By Jeff Erding Wykoff, Minn. One party has won every statewide election in Minnesota since 2006. This seems like a good time to determine the trajectory of our state by examining a timeline of some key economic and educational indicators. State spending starting in 2010, three categories. 2010 total budget 43 bil. Welfare spending 9.5 Bil. K-12 education 9.9 Bil. 2018 … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Leading Up to 2026 Election
It’s another election year, which means our office is a busy beehive. Our Journal team has been fielding questions from phone calls, e-mails and readers at the front desk, asking about the policy for submitting Letters to the Editor or purchasing an advertisement to endorse their favorite candidate. Here’s what readers can expect. Letters to Editor As has been our policy … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… 9/11: 25 Years Later
By Jason Sethre As we approach the 25 year anniversary of September 11, 2001 (9/11), it’s still fresh in my memory. And, I’m sure I’m not alone. On that Tuesday morning, while working for The Daily Journal newspaper south of Chicago, I was traveling from our office in Bourbonnais to the main newspaper headquarters in Kankakee. I was listening to the radio when I heard an … [Read more...]
Letter about Harmony data center…
To the Editor, A 55-megawatt data center in Harmony would represent an enormous new electrical load. By rough annual consumption, it would use about 54 times as much electricity as Harmony’s municipal system and roughly twice the electricity currently used across all of Fillmore County according to available data. That scale deserves careful scrutiny before any commitments … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Conditions of the Root River State Bike Trail
On Thursday, August 6, I published a video on the Fillmore County Journal Facebook page addressing the conditions of trail maintenance for the Root River State Bike Trail. I presented this as a public service announcement relating to the overgrown noxious weeds, specifically wild parsnip that can be dangerous to those who may not realize they should avoid making contact. … [Read more...]
Letter about standing with the Jewish community…
To the Editor, I am a life-long progressive democrat. I believe in things like health care for all, taxing the rich, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, environmental protections, etc. I have voted in every election since 1968 but I don’t know if I will vote this November. Why? I am angry about the rise of antisemitism in this country and the world. Though the democratic and … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… National Night Out Successes
On Tuesday, August 4, I had the pleasure of working alongside my fellow Fountain Fire Department firefighters serving burgers, hot dogs, chips, brownies and water to anyone who showed up to chat. This being the first time we had coordinated an event like this, we didn’t know what to expect for participants. We were fortunate to have an officer from Preston Police and two … [Read more...]
Bike Trail Invasive Species
By Gary Wilson Houston, MN An article in the July 27 edition of the Fillmore County Journal described efforts to build a bike trail from Preston to Forestville State Park. As a long time user of the Houston extension to the Root River State Trail, I support efforts to create new trails. As a landowner adjacent to the RRST, I offer the following suggestions to landowners … [Read more...]
Belonging and Ownership
By Benya Kraus President and CEO, SMIF July 23, 2026 - Who gets to own a piece of the future? Ownership – of land, of livelihood, of voice – was central to the American experiment. In southern Minnesota, it remains central to the work of building vibrant, resilient communities. And for many people, belonging begins with having the opportunity to shape what comes … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Did the World Cup Bring Us Together?
While the bracket of World Cup games were underway, a good friend of mine said, “I think the World Cup brings people together more than any politician ever could.” This is so true, and I appreciated hearing this from him. My friend, who grew up in Rushford and now lives in Fountain, didn’t grow up playing soccer, but he enjoys any sporting events or competition. I know there … [Read more...]