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Community Voices

Biodiversity has value for our region’s natural landscapes

This summer I’ve noticed for the first time some widespread effects of Emerald Ash Borer in the Marshall area. There are clusters of partially defoliated ash trees in locations such as Southwest Minnesota State University and the Eatros Place housing addition on the opposite side of town. There are at least several other locations where more than a couple of trees are affected. The ash were widely planted in the 1970s and 1980s after Dutch Elm Disease killed off many of the nation’s elm trees. In many communities, elms provided a stately canopy over residential streets. They ...

Kulla speaking up on Main Street

This week I decided to walk down to the Bike Shop on Main Street in downtown and talk with owner Chad Kulla. He was one of the more vocal merchants at the last week’s meeting of the Marshall Downtown Business Association that I reported on in my last column. In fact, Kulla has been vocal ...

America’s 250th: A time to recognize national and local progress

Saturday’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is special, something that’s truly historic. It calls for looking back on all that our country has accomplished. It went from being an experiment in democracy to a coast to coast nation and then a world leader. I’m fortunate to be old enough to remember the Bicentennial in 1976. I recall all the television spots and the memorabilia that went with the occasion. The United States was a very different country 50 years ago, and Marshall was different as a community. Nationally, it was a challenging time because of ...

Avera MyChart – new electronic health record system

If you’ve visited the clinic or engaged with your health care record lately, you’ve likely heard about MyChart. This is the new electronic health record (EHR) system we’ve now converted to at our local hospital and clinic. This is an exciting change. While it’s human nature to be kind of wary about something new, we’re finding that patients like the user friendliness and new functionality in comparison to our former system. Avera MyChart is a secure online health connection where patients can see their medications, test results, visit history, upcoming appointments, ...

Watching community policing in action

I attended the July meeting of the Marshall Downtown Business Association at the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce office on Wednesday. This group is made up of downtown business owners and they meet early in the morning on every first day of each month. According to Sam Lund, event specialist for the Chamber, the MDBA works in conjunction with the Chamber in helping to coordinate or plan events such as Crazy Days — an event that is just around the corner. The MDBA has budgeted funds that is made up from fees collected from the various members who are owners of retail shops, ...

Looking back on the family vacation

This is the time of year when Americans traditionally embark on extended journeys with their loved ones. Some of these journeys are so long that by the time they end there’s a good deal of fantasizing about leaving said loved ones at the next roadside gas station. It’s family vacation season once again, that time-honored American custom that was originated by the Pilgrims when they left England. One of the Pilgrim dads convinced his family to go on vacation by saying, “We could use a change of scenery. I’ve got a great idea! Let’s go for a little boat ride! C’mon, it’ll ...