Breaking News

Local Columns

The colors

As we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July, let us never forget what the colors of our flag tell us. Ah, the good old red, white and blue! Throughout history, these three colors have reflected many nations efforts to be a unifying symbol. So, what do these three colors mean? Well... Red symbolizes valor and bravery. For some cultures, the red color is to remind them of the blood spilled by many in defense of their nation, and the bravery of those individuals. The color white reminds us of the purity of our nation’s emphasis on the rule of law. In the good old USA, no person ...

Running in circles

From the end of the driveway it’s exactly 10 miles around the lake. The mix of asphalt pavement and recently improved multi-use path through the middle of Detroit Lakes takes me in a circle of rolling hills each Saturday that I’m lucky enough to be down here for my weekly long run. Each trip around the water is a test of my endurance but always seems to be the best run of the year. Where the grind through the gritty edges of expanding housing additions in suburbia in the pre-work morning tests my determination during the week, this relaxing jaunt at a home away from home takes me ...

My memories of Taylor’s fireworks

It has been said that the only constant is change. This is true except if you’re hoping for change from a 20-dollar bill after filling your car’s gas tank. Tremendous changes have taken place on the farm where I launched my dairy farming career 46 years ago. When I first rented that bedraggled little farm, the city of Brookings was a mile and a half away. The city has since, in an amoeba-like fashion, gradually engulfed the entire farm. The day that I lost my lease on the farm, my elderly landlord’s son informed me that the entire half-section would soon be turned into ...

Slowing down after the summer of speed

When I was young, there was a farmer who lived west of me. George’s wife had passed away, and he lived alone. Several times a day, George drove to town for coffee, meals, and fellowship at Schultz Café. The staff and other old guys were his family. George was never in a hurry to get to town. I knew that if I got behind his green Buick, it was going to be a while till I got to where I was going. I guess he was going about 30 mph. It’s possible that my younger, more impatient self thought he was slower than he really was. Regardless, there are two curves and a hill which made it ...

Summer solstice: an underrated special yearly occasion

Last weekend we had the summer solstice, the longest day of the year with the light of day lasting until late in the evening. The solstice is one of the most underrated days of the year. There’s very little special celebrating, no day off for wage earners. I think there’s a bias against solstices and equinoxes because they were a part of pagan religion. They were a time for reckless celebration, something that went too far for conservative religious beliefs. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote about it in his short story “The Maypole of Merrymount” about a Puritan minister who led ...

On the Porch

According to John Radzilowski in his book, “Prairie Town: A History of Marshall, Minnesota 1872-1997,” “The second most talked about holiday after Christmas, at least in the early days, was the Fourth of July.” The communities in Lyon County pulled out all the stops to attract as many people as possible for Fourth of July festivities. In the early days, it was often a point of pride for the towns to have the best attended celebrations in the area. In 1893, the Lyon County Reporter printed the following advertisement for Fourth of July events in Marshall, titled, “Marshall ...