For the past months, our patience has been tried by Donald Trump, who has managed to dominate the media. He distinguishes himself by operating in a “fact free” zone and making up his personal version of “reality” as he goes along. While this may have a certain entertainment value, his continuous lies leave us feeling uneasy. We haven’t the vaguest idea what he stands for. He … [Read more...]

Recently, I experienced something refreshing that I never never anticipated. Our daughter was challenged with the assignment of reading a local newspaper and pointing out specific references in the article. When I saw my 11-year-old daughter intensely reading the Fillmore County Journal, I had to ask her what she was reading. She has looked at the newspaper, but not … [Read more...]

Let there be a discussion on diversity as it pertains to politics. Currently, there’s a story told about a line where people may have perspectives from the red right, the blue left, or sometimes the purplish middle. The recognition that there are more than these two main points of view — at the far ends of this line— is crucial if we as a society wish to progress … [Read more...]

On Sunday, September 11, 2016, I received my first of what will probably become numerous spam text messages. “Your friend XXXX XXXXXXX just recommended you check out your photos on Everalbum. Link expires tomorrow: (and then there was this link).” The number had a 910 area code, and was not a recognizable contact within my phone. Something seemed fishy. So, I sent a … [Read more...]

Every. Year. It never fails. During this time we are hounded about receiving our flu shot. For most of us, we understand the general concept: flu shot = not getting sick, hopefully. However, how many of us actually grasp the details of this process? Is it really worth it? Why it is important? Let’s delve into that. Influenza (AKA ‘the flu’) is a generalized name for an … [Read more...]

By Mary True Bell I say, “No longer can we sit back and watch the lives and ways of native people being disrespected and threatened.” As of Saturday, September 3 over 60 tribes had gathered together at The Camp of the Sacred Stones to stand peacefully against the Dakota pipeline that threatens their precious water supply. In every way possible these people are giving and … [Read more...]

I was once told that the old idea of the “American Melting Pot” was a little... off. In reality, I was told, America is more like a stew: each of the ingredients add something to the entire ensemble, but overall retain their own structure. America is much the same, with little outposts of culture here and there because America doesn’t force assimilation. Where you might see … [Read more...]

I’ve been involved in politics for the better part of a lifetime, and have spoken at a lot of public meetings over the years. There’s one question, I think, that I’ve heard more than any other: “If I want to be an informed citizen, which sources of information should I consult?” For many years, I had a set answer for this. Read one or more of the respected national news … [Read more...]

Yet again, summer went by too quickly. As backpacks are reloaded with new notebooks and pencils and kids don new school clothes and gym shoes, at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we’ve been seeing some older faces filing into classrooms. Caregiver education is the main goal of SMIF’s Parenting Matters: A Workplace Education program, which began in 2012 and … [Read more...]