By Wenda Grabau Spring Valley, MN What is a caucus? According to the “World Book Dictionary,” a caucus is, 1 “U.S. a meeting of members or leaders of a political party to make plans, choose candidates, or decide how to vote... 3 any similar meeting for the private discussion of policy.” Are caucuses in Minnesota only a political party event? No. Not only is … [Read more...]
Clothed with Christ
By Rev. Peter J. Haugen St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church In Genesis 17, God established circumcision as a sign for the people of God, for the Old Testament Church. Every male was to be circumcised. Circumcision brought individuals into the people of God, brought them under the covenant that God had made with Abraham and with his descendants. Any male who was not … [Read more...]
How to Prevent Sunscald on Trees This Winter
By Morgan Pickett University of Minnesota Extension As we head into the winter months, and before we snuggle in for the winter. Let’s take one last look at our young trees and wrap them up, too. Sunscald, also known as sunburn or frost canker, is a condition that primarily affects the bark of trees, especially young or thin-barked trees, often seen particularly in … [Read more...]
Our Dismal State of Affairs
By Stan Gudmundson Peterson, MN A recent study concluded that almost half of U.S. voters don’t vote on the issues or principles. Out of party loyalty, they vote for the party’s candidate/s or many say they vote for the individual running for office. Those reasons are more important apparently, than what candidates stand for, believe in, and vote for. It’s no wonder that so … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… One week from the election
The past couple of months have been busy on top of busy. I commend our newspaper team for working so diligently to manage such a high volume of news and advertising content. Last week, we published an 80 page newspaper, the biggest newspaper we’ve ever printed. Quite a beast to deliver, as well. Along with everything else we have on our plate, an election year increases … [Read more...]
Where I stand
By Michael Sieve Rushford, MN My senior year in high school was an election year and a year of great conflict in this country — 1968. Richard Nixon was running against Hubert Humphrey for the presidency. Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were both assassinated that year. There were many protests against the war in Vietnam, and the Democratic Party convention in … [Read more...]
Incongruence
Watching the Republican convention it seems Republicans forgot Trump was in charge the last four years. He oversaw the greatest unemployment surge since the Great Depression. Trump is the “Unemployment President.” Trump was in charge during the greatest outbreak of racial violence since the ‘60s. Violence related in part, to his encouragement of white supremacists, calling … [Read more...]
Quality trainings for personal and professional growth
In this new virtual world we find ourselves in, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of online events, gatherings and trainings that are being offered on a seemingly daily basis. However, connecting virtually has its benefits and can open doors to exploring new ways of learning and building relationships. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), offering … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Fire departments will need your help
This week is Fire Prevention Week, which also most likely means that fire departments throughout the region will be conducting their annual fall fundraiser. For many departments, this may be their only fundraiser for all of 2020. Many departments will coordinate a chicken dinner, a dance, or a gun raffle. But, with COVID-19 halting many activities involving large … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Meet the candidates
As of the date of this publication, we are 37 days away from Election Day. This is an important ingredient of our democracy. Over the course of the next few weeks, our staff at the Fillmore County Journal will be coordinating a feature titled “Meet the Candidates.” This is something we do every year in order to help our readers understand who they may be voting for in the … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Complacency is not an option
Over the past several months, as newspaper people we have done our best to cover what we were allowed to cover from a news perspective. Honestly, sometimes it felt like we couldn’t win either way. One day, we’d receive a phone call from a reader saying, “I only see obituaries, city council and school board meetings in your newspaper. There’s nothing else.” My response. … [Read more...]
Alinsky rules for radical activists
By Eleanore Jones Spring Valley, MN Saul Alinsky died almost 50 years ago, but his writings influenced many of those in political control of our nation today. Obama taught students the Alinsky Principles when he was a professor at the University of Chicago Law School and even wrote about Alinsky in his books. Hillary Clinton wrote her college thesis on Alinsky’s writings. … [Read more...]
Letter about Spring Valley intersection…
To the Editor, I see in the Spring Valley minutes of the August 31 edition of the Journal, an individual was complaining about the Highway 16 & 63 intersection in Spring Valley. This intersection is wide open in all four directions. It’s not the intersection that is the problem, it is the drivers. Like Forrest Gump would say, “You can’t fix stupid!!” Norm … [Read more...]
Letter about missing the old normal…
To the Editor, I miss the old normal but I’ll get used to it. I miss rubbing elbows with people at work. It was nice to be able to stop by someone’s cube to see if they wanted to go to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee. I miss the news. I used to read the Spring Valley Tribune for the casual entertainment of it. I could read about real people in my community. It was kind of … [Read more...]
Letter about PPP loans and political connections…
To the Editor, I see our Sen. Miller made the front page of the Minneapolis Sunday Star Tribune on August 2, 2020. That doesn’t happen very often. The reason is this: applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) began April 3. On that very same day his family’s Wm. Miller Scrap Iron and Metal Co. applied for and received a $200,000 forgivable loan. Sen. Miller said, … [Read more...]