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Funds remain for city tree rebate program

To help address the loss of trees caused by Emerald Ash Borer, the city of Marshall offers a tree replacement rebate program to single-family homeowners in Marshall. This program provides financial support to residents who purchase and place new shade trees, helping to restore and strengthen our community’s tree canopy. The city also provides rebates to remove ash trees. The program is funded by a portion of the ReLeaf Grant the city was awarded through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to assist in the removals of ash trees and encourage the planting of a wide range ...

Horsing around in Sioux Falls

My wife and I recently went horsing around. And no, it didn’t involve traveling to Louisville for the Kentucky Derby. We are much too cheap to make a special trip like that. Some years ago, when we were in Kentucky for business, my wife and I visited Churchill Downs. There weren’t any races that day, and the joint was as quiet as a Monday morning church. I walked into one of the high rollers’ suites just so that I could say that I did it. The view from up there wasn’t any better than what you see on TV. Sportscasters have labeled the Kentucky Derby “The Most Exciting Two ...

Economic conditions could lead to local tourism activity

Summer is right around the corner, which means many people are looking ahead to at least one substantial vacation. For many Minnesotans it involves going up north. People look forward to the major lake areas and the North Woods. Some go back to the same place year after year. A much smaller number of people focus on southwestern Minnesota. We’re farm country. There’s tourism in locales like Lake Shetek, Lake Benton, Hendricks and Granite Falls; but it happens on a smaller scale than in other parts of the state. Steps could be taken in 2026 to increase local tourism. Inflation and ...

New Horizons is a safe place to go in a time of crisis

The New Horizons Crisis Center held an open house a couple of weeks ago at its current location near the corner of Main and Fourth streets in downtown Marshall. The center shares a retail building with a number of retail outlets. I walk past this building daily on my way to the Main Stay ...

Ending the era of unchecked fraud in Minnesota

Minnesotans have always taken pride in our work ethic and our commitment to looking out for our neighbors. We pay our taxes with the understanding that those hard-earned dollars will be used to build our roads, defend our borders, and provide a hand up for the most vulnerable among us. But lately, Minnesotans have watched in disbelief as hard-earned tax dollars have been treated like a playground for fraudulent activity. The scale of corruption is groundbreaking. At least $9 billion in taxpayer money has been stolen from Minnesota’s social service programs under the watch of Gov. Tim ...

Alcohol and the teen brain

The importance of the brain cannot be overstated. Without it, we would just be lumps of flesh. Damage it, and we malfunction. It determines everything we do, keeps us alive by monitoring and running our body, stores our memories, triggers our emotions, allows us to speak, determines how smart we are, and so much more. This critical organ needs to be protected and never abused in any way. A common way that our brains get abused is through the use of alcohol and street drugs. The focus here is on alcohol and the developing teenage brain. The fragile developing brain goes through ...