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A message on Veterans Day

Editor’s Note: Because of the federal holiday and no mail delivery on Tuesday the Independent will not be publishing a printed paper on Tuesday. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s column is running in the weekend edition ahead of the Veterans Day holiday. On this and every Veterans Day, our nation honors those who served and the sacrifices they made to defend our nation. Since the founding of our democracy, each person who has worn the uniform has left their mark on our nation as they defended our freedom. As we pay tribute to all our veterans today, I am thinking about patriots like ...

Edmund Fitzgerald: a lasting legacy after 50 years

There’s something special about landmark anniversaries and the media coverage that they attract. We’ll have one such event on Monday. It’s the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the Great Lakes freighter Edmund Fitzgerald. It sank to the bottom of Lake Superior in a fierce storm that produced massive waves. I remember hearing talk of the shipwreck as a child. It put the Great Lakes in the spotlight. Even out on the prairie on the opposite side of Minnesota, people were very interested. It was the biggest shipwreck since the Titanic went down in 1912. History is filled with ...

Parenting and financial decisions: New research offers some tips

Few life milestones are as emotionally and financially transformative as becoming a parent. While this chapter is often filled with deep joy, it can also bring new worries as each stage of parenthood can present fresh challenges. It’s only natural to wonder whether the financial decisions you’re making today to support your children might impact your ability to achieve longer-term goals — like saving for retirement. Whether you’re already a parent or planning to become one, the following insights can help you feel more confident and in control of your financial future. ...

On the Porch

The American Legion was chartered by Congress on Sept. 16, 1919 as a patriotic veteran’s organization, focused on service to veterans, service members, and communities. Earlier in the year on March 15-17, members of the American Expeditionary Force convened in Paris for the first American Legion caucus. On May 8-10, in St. Louis, Missouri, “The American Legion” was adopted as the organization’s official name. The Legion’s draft preamble and constitution were approved. On June 9, the National Executive Committee adopted the Legion emblem. On Nov. 10-12, in Minneapolis, the ...

The Vietnam War – Marland Burckhardt – Battalion Command

We have been following Marland Burckhardt, a Russell High School graduate who married his Russell sweetheart in college and began an Army career focused on Military Intelligence and Special Forces operations. He deployed to Vietnam in January 1970 and then he and Barb had assignments at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas before returning to Fort Bragg. Marland was promoted to lieutenant colonel at Fort Bragg and selected for battalion command at Fort Hood, Texas. “I commanded the 312th ...

It’s open enrollment season – here’s what to know

Fall brings cooler weather and football games, and it’s also the annual time to ensure you have the health insurance coverage you need for 2026. Open enrollment on the federal Marketplace at healthcare.gov — as well as Minnesota’s marketplace MNsure at mnsure.org — runs through Dec. 15 for first-of-the-year coverage. Jan. 15 is the final date to make changes or to set up coverage that begins Feb. 1. Employers have their own open enrollment season for signing up for health insurance at work, but commonly this happens in the fall as well. Health insurance is an investment ...