Keith Nelson St. Louis County Commissioner Founding member Greater MN Regional Parks and Trails Commission (District One) Virginia, MN I understand a newly-formed opposition group has convinced the city council to research breaching a long-standing contract with the DNR on the proposed OHV park in Houston. After more than a decade of good-faith planning, accepting … [Read more...]

To the Editor, Today’s Republican Party, centered in rural America, has strongly moved towards anti-democracy, anti-voting, anti-history, anti-facts, anti-vaccine, anti-mask, and is perhaps more pro-death than pro-life. Many have manufactured outrage over teaching factual history to high school students. Without understanding the past, the way forward lacks useful guidance. … [Read more...]

To the Editor, For the past six years, I have been honored to serve on the Chatfield School Board, and like my fellow colleagues, I take great pride in our district and its accomplishments, including the district’s efforts to manage costs effectively. Over the past two years, the school board managed several financial challenges due to rising education costs and additional … [Read more...]

By Mark Jacobson Peer Support Specialist Winona, MN Although the majority of people who have depression do not die by suicide, having major depression does increase suicide risk compared to people without depression. The risk of death by suicide may, in part, be related to the severity of the depression. Recent data on depression that have followed people over long … [Read more...]

Letter about Let’s keep our democracy... To the Editor, Today’s Republican Party, centered in rural America, has strongly moved towards anti-democracy, anti-voting, anti-history, anti-facts, anti-vaccine, anti-mask, and is perhaps more pro-death than pro-life. Many have manufactured outrage over teaching factual history to high school students. Without understanding the … [Read more...]

Katherine Baarsch Spring Valley, MN To the Editor: A meeting was held in Spring Valley on September 11, 2021, to educate and interest people in becoming involved in the Convention of States Project in Minnesota. There were 76 people in attendance, which surprised me - people of various walks in life and most of us didn’t know much about Convention of States (COS). It was … [Read more...]

By Ann Mraz Harmony Area Cancer Support Group Facilitator Harmony, MN The Cancer Group was formed some years ago when Marv Wilt was the mayor. In the agreement at that time and we still follow today, (40 plus years later) the group could do planting and landscaping as they felt necessary and the city would cut the grass and do the trimming.  After the bakery was removed … [Read more...]

By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com Starting in June of 2021, our newspaper published a ballot each week in which readers could vote for their favorite businesses in our region in various categories. We’ve been coordinating the Reader’s Choice Awards since 2013. This annual tradition encourages readers to show their … [Read more...]

Letter about honor... To the Editor, It is only one word. And it has power. That word is honor. I grew up in the midwest farming community of central Michigan. As an adult, I’ve lived in the Pacific northwest and the desert southwest. Though I’ve felt like I belonged wherever I’ve lived, when I moved to Lanesboro in 2010, it felt like I’d come home. For a while, I couldn’t … [Read more...]

Letter about Shot or Not... To the Editor, I cannot keep quiet anymore. Opinions are like other things; everyone has one. This may draw fire but here goes, as I do not care who it upsets. Why do you not want to get the vaccination? It is proven safe and it works? Why have we not seen cases of whooping cough or measles until recently. I wonder why? Could it be religous belief … [Read more...]