By Lee Hamilton As Congress and many state legislatures get under way for the year, there are lots of new lawmakers out there starting to learn the ropes. It’s an exhilarating, exhausting time, and they’ll have plenty of questions about the challenges. But here’s one thing they might not even have imagined: The hardest part of their new jobs may be the most basic — casting a … [Read more...]

By Lee Hamilton The 118th Congress convenes January 3, and while it’s impossible to know in advance what it will or won’t accomplish, it’s a fair bet there will be drama. With the GOP taking control of the House, a tightly divided Senate, and a presidential election less than two years away, sending political signals — as much to the party faithful as to Americans in general … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com I think we’ve all attended a high school sporting event and witnessed some behavior from a fan that made for an awkward situation.  It sets the tone and become a toxic situation for all involved. Some people are more expressive than others, but there is a point at which a line is crossed.  … [Read more...]

By Tim Penny President/CEO Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation At the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) our motto is collaborating for regional vitality, and we do our best to live up to that commitment. In each area of our work – early childhood, entrepreneurship, and community vitality – we are mindful of partners in the state and region with whom we … [Read more...]

To the Editor, Seasons of great celebrations often carry shadows of sadness, grief, and deep hurt.  Many of us have the brightness of the holidays dimmed by loss and the memories of times shared with loved ones. It can be helpful to actively reflect on these people and experiences to acknowledge the feelings which are surfacing in our lives.  Writing down or verbally … [Read more...]

To the Editor, As someone who has just ran for State Senate, I appreciated Lee Hamilton’s letter asking the question of why politicians run for office. For me the motivation was simple: to help my neighbors. This was an extension of what I have done my entire adult life, from running a homeless shelter to providing humanitarian aid, I have always strived to help others. As a … [Read more...]

By Stan Gudmundson There is nothing new under the sun, the Good Book says.  For eons that was essentially true in the way people lived and of human nature itself.  Today, virtually everything has changed or is changing.   Except for human nature.  But people tend to view history as significant only over the time we, as individuals, live on earth.  Consequently, we often lack … [Read more...]

Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com OK, so all of a sudden, a few years ago, smartphone users started using gifs and memes. Not sure how it happened, but it was magic. It showed up as an option, and we embraced it. I have to say there are some pretty funny ones that seem to add to, or capture a moment better than a simple text message. A … [Read more...]

By Ron Scheevel Vietnam Vet Preston, MN As I pen this commentary, the mid-term elections are behind us. There are a couple of states where the results were not entirely decided right away, but in most cases, the winners had been chosen shortly after. Hopefully our elected leaders can bring back to life the art of compromise. I, for one, believe that the radical far “right” … [Read more...]