Nearly every adult over the age of 40 recalls receiving U.S. savings bonds from their grandparents when they were younger. That is probably a foreign concept for children of today. Why? In today’s issue of the Fillmore County Journal, you’ll notice several pages dedicated to the “Cute Kids of Fillmore County.” This is a special feature we have been publishing in our … [Read more...]
Creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem
At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we know that growth comes from within. In all of our programming we aim to lift up the communities in our region by providing them with resources and a framework for success, but it is the people within our partner communities who ultimately create the future they want to see. As we seek to increase our involvement in small … [Read more...]
Devil’s Advocate…And then there was one
I have a challenge for you. The goal is to not skip a single name. Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… We won three awards, but..
I’m proud to share that our team at the Fillmore County Journal won three awards at the 151st annual Minnesota Newspaper Association Convention held at The DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloominton, Minn., on Thursday, January 25, and Friday, January 26. Historically, our newspaper staff has never found enough time to submit entries for the MNA Better Newspaper Contest, but this … [Read more...]
Partisan true believers are part of the problem, not part of the solution
What is the right thing to do? That question should guide our political discussion not what a party’s position is. Truth should be the basis of debate and discussion rather than party talking points. As an independent voter who has voted for republicans, democrats, independents, greens and democratic socialists; parties are not important. What matters is the candidate’s … [Read more...]
In praise of party politics
By Eric Lee Harmony, MN I am going to state what anecdotally feels like an unpopular opinion, these days. I like party politics. I wasn’t always this way, and it took me a while to get here, but let me take you through my exciting journey. You see, much of my life I have preferred to think of myself as an independent. I can think for myself. I won’t be beholden to any one … [Read more...]
Gratitude
With the barrage of news these days from the ongoing fires and flooding in California to the terror attacks around the globe and of course the consistent thrum of politic divide, it is still important to sit back and reflect on what to be grateful for at this time of year. And, there is so much for which to be thankful for this year. For me, I’m thankful for my family, which … [Read more...]
Sand threats lurk in Fillmore County
The Rein frac sand mine on County Road 12 has a new name and a new operator since it was first permitted in 2013. Although not a single load of frac sand has yet been scooped, the newly named Highland Sand’s new operator Larry Thompson is seeking approval of additional hauling routes to as-yet-unknown destinations north and south of Fillmore County. Meanwhile, their original … [Read more...]
What awaits us in the New Year
As I take down the calendar for 2017 and replace it with a new calendar for 2018, I wonder what lies ahead in the New Year. Last year ushered in a disturbing trend. Truth, facts and reason were abandoned. The social fabric in our country was torn apart. It appears that as a nation we have lost our moral compass. I’ve always thought that life should be a search for the … [Read more...]
What to look for in 2018
Because we live in such tumultuous political times, it’s easy to believe that today’s intense public focus on the Trump presidency is something new — an obsession like none we’ve ever seen before. Yet to one degree or another, the president has always been at the center of the public’s attention. This is because he or she is the central actor in American government. The sheer … [Read more...]