By Pastor Mark Woodward Maple Leaf Parish Churches: Spring Valley: Faith, Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston (and Lenora) Even since the days of the pandemic, I have been very careful with taking needed precautions with regard to COVID-19. Well...it finally caught up with me early in January 2025. I was fully vaccinated so I am thankful the symptoms were mild. … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Playing Ball Betwixt the Walls
Walls, a wood stove and even spectators were hazards; you might run or dribble into one – or someone. But it was too cold to play outside when high school basketball was first witnessed in Caledonia. The year was 1907; the venue was the Hundt Opera House, which built on North Badger Street, was originally intended to provide an indoor roller-skating rink. But that rolling … [Read more...]
The Hospital Said My Wallet Had to Come Out
Finders, keepers. Losers, weepers. I don’t believe that idiom. I’ve found lost wallets, purses, a laptop computer, a tablet, cellphones, a camera, a spotting scope, car keys, dogs, used bubble gum and a class ring. I turned them all over to the proper authorities and trust they were reunited with their owners. I was telling stories in Illinois when I found a thick wallet … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – Checking Your Resolutions
By Pastor Paul Hauschild Chatfield and Root Prairie Lutheran Churches How is 2025 going for you so far? A new year often signifies a fresh start for many people but, more often than not, resolutions set on December 31 are abandoned a few weeks into January. Practiced in most parts of the world, people set goals for a new year which revolve around continuing good … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Robbers Roost and the Brainless Bravado of Wildcat Jack
Part two of a two-part series As commercial traffic on the Mississippi River followed settlement north into Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, thieves were attracted as well as honest merchants. A band of river pirates, thought to consist of 10 to 12 men, operated out of the southeast corner of Houston County. Their base, known as Robbers Roost, was located in Minnesota Slough, … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback Peterson’s Blind School Teacher
By Cheryl Boyum Eaton Fillmore County Historical Society Roy Maynard Johnson was born January 11, 1935, to Jens and Hazel Johnson at Moorhead, Iowa. He had two older brothers and a younger sister. His father was a farmer and the family moved to Belmond, Iowa, when Roy was in eighth grade. He took part in band, choir, and FFA. As a young child, he was diagnosed with … [Read more...]
A Goodly Heritage- Jack’s Story
Howdy there, folks! I am glad to meet you. My name is Jack. I am a German Shepherd. I came from Northern Wisconsin. I was invited to live in southern Wisconsin, and I adopted a boy. He comes with a mom and dad, so they are mine, too. I grew up there, and I learned my new territory well. I am the king. My boy brings me water when I need it, and food when I want it. … [Read more...]
Every Car I’ve Owned Has Had a Steering Wheel
When one door closes, another door opens. I had a Chevy pickup like that. Other than that minor failing, it was a trusty steed. Of course, it went nowhere without jumper cables, and the pickup was equipped with an engine block heater to fool the motor into thinking it was parked in Miami on a below-zero day here. By that time in my life, I’d owned two kinds of automobiles: … [Read more...]
Pastor Devotions – A Christian Century
By Pastor Jeff Jacobs Unity Lutheran Parish - St. Paul, Saetersdal and St. Matthew’s, Granger The Christian Century, a Protestant periodical, began as The Christian Oracle, then in 1900 became The Christian Century, with hope “genuine Christian faith could live in mutual harmony with the modern developments in science, technology, immigration, communication and … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Beware of Robbers on the River
First of a two-part series Surely praiseworthy were the pioneer settlers of southeast Minnesota, immigrants from Europe or those moving west from previously settled areas of the United States. Hard-working farm families and merchants established communities, built churches and schools and were even willing to leave their families to serve far from home as Civil War soldiers. … [Read more...]