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What’s the future of natural gas? 

We all expect the lights to turn on when we flip the switch. But today, many of us also expect to video call into a work meeting or check in with friends and family, cook dinner on electric stoves, and charge our cars, tools and devices. Electricity powers nearly every part of our lives, shaping how we live, learn, work, and travel. And demand for it is growing faster than ever. Across the Upper Midwest, forecasts show that electricity use could nearly double by 2050, as homes, businesses, and entire industries adopt more electric technologies in our everyday lives. Meeting that ...

It’s a pain, however…

Yes, lately all the smoke in the air is a royal pain. However, there are times when a taste of smoke is pleasing. Back in the day, a number of my family members smoked. There were those times when the family gathered for a meal, and then sat around the kitchen table talking. It was then when the smokers lit up and smoke began to fill the room. After a bit of time, there was so much cigarette smoke in the room that the ceiling began to become lower. Good time together, but awful time for our health. Bringing the theme to current times, the environmental smoke we are all encountering ...

Same casts, different fish

As I go along life’s path, which frequently winds in and out of the grasslands, woods, and along my favorite waters, I begin to realize that the very basics are what I need to get my fix of time out hunting and fishing. For the former, its becoming simply seeing birds break cover ahead of my dog’s pursuit or a deer wander close to my stand as I’m on it; and for the latter, it’s the take of a fly, that subtle tap on a jig, or the sudden strike on a spoon that grabs my attention and holds it. Those are the thrills that keep me coming back. While casting out over the calm waters ...

Enjoying summertime celebrations

Call us wild and crazy, but my wife and I enjoy attending small-town summertime celebrations. The most recent such event was Arlington Days, held — brace yourself! — in Arlington. There are approximately a hundred municipalities and locales named Arlington in the United States, so we chose the Arlington that’s located about 15 miles from our house. We might be wild and crazy, but not to extent that we would travel the nearly 1,500 miles to the hamlet of Arlington, Oregon (population: 620.) No small-town celebration is complete without a bevy of booths where vendors can promote ...

How to view your investments in 2025

As an investor, it can be difficult to navigate the ups and downs of the market and understand what the movements mean for your portfolio — particularly when you’re seeing constant headlines on the topic. As a financial adviser, I’ve fielded many questions from clients who are trying to make sense of the changing markets and economic environment. While there is no single solution that applies to all investors, the following are answers to three of the most common questions. How should I cope with market fluctuations that are affecting my retirement savings? If you’re within ...

On the Porch

The official organization of Grandview township took place in August of 1873 at the first town meeting in the home of Jacob Thomas. The village of Grandview was founded in the spring of 1878 and the town site was plotted by the railroad on July 5, 1878. Grandview was the name chosen for the town site by the early settlers to describe the expansive rolling prairies along with the sun rises and sun sets. John Ireland, bishop of the St. Paul Diocese, arranged with the Winona and St. Peter Railroad (later the Chicago and Northwestern) to have large tracts of land opened to Catholics in ...