By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger I was 16 when our nation celebrated its Bicentennial, and now at 66 another milestone comes, this Semiquincentennial, 250th anniversary of these United States. A lot has happened in 50 years: home computers, cell phones, internet and AI…the Columbine school tragedy and subsequent … [Read more...]
SMIF Awards 75 Organizations with Grants
OWATONNA, Minn., May 12, 2026 - Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) recently awarded 26,797 children’s books to 75 organizations through its Early Literacy Grant Program, impacting 31,543 children in its 20-county region. This grant supports early literacy efforts that enhance school readiness for children birth to age eight by providing children with books. The … [Read more...]
Let Freedom Ring
– By Gloria Webinger
Let Freedom Ring By Gloria Webinger Caledonia, MN I think of I hear FREEDOM when I hear the word, America. I’m 98 years old and what I’ve seen in my lifetime is unbelievable. I worked for a TV company, “BMC.” I saw history being made when we went from black and white TV to color TV. I’m very proud of my employment with them so that means a lot to me. I lived in St Paul. … [Read more...]
Karen Louise Long
Karen Louise Long, 84, of Spring Valley, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at Spring Valley Living. Karen was born on October 4, 1941, to Wayne and Charlotte (Beecher) Stephens in Forest City, Iowa. She attended and graduated from Chatfield High School. She worked at the Chatfield Bakery for many years before she became a para for the Kingsland school … [Read more...]
Verdonne “Donnie” Erickson
Verdonne “Donnie” Erickson, 92, lifelong Mabel resident, died Sunday, June 21, 2026 at Valley View Healthcare and Rehab in Houston, Minnesota. Donnie was born December 16, 1933, in Spring Grove to Leo and Luella (Karlsbroten) Erickson. He attended country schools and later lived with Luther and Norma Onsgard. He served in the United States Army for a short time before … [Read more...]
Judith Lynn Sadler
Judith Lynn Sadler, age 80, of Spring Valley, Minnesota, and formerly of Great Falls, Montana, died peacefully in her sleep on June 22, 2026 at her home in Spring Valley. She was born May 23, 1946, to Lester and Mary (Elliott) Hill in Watseka, Illinois. She married William Drefcinski, they moved to California and had one daughter, Kim Marie. They later divorced. Judy then … [Read more...]
Paula Raye Muehr
Paula Raye Muehr passed away at her home near Mabel, Minnesota, on June 16, 2026, at the age of 48. The world lost a special, sweet soul. Her life was filled with many challenges that she fought to overcome. She loved being mother to four children and being a wife to the love of her life, Adam Muehr. Paula enjoyed fishing, archery, and her wide variety of pets, playing … [Read more...]
Duane Grafe
Duane Grafe, 91, passed away peacefully on June 22, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. Born in Curlew, Iowa, on May 26, 1935, Duane spent his early years in Iowa before moving to Grand Meadow at the age of 15. It was there that he attended school and began building the foundation for a life marked by hard work, leadership, service, and an unwavering commitment to … [Read more...]
Hello? Do You Copy?
One of the biggest problems with flying a paramotor is that you can’t really share the experience with someone. Sure, you can take pictures. You can tell stories. You can point to the sunset and say, “You should have seen it from up there!” But it’s not quite the same. So I thought I had partially solved the problem. I bought a helmet with communications built in so I could … [Read more...]
How Do You Handle Adversity?
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches A daughter complained to her father about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He … [Read more...]