In honor of the beginning of Lent and the celebration of our most beloved (and perhaps most misunderstood) saint, we travel back through time and separate fact from legend as it pertains to the most successful and remarkable of all missionaries. My main sources are The Story of Ireland by Emily Lawless and St. Patrick and the Druid Priests by J. A. Wylie. We must delve … [Read more...]

Call me a contrarian. Or even a Pollyanna. But when everyone around me is filled with gloom and despair, seeing dire portents in every political headline, I try to find trends that encourage me. And I’m finding them. It could be that my hopes outrun the realities. But I’m guardedly optimistic that’s not the case. If there’s a single theme that ties them together, it seems to … [Read more...]

In negative two degree weather, I forced myself to get out of bed at 6:30 to take the recycling to the curb. While I was out there, I grabbed the mail out of the mailbox and noted, with some relief, that there was a check in there from what I liked to call my third job. I opened up the envelope, checked the amount, and resolved to deposit it as soon as possible. My wife, not … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]

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...]

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...]