The recent scandal regarding college/university admissions got me to thinking about the time, over 60 years ago, when I was applying for entrance to a couple of schools. Needless to say, it is a heck of a lot different now. I was confronted with an early decision upon finishing the ...

Volunteers all over the state are selflessly using their time and talent to make a difference in the communities they love. Selflessness though, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel good about yourself for helping others. Having a sense of pride and accomplishment or appreciating recognition ...

On May 14, local residents will vote on a building referendum to replace West Side Elementary School and make other improvements that will improve education for local students. Over the past several months, I have received many questions and comments from the community — I am excited about ...

As the academic year comes to a close, April is a busy month for recognizing the many accomplishments of our students and staff. Numerous events across campus celebrate the achievements and hard work that have occurred this past year. All of these recognition events lead up to the most ...

I recently read an article that highlighted seven common myths of volunteering. I was surprised to see the word myth and volunteer in the same sentence. Volunteering seems so positive and universally accepted. It was clear to me once I read the article that even something as positive as ...

Over the past few months I have been meeting with area residents to discuss current and future community needs. In most cases the same five open-ended questions were asked and the feedback was wide-ranging. Most notable to me was the diversity of perspective regarding the role of the Y for ...

Every May I take time to reflect on those I serve ... the absolute most amazing of those 55 and best! Older adults are important members of our community. They are our parents, our grandparents and those who have worked hard to shape the community that we live, work and play in. I see older ...

Buying a home for the first time in some U.S. markets like Marshall is becoming increasingly challenging. In competitive housing markets, the supply of available homes is tight, which means sellers often have the upper hand and home prices are rising above what is typically considered their ...

One of Lyon County’s retailers was S & L. In the Aug. 15, 1930, Marshall News Messenger, there is a story about S & L’s move from Main Street to the Knights of Columbus building. The S & L opened in April of 1929 in the former Bee Hive building (where Mariachi is located) on ...

On Wednesday, May 1, the residents of southwest Minnesota will have the opportunity to hear former U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger speak about his new book “When Republicans Were Progressive.” He will be joined by his co-author Lori Sturdevant, retired editorial writer and columnist for the ...

Ronald Reagan so eloquently said: ”The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I am from the government and I’m here to help.’” Congressman Collin Peterson and Senator Tina Smith were in town last week meeting with farmers, bankers and farm educators trying to get ...

Florence was founded in 1888 on the northwest quarter of section 20 in Shelburne Township. When the Willmar and Sioux Falls Railroad (branch of the Great Northern) came through the area, it was announced that the station would be named Florence. It was named after the daughter of the founder, ...

I am responding to your editorial and the editorial from the president of the Chamber of Commerce, regarding the dog treat processing business, published in Saturday’s Independent. Calling a group of law abiding and hardworking people of our city, using their constitutional rights to ...

Several days ago, I spent about an hour or so watching Eldrick with my memory flipping back to some pictures of him in my mind from years ago, also seeing him then on television. To be specific when I saw him back then was April 13, 1997, and this year, 22 years and one day later, I had ...

Last week was National Library Week, a time to think about how libraries are in many ways a lifeline of knowledge, a vital public resource now as much as ever. A Marshall- Lyon County Library reading promotion demonstrated why that’s true by providing me with an unusual reading opportunity. ...

The latest development at the Marshall City Council meeting regarding a new business, Chasing Our Tails, is gravely concerning when it comes to recruiting business to the city of Marshall. Do we want to be known as hard to work with? Anti-business? Anti-growth? Anti-jobs? This situation ...

We have recently endured a major snowstorm in our region. On March 31, 1896, southwest Minnesota experienced a late March snowstorm after having mild spring weather. The following weather-related information is from the social news section of the Lyon County Reporter on April 4, ...

If you’ve ever spent time working through your estate plan with a professional, you know how important it is to select and update your beneficiaries. Failing to do so can result in costly mistakes – for you and your loved ones. Here are five common mistakes that can easily be avoided with a ...

The Lyon County Historical Society has a book in its collection that is a great resource for finding out the origin and historical significance of place names in Minnesota. The book, “Minnesota Geographic Names,” by Warren Upham was first published by the Minnesota Historical Society in ...

For every action there’s a reaction, which is something I’ve been told is true in physics and have noticed as a basic standard for major political issues. Distracted driving has caught the attention of the general public, slowly but surely over about the past decade. In fact it’s ...