To the editor: Tuesday about 7 p.m. we lost power. The temperature was -25 and wind chill -55. I have high praise for our utility workers working under those conditions. Our power was restored in about two hours. Also the area where they were working was wide open to the elements. Everett ...

To the editor: One of the best outcomes of our work on the RTR Facilities Task Force has been getting to know both the varied members of that group as well as the broader school district community. There is a palpable sense of unity. We are a district of small business owners, tradesmen, ...

To the editor: The RTR school District has a school bond vote for a new school on Feb. 12. There is early voting available 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday at the high school office. Terry and I voted early and we voted yes. We have many reasons for voting yes; many things have changed since ...

To the editor: I am writing this letter with much sadness and disappointment in the former RTR board members who once cared about education for our students. They now have chosen a path of scare tactics and are fighting to stop our district from moving forward, which could ultimately destroy ...

To the editor: There are times when you have to build a new house, or buy a new vehicle, or upgrade farm machinery because after considering the options, it is the best choice for your family. The old simply cannot be made to last forever no matter how much duct tape and bailing wire you ...

The federal government is bloated and broke. A potential spending frenzy is building in St. Paul. Yet very little government does is efficient or effective. Despite the poor track record, we are constantly told that the solution is not less government but more. Why? A group of Republicans in ...

To the editor: I am writing in regard to the buffer law enforcement article in the Jan. 9 Independent. In this article it says that compliance is about 80 percent with compliance on ditches at only 67 percent. Last summer there were articles in the paper that the farmers were happy to jump ...

To the editor: The legalization of marijuana would be a big mistake. Do we want high people driving? Do we want high people becoming unmotivated? Is marijuana the alcohol problem of the future? Pot changes brain chemistry with extended use. Granted, pot gives one a sense of euphoria. ...

To the editor: The United Way of Southwest Minnesota has been a steadfast presence fighting to improve the life of everyone in our community. Over the last five years, UWSWMN has re-invested more than $2.3 million in the following areas: Health, Education and Financial Stability, Hunger and ...

When it comes to teenagers and “vaping,” the everyday term for use of electronic cigarettes, most parents don't know what they don’t know. The practice is defined — yes, vape is now a Merriam-Webster dictionary entry — as the inhalation of vapor through the mouth from a usually ...

To the editor: What does Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Student Emergency Fund Grants, Power of the Produce (tokens for children to buy produce), and Junior Achievement (classes for students taught by community members regarding financial security) have in common? The United Way of ...

To the editor: The Dec. 30 “Climate change denier attacks scientific research without proof” writer said I attacked climate change by calling it “fake news” in my Dec. 17 letter. Actually, I used the term “fake science” in my letter to the editor; it was the Marshall Independent ...

To the editor: FYI-For all RTR District stakeholders on the upcoming School Bond Vote Feb. 12. It has come to my attention someone from the YES Vote committee is calling and telling stakeholders if RTR chooses to replace and remodel instead of building a new $35,000,000 preK-12 building ...

To the editor: Happy 106th New Year for Millie Thomas. I’ve known Millie since the middle ’50s. My mother brought my three siblings and I to the Gamble’s store on Main Street. Our trip was to buy our back-to-school clothing — maybe dresses and everyday shoes, boots and seasonal ...

To the editor: In Mr. Will Thomas’ Jan. 5 letter to the editor, he wrote, “Poll after poll shows the majority of Americans do not favor a wall.” The fact that Donald Trump was elected president proves that all polls related to our president are unreliable at best. No poll anywhere ...

To the editor: The Jan. 3 editorial, “Democrats won’t deal on the wall,” is as simplistic as Donald Trump’s insistence on fulfilling an uninformed campaign promise. First, you call $5 billion “pocket change,” as if the money doesn’t matter. The GOP hypocritically styles ...

As we begin the New Year, this is a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. This year marks my 33rd year of elective office in Marshall; six years as councilman and 27 years as mayor. I am told this is one of the longest tenures in the state, though there is no accurate record to ...

To the editor: In his Dec. 17 letter, Mr. Drietz raises two points about the science of climate change. First, he says that he has not seen “solid” evidence. I suggest that he read the references I cited in my previous letter. To summarize these citations: “97% of climate scientists ...

To the editor: Frankly, I’m getting tired of all the liberal reposted letters to the editor from big-time cities like the Washington Post. Do they know what is like out here? How about some letters from local residents who know what it is like out here where the largest employers are ...

To the editor: The Nov 27, 2018 “We can’t afford to ignore climate change report,” said: “More investment in renewable energy will help.” And, “Spending a few extra dollars now may prevent the nation from paying a whole lot more in the future in recovering from weather ...