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Community Voices

A superstar Super Bowl

There is great news for Kansas City Chiefs fans! Taylor Swift has won the Super Bowl! Well, OK, she may have had a little help from her boyfriend, Travis Kelse. Also, from that guy named Mahomes and maybe Coach Reid and all of those other guys who were running around on the Las Vegas gridiron that day. But Taylor’s fans pretty much agree that all of that pales in comparison with the awesome power that was brought to bear by Her Swiftness. My wife and I normally don’t care much about professional sporting events. But our son and his wife and our toddler grandson live in Kanas ...

Projects and initiatives — the year ahead

The coming year will be an eventful year for the city of Marshall with many projects and initiatives on deck for City Council and staff. After the successful November 2023 referendum on the new aquatic center that has dedicated sales tax revenue to fund construction, the design process has begun with core staff and City Council representatives. It is anticipated that bid documents will be completed in August and submitted to City Council for their consideration. If bids are accepted, construction will start in October of this year. Public Works will be replacing South Whitney ...

Ringing the bell for Salvation Army

Delores Richards and I, Dennis Ozmun1, are the two volunteer coordinators for the Lyon County Salvation Army. What a roll-a-coaster ride this has been. Looking over the last few years in 2020, we had $40,348. In 2021 we were just over $50,000. 2022 brought in just over $44,000, and 2023 we are at $42,706. Between the economy and the multitude of variables that we all have we are fortunate and very thankful for what we receive. That said, a huge “Thank You” to all who participated and/or contributed to this year’s success. A special thank you to Lyon-Lincoln Electric ...

Dedicate this session to correcting bills passed last year

The 2024 legislative session kicked off this week, and it is an honor and a privilege to be back at the Capitol serving the residents of Senate District 15. Last year, members in the majority passed nearly $10 billion in tax hikes, in addition to spending the entire $19 billion surplus. Democrats also grew state government by an unsustainable and unprecedented 40%, and we saw the passage of a divisive agenda that leaves many Minnesotans behind. As a result, our state is now feeling the negative impact of one-party control, and it is time to repair what has been broken. That is why I ...

Fearing more of one party ramming activist’s wish list

It’s no secret Democrats have a thing about bringing California-style laws to Minnesota, from banning employee non-compete agreements to energy policies such as forcing more electric cars into our free market and beyond. While I generally oppose making Minnesota the California of the Midwest, let’s give credit for the lonely bright spot. I mean, who knew the Democrats could bring the Golden State’s balmy winter weather to Minnesota? Anyone have orange trees for sale? Aside from people who depend on “real” Minnesota winters to make a living, I think we’ve enjoyed the ...

Floor cleaning season

It’s the time of year when keeping your floors clean is about like using a kitchen colander to stem the flow of Niagara Falls. This is especially true if you have pets or children or pets that you consider to be your children. The combination of melting snow and bare earth creates that fascinating substance known as mud. Kids and pets are drawn to mud like iron to a humungous electromagnet that’s powerful enough to pull the rivets out of the Eiffel Tower. Mud magnetism is by no means limited to kids and pets. My wife and I live on a gravel road. No matter how often we wash our ...