call and schedule an appointment with Vis Plumbing & Heating, Inc.

If you need help with spring maintenance, call VIS Plumbing & Heating at 507-467-2240 or 507-886-2008.

Municipal water systems add chlorine to disinfect water and keep it safe as it travels through distribution lines.

It plays an important role in public health. However, depending on the time of year or system maintenance, chlorine levels may be more noticeable in taste or odor.

While chlorine is effective for sanitation, some homeowners prefer to reduce the smell and taste inside their homes. Whole-house carbon filtration systems are designed to remove chlorine before it reaches your faucets and showers.

Reducing chlorine can improve taste, eliminate odor, and may be easier on skin and hair for some people.

If you’ve noticed changes in your water, a quick evaluation can determine whether additional filtration would benefit your home.

This content was provided by Nate Van Loon at Culligan Water located in Winona, MN. For more information, contact 507-452-3600.

Signage is one of the most important initial marketing investments of any business. I’ve seen businesses open their doors without signage and 10 out of 10 times they have closed their doors. It’s that important!

We have a number of businesses in our region that specialize in signage, so I would suggest getting in touch with them to assist with design and installation. Also, go as big as you are allowed, but make sure you are proceeding within city guidelines.

For businesses operating in the areas of construction, tree removal and lawn care — to name a few — see if you can display yard signs with your business logo and contact information prevalent at the resident or business in which you are conducting business. Imagine people driving by that address 24/7 seeing your mini billboard promoting your business to prospective customers.

If you need help with these mini billboards (yard signs), our team at the Fillmore County Journal can assist. Feel free to call us at 507-765-2151 or e-mail us at sales@fcjpromotions.com.