How would you handle the following situation? I wanted to buy a new pair of hiking boots, and went to a local shoe store. Walking through the store, I saw a pair of boots costing $200, and a similar pair costing $80. Both pairs looked very sturdy and felt comfortable. Why the difference in ...

I’ve discovered that some things age better than others. Bourbon and cheese are examples of things that improve with time while bread and my short-term memory have fleeting … um, what are the words? Oh, yeah! Expiration dates. Many things are deemed useless once they attain a certain age. ...

As a parent, I spend a lot of time thinking about our family’s budget. Do we take a spring break trip, or contribute to the kids’ college fund? Do we eat out less to offset rising health insurance premiums? Every day, we weigh wants against needs and make choices based on what ...

After an anxious winter, Minnesota’s Operation Metro Surge has mostly turned into yesterday’s news. Things have quieted down in the Twin Cities. No major new surges have been launched in other places. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, a division of the Department of Homeland ...

The social news or gossip columns in the old newspapers are always fascinating to read. A special section in the newspaper was devoted to the social media of the day. The whereabouts of local people and events were often featured in these columns. Here are a few from The News Messenger of Lyon ...

We have been learning about Charlie Hettling, the eldest of Agnes and Floyd Hettling’s five children. Charlie spent more time in Minneota as he grew older and smiled as he shared town experiences. Attending movies at the Joy Theater was a big deal for Charlie and his friend, Wayne ...