To the Editor, I used to feel guilty sitting around the house doing nothing. Recently doing nothing has been elevated to a new level of respectability. It is now noble and patriotic! The suggested response to the coronavirus pandemic is staying in isolation. I begin my day sitting in my easy chair by the north window of my living room with my toast and coffee looking … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor Why the left hates America and Trump
Opinions expressed here are those of the author and not of the Fillmore County Journal. To the Editor, Kudos to Jeff Erding for writing “Fact Checking the Haters,” April 20, 2020; as a counter to the misinformation and outright lies put out by the left-leaning mainstream media. As expected, the leftist media is exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to smear him as a complete … [Read more...]
Where is your mask?
To the Editor, I come down to see my parents who live in Harmony about once a month and I stay for a few days. I just want to voice my concerns about the lack of compliance with the COVID-19 guidelines. In a town with such a large population of elderly citizens, I was shocked to be the only person in town wearing a mask. Not only were people not wearing masks, the businesses, … [Read more...]
Regulatory capture of MPCA
To the Editor, The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s (MPCA) decision to roll over and permit the doubling of the Daley mega-dairy near Lewiston shows how industry has captured the very agency that is responsible for protecting our environment and neighbors. As an elder who was born and raised in karst country, I remember when the MPCA was established to “protect and … [Read more...]
The poor oil zillionaires
To the Editor, Oh my, all of a sudden people aren’t driving, aren’t flying, aren’t buying plastic or polyester, aren’t making widgets. People who stay home, especially in warmer weather, just don’t need much oil. The oil companies and the demand for their products have had almost unlimited power for most of my 74-year lifetime. Their output has grown like a virus, to the … [Read more...]
Coming together, blaming others?
To the Editor, Coming together, blaming others? As a Preston resident, I have noticed several things that the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked in our small community. I have noticed more people walking around town than ever before, utilizing the wonderful bike trail. Talking more with my neighbors, at a distance, and for longer periods of time has been a joy. Kids are outside … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor Together stronger
As a farmer and community organizer in rural Minnesota (Fillmore County), I am worried about some of the reports I have read about anti-Asian racism playing out in our small towns. We know racism exists for all of us in the U.S., and the work of confronting it can seem overwhelming. But now is not the time to let our weaknesses rule. In this crisis, we have a unique … [Read more...]
Letter to the Editor Time marches on
“Time marches on,” was the first thing that came to mind when I found out that Dave Phillips had sold Bluff Country Newspapers to Jason Sethre. Thinking about the eight community newspapers that had served Harmony, Lanesboro, Preston, Mabel, Spring Valley, Chatfield, Rushford and Spring Grove for all those years now just a distant memory, really pulled on my heartstrings. In … [Read more...]
Please be a friend, wear a mask Fillmore County
To the Editor, It’s easy to think, when you “know” you are healthy and well, that wearing a mask could be an unnecessary bother, or that you’ll stand out. You’ve possibly seen adults wearing a medical mask in the past, and wondered what’s wrong and maybe even if “it” is catching? But if you’ve had any significant medical challenges hit home, for anyone old or young - … [Read more...]
Thank you to our political leaders
To the Editor, As a small business owner who has seen government mandates severely impact my business, I would like to thank our political leaders at all levels for shelving politics and working together to help us minimize the economic pain we’re experiencing from the coronavirus. In particular, I’d like to thank our Congressman, Jim Hagedorn, for joining with Rep. Chris … [Read more...]