To the Editor, Grocery prices have gone up for all of us, but hit limited budgets hardest.  Recent suspension of SNAP and WIC programs total a loss of about $69,000/month for our neighbors in Fillmore County, mostly children and seniors. Prolonged food insecurity hurts more than those hundreds of neighbors. The effects of a parent not having food for their child, or a … [Read more...]

By Senator Amy Klobuchar Right now, rural America is facing a crisis of uncertainty. In Minnesota and across the country, farmers are having trouble making ends meet amid low commodity prices and increasing costs, and farm financial conditions are deteriorating. Farmer loan repayment rates continue to decline in Minnesota and across the Midwest, and small farm … [Read more...]

To the Editor, Everyone please note this date: November 4, 2025. That’s when you should get out and vote for the children of Fillmore Central schools. You can vote in Preston at 700 Chatfield St. or Harmony Community building at 225 3rd Ave. SW. Polls are open from 3-8 p.m. Up for a vote is the following referendum. To increase the school district’s general education revenue … [Read more...]

By Joel Lidstrom Caledonia MN An interesting document published by President Trump’s U.S. Department of Labor (“Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States”) cautions that there is now “the risk of supply shock-induced food shortages” in the United States. It warns that “The near … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced the Senate’s passage of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for a vote.   The bipartisan legislation, which passed unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in May, will expand … [Read more...]

To the Editor, Response to Congressman Brad Finstad’s statement regarding the government shutdown in the October 6 Fillmore County Journal. We elect our officials to be a part of a government for the people, by the people. The government shutdown continues because Republicans are against 1) an extension of expiring tax credits which make health insurance cheaper for … [Read more...]

To the Editor, I am writing to express grave concern regarding the detrimental impact the recently enacted “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) Act is having on our already fragile rural clinics and hospitals. I am a retired nurse practitioner who worked at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Caledonia, Minn., for 28 years. I recently learned it will close this December along with … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal  jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com Since 1940, the Newspaper Association Managers (NAM) has promoted National Newspaper Week, which is on the calendar for October 5 to October 11 this year. While this editorial could focus on fostering an appreciation for local journalism or the importance of a free press in a … [Read more...]

By Laura W. Fillmore County Domestic  Violence Advocate with  Women’s Shelter Inc. In small communities, it is common to glance through the criminal reports in the newspaper or scan the jail roster, curious to see if we recognize any names. While this curiosity is human nature, it is worth pausing to ask: when does that curiosity cross the line and become … [Read more...]