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We feel your pain as you maneuver around road closure signs

Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes called it a “generational project” for the city during the groundbreaking ceremony held in May. During that same groundbreaking of the Highway 19/College Drive reconstruction project, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith recognized the road work would affect the heart of the city. And she wasn’t kidding. Heading into the heat of July, Highway 19 from the fairgrounds to Main Street, the old asphalt has been removed and the road is nothing but dirt and gravel. MnDOT officials have allowed Schwan’s and Ralco building workers to gain access to a major parking near ...

Ugly political rhetoric leads some of us down dark path

Saturday was a very dark day in Minnesota. The news of the assassination of a member of the Minnesota Legislature and the attempted assassination of a second member sent shock waves through the state and the nation. Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were gunned down in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday morning. Meanwhile, Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were each shot multiple times and survived. They are both currently recovering in a Twin Cities hospital. “We are incredibly lucky to be alive,” Yvette Hoffman said in a ...

Thumbs up/down

THUMBS UP Kraft loses promised federal funding Last year, New Ulm’s Kraft plant was earmarked to receive $3 million in federal funds to improve energy efficiency upgrades. This was part of a larger $170 million grant to help the Kraft Heinz company decarbonize. It is not happening anymore. The U.S. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOEG) has decided that this promised federal grant is not an efficient use of federal money and has pulled the money away. This is disappointing and a little unfair. Different people can debate whether it is in the federal government’s best ...

Going back in time for Sounds of Summer

It will be a blast from the past on Aug. 23 in Marshall. Last Friday, the Sounds of Summer Committee jumped back into the past and announced that the Fabulous Armadillos will the headlining band for this year’s concert. The Fabulous Armadillos is an great pick. According to their website, their roots are in Minnesota and known for recreations of songs from many genres of music from country, Motown, heavy metal and ’70s’ rock. Two years ago, according to Committee member Brock Klaith, the Fabulous Armadillos generated a lot of excitement and drew a record-setting crowd to ...

Putting careless drivers on notice

The City of Marshall on Tuesday announced an initiative emphasizing school speed safety to protect students. “In an effort to protect children and ensure safer school environments, the Marshall Police Department is reminding all drivers to slow down and remain vigilant when traveling through school areas,” the release stated. “The department is launching a renewed enforcement and education campaign focused on school zone speed safety to reduce the risk of traffic-related injuries and protect our youngest community members.” The department urges all motorists to: • Obey ...

Social Security changes may cause some anxiety

The Social Security Administration will be implementing a new policy on April 14 for people enrolling or making changes to their retirement accounts. It will require them to either go online or visit a Social Security office instead of making a phone call and talk to a representative. It seems simple enough. Certain generations are used to navigating online. However, senior citizens in their late 80s or late 90s, not so much. It can be even more complicated for people with certain disabilities. Right here in southwest Minnesota, there are three Social Security offices — Marshall, ...