With the handoff of power from one president to another, we enter this new phase of our national life in deep distress. We are divided and polarized, struggling to communicate reasonably with one another, and seemingly unable to find common ground on basic issues. Yet the path forward is neither new nor, really, difficult. We all know what needs to happen. We just need to do … [Read more...]

By Tim Penny President/CEO Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation When I served in Congress, I was dedicated to representing my southern Minnesota district. I was not there to simply vote the party line; I did my best to take into consideration the differing political ideologies that existed at the time among my constituents. As a legislator, I made it a priority to … [Read more...]

Letter to Tom Vilsack from the Driftless Young Farmers Coalition.. To the Editor, To Tom Vilsack, nominated Secretary of Agriculture. We are young farmers in the heartland, and business owners that feed our communities. Many members of our coalition are new to agriculture – we aren’t part of the incumbent system of landownership and commodity farming – and we see a USDA … [Read more...]

Letter about where  is the money... To the Editor, You know, math was never a favorite subject of mine, however I think I’ve done well with the basics on addition and subtraction over the years.  I sit here very confused over the version of new math the city of Harmony used last summer on the 2020 street and utility improvement project.  I see printed in front of me request … [Read more...]

Letter about which  side are you on?... To the Editor, Congressman James Hagedorn and cohorts contend that any attempt to hold President Trump or themselves in any way accountable for having enabled, aided, abetted, and/or incited the January 6 assault on the nation’s capitol would be “divisive.” I wholeheartedly agree. It would clearly divide Americans, regardless of … [Read more...]

Letter about going “postal”... To the Editor, I was in the Harmony Post Office lobby today with my double masks and conducting my business with a lovely gal that is a frontline worker and risks her health and safety every day working there. In walks a man in his mid-to late-60s with no mask. I politely said, “I’m sorry sir, but could you put on a mask?” (There is a sign on … [Read more...]

Letter about Boy Scout troop leaders... To the Editor, My name is Carter and I am a Boy Scout from Troop 53 in Rushford. I want to bring up a topic that is not discussed nearly enough, the effort put in by the troop leaders. The leader of Troop 53, Tom Butterfield, is as good a troop leader as you will find. In my two years of Scouting, I have noticed the amount of work … [Read more...]

Letter about the fake coronavirus... To the Editor, I refrained from going to church this past year because I didn’t want to put it at risk of getting shut down for not wearing a mask.  When I recently returned, board members and parishioners expressed concern because people they know are getting sick and people are dying, which I neither doubt nor dispute. I gently told … [Read more...]

To the Editor, Recently, after hearing that our first district congressman Jim Hagedorn was just recovering from kidney surgery, I was surprised to hear his name mentioned as one of the congressman who voted in favor of objecting to the electoral college vote that favors President-elect Joe Biden. This vote occurred after the “Trump mob assault” on our nation’s capitol … [Read more...]

This past week, I was happy to see how well the “2020 Business Person of the Year” recognition was embraced in the communities we serve. “We need more positive news, after the year we’ve gone through,” said one business owner.  “Thank you for doing this.” This was our first time ever coordinating a nomination process like this, and I think it went well.  One thing we did, … [Read more...]