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A Vesta Boy – Dave Hansvick – Family beginnings

We have begun learning about Marshall’s David Hansvick, the second of three children born to Dottie (Penske) Hansvick and John Hansvick. Dave grew up in the small town of Vesta. Like most of us in southwest Minnesota, Dave’s ancestors came from overseas. “I have a family tree for the ...

On the Porch

The temporary exhibit, “Organizations of Lyon County” is open on the 2nd floor of the Lyon County Museum. The exhibit will close in 2027. The exhibit features objects, photographs, and documents from the Lyon County Museum’s collection related to organizations in Lyon County. Examples ...

Leadership Academy grads make a difference

The headline I wrote for the May 8 edition of the Independent: Klobuchar listens to child care needs. The U.S. senator paid a visit to Marshall on May 7 and held a roundtable discussion with local leaders and business people to discuss child care needs. “Housing and day care are our ...

Here’s a history lesson on the Minnesota state flag

As the Vice-Chair of the State Emblems Redesign Commission — the group tasked by the Minnesota Legislature to redesign the state’s flag and seal — I find it necessary to respond to the false information our local legislators continue to spread about our new state flag. Since our new state emblems — both the flag and the seal — have been in place for over two years now, it seems they continue to make these statements out of what can only be called willful ignorance. Rep. Paul Torkelson claimed in a New Ulm Journal interview “not all sides were considered during the ...

What is social anxiety?

It is not unusual to feel a bit uncomfortable around certain people or in certain groups. There may be a good reason for that discomfort based on past experience or the nature of the situation. Having significant discomfort when interacting with other people most or all of the time is a problem that can have bad consequences. How big a problem can this be? First, let’s rule out shyness. Shyness is an acute, temporary, situation-dependent discomfort that may occur when dealing with people whom you don’t know. You may expect to say something wrong, look foolish, get teased, get ...

A close encounter with an old razor

The medicine cabinet was crusty and rusty, much like me. And like me, it’s old enough to be a museum piece. The cabinet was installed in my parents’ bathroom when it was added onto their farmhouse more than 60 years ago. I was just a tyke at the time, and flushing the toilet was infinitely more interesting than a smallish cabinet that sported a mirrored door. Besides, we had another mirror in the house, so I already knew what I looked like. It was clear that the old medicine cabinet needed to be replaced or refurbished. Replacing it would cost money and I had a can of white spray ...