When money is tight agricultural producers often have to make difficult decisions. Sometimes those decisions are made to the detriment of farm safety improvements or practices. But they do not have to be. Even when money is tight, you can always get better at the little things. 1. Fix lights and slow moving vehicle signs. Lights and slow moving vehicle (SMV) signs are cheap. … [Read more...]
Dr. Changelove Or, How I learned to stop worrying and love the future
First off, I feel an apology is in order. In my last column, I referenced a Pew Research article that listed Baby Boomers as people who were listed as being ages 51-69 and the article was written in 2016. I did some quick subtraction and came up with 1947, but I noticed later that the article has the Boomer generation written as beginning in 1946, not 1947. This is probably a … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Recognizing the importance of volunteerism
On Wednesday, September 6, I had the opportunity to be a part of something pretty special. Tonya Keim was going to be recognized as the KTTC AmaZing Woman, and I was asked to come and say a few words about Tonya’s contributions to our community and how she has impacted the lives of others. The KTTC TV crew was slated to arrive at Harmony Kids Learning Center, where Tonya … [Read more...]
Letter about High School Page Program…
To the Editor, All high school juniors are now eligible to apply for the Minnesota House of Representatives 2018 High School Page Program. By taking part in this week-long program, pages learn the legislative process and also develop leadership skills by observing how committees are conducted and how issues are resolved. To download an application, visit the following … [Read more...]
Letter about Gratitude for follow-up…
To the Editor, I’ve never written to a newspaper before, however I feel this is important enough to say. I work at a Preston convenience store, with myself and a full-time baker in the kitchen on night shift. Wednesday, September 13, my colleague complained of not feeling well. I notified my manager and wheels started to turn for the manager to come in to replace my friend … [Read more...]
Devil’s Advocate…Vantage Point Pt. 2: Home
The Voyager 1 spacecraft is humankind’s farthest flung object in the cosmos. Aboard the Titan-Centaur rocket, Voyager 1 was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida on September 5, 1977. Its mission: to extend NASA’s, and humankind’s, exploration of our solar system beyond the outer planets. Earlier this year, Voyager 1 ventured beyond the solar system, more than 138 AUs … [Read more...]
Celebrating our future entrepreneurs
In late July the Somali American Cultural Society of Owatonna (SACSO), was vandalized with spray paint and had a fire lit in front of its building. I was saddened by this senseless act of vandalism against SASCO which has been a reliable and valued Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) grantee and client. Several years ago, SASCO was founded by Ibrahim Hussein to … [Read more...]
Trust me!
My husband Glenn and I were in the restaurant business in Lanesboro for thirteen years. The White Front Café provided a stage where customers played out their lives and shared their experiences over a cup of coffee. One day a couple came through the doors , smiling and made themselves comfortable in a booth halfway along the wall. They had just moved onto a piece of land … [Read more...]
Who needs to step up?
An interesting thing keeps happening to me. Every few days, someone — an acquaintance, a colleague, even a stranger on the street — approaches me. They ask some version of the same question: What can we do to pull ourselves out of this dark period? For the many Americans who respect representative democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law, there’s reason to be … [Read more...]
More comments from an “Old Soldier”
By Ron Scheevel Preston, MN As I prepare to pen my thoughts on several subjects, I realized I have strong opinions on a few things that are current events. As I read the sports section of the Rochester’s Post-Bulletin, I noticed that on Monday Night Football, 11 members of the Cleveland Browns football team knelt during the National Anthem. As a veteran, it bothers me … [Read more...]