Do ordinary citizens still have a voice in Washington and in their state capitals? Despite the cynicism of these times, my answer is, yes, we do... But we have to exercise it. I don’t just mean going to a town hall meeting and yelling, or shooting off a letter or email. I mean making an appointment to sit down with your representative — in his or her office, at a cafe in the … [Read more...]
Nobody knew that healthcare could be so complicated! (Words expressed by President Trump)
The Affordable Care Act (The ACA) was signed into law March 23, 2010, in an effort to curb the rapidly escalating cost of healthcare. Among other protections patients were assured, you would not be denied coverage because you had a “pre-existing condition” and annual and lifetime “caps on essential benefits” were banned. The United States is one of the wealthiest nations in … [Read more...]
Why “Sundance” THAT weekend?
By Steven Rowland Chatfield, MN I would like to know what the process was in deciding to have Sundance, previous winner of The Voice, perform in Preston on the same weekend as the 50th Anniversary of Chatfield Western Days! I enjoy watching The Voice and, on any other weekend, I would, in support of another community, probably buy tickets to see Sundance perform, as I am a … [Read more...]
UMN Extension dairy field days in SE Minnesota
Each summer University of Minnesota Extension holds a series of on-farm dairy field days that showcase some of the most successful dairy farms our state has to offer. These field days focus on a range of topics from barn designs to dry cow management. The field days are great opportunities for local producers and the general public to learn from University experts and most … [Read more...]
Letter about Senator John McCain…
To the Editor, Learning of Senator John McCain’s diagnosis of aggressive brain cancer reminded me that there are elected officials that really do work for what is best for the country. He is an honorable man that has earned our respect. We need more men and women with his character in public service regardless of party affiliation. McCain has been able to work with the other … [Read more...]
Getting frank with Franken
On July 14, Minnesota Senator Al Franken put out a press release saying he would introduce legislation to “Address Teacher Shortages in Communities Across Minnesota.” The senator went on to say “I’m going to be working to pass my bill into law so that we can get more teachers to enter and stay in the profession.” While this is a noble idea and I fully support help for new … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… A child’s knife at the Fillmore County Fair
My how times have changed. As often happens between parents and their children, remnants of their past are passed along from one generation to the next. When I was in my early teen years, my father gave me a number of items he accumulated in his younger years. Among the items was a leather handkerchief box. I’m sure you’d be hard pressed to find one of these in any store … [Read more...]
Devil’s Advocate…Energized
I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July. The United States has been through many trials in the last 241 years, and people of all colors and creeds have made their marks in history. This leads me to ask, what’s the big picture, America? In what condition do we want to leave our communities for those who come after us? I recently attended an Energy Breakfast (where we … [Read more...]
Common ground
Common ground is difficult to establish without a shared vision of reality. Who wants to find common ground with alternative facts, science deniers, liars and those who would trample the golden rule for a tax rebate. We cannot get past extreme polarization unless we find some core values that define what is good and true that we agree on. If we cannot agree that facts matter in … [Read more...]
Why lie?
By Donna Buckbee Rushford, MN Starting from when I was in grade school, every weekday night my father and I would read the Minneapolis Tribune together and watch the nightly news, both national and local. This quality time is one of my most cherished memories. After taking in the news we would discuss the highlights. My father let me know I was expected to have an … [Read more...]