On occasion, politics in our nation becomes an exercise in confrontation. Harsh words are exchanged. Voices are raised. But most of the time, people who disagree keep their distance, recognizing that the First Amendment is no excuse for violence. Last week, a judge in Cincinnati, Ohio, ...
To the Editor I have been living in Lyon County for almost 25 years and have appreciated the diversity that is in our communities. This diversity should be celebrated and continued for a variety of reasons. First, as we all know living in rural Minnesota, most of our communities are ...
Puerto Rican Gov. Wanda Vasquez is fighting back against the corruption and inefficiency that has hindered efforts to help hurricane victims on her island. Good for her. U.S. officials should provide all the support at their disposal. On Sunday, Vasquez fired the heads of two government ...
Papa! Where’s Papa Gorilla?” I was sitting with Aksy, my grandson, and, with an amused but concerned look in his eyes, he asked: “Papa! Where’s Papa Gorilla?” This calls for a bit of a back story. It began a few years ago when I was playing with my grandson. We would run around ...
The lights flickered and the house went dark. A jolt of dread shot through my wife and me. Losing power normally isn’t a big deal. But it can be as serious as a judge on Sunday in the midst of a merciless prairie blizzard. We waited quietly for a few moments, hoping that our electric ...
Many Americans became heroes on Dec. 7, 1941, during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. One of them, a Navy mess attendant, had been told he wasn’t even supposed to fire guns — because he was black. He was Doris “Dorie” Miller, a young Texan serving aboard the battleship USS West ...
I’ve often wondered if people would be more concerned if the increasing reports of Chronic Wasting Disease in North Dakota made the jump from a limited population of mule and whitetail deer into more uncommon species like the resident moose and elk in the state, as has occurred in Montana. It ...
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the 28.8 million small businesses in the United States represent 99.7% of all U.S. businesses, and employ 56.8 million people. Running a small business can be a 24-7 endeavor. Managing employees, inventory, scheduling, services, and ...
To the Editor There are countless ways that the United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) impacts our communities. Filling backpacks and kindergarten bags for our schools, granting dollars to local food shelves and investing in the safety and well-being of our friends and neighbors, is a ...
We’re not sure who thought this was a good idea, but Minnesota law now allows political parties to pull back the voting booth curtain and peek over your shoulder in the new Minnesota presidential primary. The presidential primary will allow Minnesotans to have a say in who is nominated to ...
As I stood on the lush green farm field of the Vats Valley that lay peacefully between the towering mountains, the uninvited thought came into my mind, “I belong here.” It was July, and I was on the western coast of Norway, several miles inland from the town of Haugesund in the county of ...
In last week’s Starwatch I described at least some of the celestial treasures waiting for you within the great constellation Orion the Hunter. You can have a lot of fun checking them out in our Marshall sky with even a small telescope or binoculars. You can dig for other treasures just by ...
Editor’s Note: A new column written by Marshall resident Bill Palmer will be featured on the front of the Our Region section in the Independent’s Weekender edition. My name is Bill Palmer. I am a southwest Minnesota product, born and raised in Marshall, and a proud graduate of the ...
Once in a great while, Ross and I will head to the movie theater and watch one of the latest films. We don’t always have similar tastes in flicks. In fact, there have been times where I’ll just go along with him to one so we could spend some time together. And there have been times where I ...
Make sure Chinese keep door open THUMBS UP: When it comes Wednesday’s trade deal signing by the U.S. and China, it’s a trust but verify situation for farmers. The announcement was indeed good news for the U.S. agriculture sector. However, a spokeswoman for Farmers for Free Trade, ...
Are you looking for new ways to save time this new year? Social Security offers many of its services online by signing up for a secure my Social Security account. Once you create an account, you can review your work history and see an estimate of your future Social Security benefits. We ...
If you doubt that too many Americans have become preoccupied with President Donald Trump, either favorably or unfavorably, consider a news report this week. It involved Russian computer hackers and Burisma, the Ukrainian natural gas company. “A cybersecurity company says Russian military ...
We are in the midst of the Deep Cold, the Death Valley of the seasons here in the Northland. Our hope is to make this perilous crossing without losing any of our metaphorical oxen or actual fingers or toes. The winter solstice is behind us, not that it makes any difference. The high ...
The nanny crowd – folks who insist only government is capable of protecting us against any hazard — wasted no time in criticizing proposed new federal guidelines for autonomous vehicle makers. “This is a science experiment playing out in real time on our roadways without any safeguards ...
I heard a songwriter say that when he writes music, he’s writing life. I believe the same about wine. When you learn about wine, you learn about life. Music has always been part of my life. I never played an instrument but did participate in the high school choir — which I really ...