By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal  jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com At first I thought it was an April Fools’ joke, but then I checked the calendar and it was still mid-January. Over the past week, there’s been a buzz hitting mainstream media about the idea of Iowa buying all nine southern-most Minnesota counties bordering the Hawkeye … [Read more...]

By Scott Chirpich Chatfield, MN In less than one month our community will have the opportunity to help impact the growth of our students outside of the classroom. Is there ever a right time to say yes to a Bond or Referendum? It is never easy to ask for community members to shell out more tax dollars, especially when budget cuts are currently needed. However I am willing … [Read more...]

By Lynn Selness Spring Grove, MN Recently I attended a court hearing in Fillmore County. I was honored to support a friend who had grown up in this Amish community. From her earliest memories as a child, she was often molested by her relatives. Then she was raped repeatedly by an Amish deacon whose farm she worked on as a maid. No one protected her. No one helped her. Why … [Read more...]

By Emily Sinn Chatfield, MN The proposed gym expansion at the high school is something our community has contemplated for years.  As a parent of a junior and eighth grader, I have experienced firsthand the challenges of the lack of space for practices, competitions, school day activities, and fine arts events.  This has resulted in late-night practices, crowded competitions … [Read more...]

To the Editor, I simply want to thank Daniel Leisen of Rushford for writing his honest editorial about himself as a vet and listing the “shameful” statements Trump made about vets. It’s called “Oath of a Veteran.” He states that 65% of vets voted for this golden boy who never grew up to be a real man. I find this baffling and rather hypocritical knowing Trump never served … [Read more...]

By Ron Scheevel Preston, MN As Veterans Day has passed for another year, this Old Soldier has a lot of thank yous to convey. As I had the privilege of partic-ipating in several programs, I must thank all those that helped make Veterans Day very meaningful to me.  I’ll start with the administrators, teachers and staff at both Harmony and Preston schools. In addition, … [Read more...]

By Daniel Leisen  Rushford, MN For background, I’m a disabled veteran diagnosed with service-related tinnitus, PTSD, and two years ago with an ongoing battle with service-connected terminal cancer.  I cannot release myself from the shame I feel from hearing that 65% of veterans voting in the last election voted for Trump.  All recruits entering the service swore an … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal  jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com On the front page of this week’s newspaper is a story about high school students taking advantage of the Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) that’s been around for decades.  Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, with more students and schools adapting to the online learning … [Read more...]

To the Editor, I have never had children but I have always been interested in education.  I see the latest bond issue for  Fillmore Central failed, and it made me wonder why. I don’t think it would have been put on the ballot if it had not been deemed necessary.  Most businesses, when something is needed, they procure it. But when schools need something, it is up to the … [Read more...]

To the Editor, If you are of a certain age, you may remember the astronomer Carl Sagan with his catchphrase “Billions upon billions” when he was a frequest guest on the Johnny Carson Show. In his book he wrote: “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer intereted in … [Read more...]

The lonely flag pole in the middle of the greens Stands tall watching over the land without even a slight lean The red and white stripes  remember those tears Of wars that brought this  country many fears Stars of white on a background  of blue Flies high for those states from old to new Some call her Old Glory as she shows her … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal  jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com The Fillmore County Journal is a member of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, which includes newspaper industry professionals from all over the world.  This often includes university professors of journalism, as well.  So, quite a cross section of thoughts. As a … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal  jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com It’s been 50 years since the oil embargo of 1973, that carried on into 1974. “During the Arab-Israeli War, Arab members of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) imposed an embargo against the United States in retaliation of the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli … [Read more...]

To the Editor, It’s that time of year again. Put up political signs. Political signs get stolen. That’s not the way democracy works. People spend a lot of time, effort and money on these signs. Taking them is breaking the law. It is stealing. Are you proud when you steal a sign?  Are you happy to work against democracy in a democratic nation? It’s time … [Read more...]

Each day competing messages demand our attention. Our response often depends upon our relationship with the source. Believing everything from some sources and rejecting everything from other sources can weaken our sense of community. It becomes easy to wonder who to trust. To encourage healthier relationships and healthier communities, we invite our neighbors to join us in … [Read more...]