Competing against COVID-19 THUMBS SIDEWAYS: While we are all excited about prep football games starting in a few weeks, don’t get too optimistic that teams will be able to complete all their games. We are finding out that not much as changed since the Minnesota High School League board ...
Though there is some dispute over how soon a COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the general public, it appears a few million doses may be ready before the end of this year. There is general agreement they should go to the most vulnerable among us. That is older people with pre-existing ...
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has created a controversy about who will nominate her successor, and when. Four years ago, when Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly on Feb. 13, 2016, then President Barack Obama, who had nearly 10 months left in his term before the next ...
To the editor: In the fullness of time, political views swing back and forth in public debate. Like a clock pendulum shifting between left to right, but in irregular periods. They tend to be a response to one side going too far or having power too long. Right now the Republicans are in ...
The Notorious RBG, as some admirers referred to her, is gone. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday, at 87, of cancer. She was an icon to Americans with certain political positions — a scourge to others. Already, the battle over a successor has become heated, with ideology ...
In the headlights, the yellowing leaves of fall in the ash tree alongside the approach on the gravel country road were pre-dawn reminders of the ongoing seasonal shift. The cool air that curled into the truck as I opened the door was the second, and the third was the ritualistic walk around the ...
I believe music is the best medium to bring people together. Recently, I’ve heard a lot of people say that, one day, we’ll get back to normal. The two words — one day – have become almost a chant for us. We say it without thinking about them — it’s just, one day... Then, I ...
The coronavirus pandemic overshadows many other issues, including climate change. The catastrophic wildfires raging across the west provide a sobering clarity about the price the country and globe will pay because climate change hasn’t been taken seriously enough. Oregon, California and ...
To the editor: I applaud all the elected and appointed persons who actively participated in the recent city and county EDA discussion. This is very important but should include many cities and counties. A regional organization is the only way that we in southwest Minnesota are going to be ...
To the editor: (Wednesday, Sept. 16: Taking it to the street corner) How in the world does the Independent headline their font page with a large picture and story of a local “pop-up” campaign event and report in the AP’s own words Israel’s “historic diplomatic pacts with two Gulf ...
Stealing signs not cool THUMBS DOWN: Day by day we see one example after another of ugly politics as General Election day approaches. Right here in southwest Minnesota, theft and vandalism of signs continues. Lyon County Democrats and Republicans held a round table discussion last month to ...
Remember just a few months ago when some disease analysts who had been predicting COVID-19 would kill 200,000 Americans were being ridiculed by some people? For a time, it appeared the pandemic would claim fewer than 100,000 lives in our country. But on Sunday, the tally had topped 194,000. ...
You know that it’s time to harvest your grapes when you start to see purple bird doots on the windshield of your pickup. In any case, that’s the system I use. There are about half a dozen grapevines scattered around our farmstead. Most of them are the Valiant variety. This particular ...
To the editor: As the presidential election approaches, the likelihood that the results will be contested are increasing. Donald Trump and his supporters are casting doubt on the legitimacy of mail-in-voting, and Joe Biden is creating a legal team of hundreds of lawyers in preparation for a ...
Members of Congress and the White House had no realistic option but to approve about $3 trillion in emergency spending to battle COVID-19’s devastating impact on the economy. Even more federal money may have to be appropriated for the purpose. But last week, we were reminded of another ...
To the editor: The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association represents Minnesota’s public safety officers, including police, corrections officials, dispatchers, and firefighters. We’re writing to urge your support and vote for Senator Gary Dahms in the General Election on Nov. ...
Concern over use of mail-in ballots for the November general election is building. Critics of the process fall into two categories: those who worry about vote fraud and those who insist many Americans may be “disenfranchised” by the system. Indeed, fraud is something of a concern — but ...
The eastern bank of clouds meant that my friends on the far side of the state likely would not see much hunting action as my dog and I traversed the gravel roads south and west of town away from the shadow of the frontal boundary. The sun slowly climbed over the gray bank and dawn was delayed ...
Two weeks ago, we said Congressman Jim Hagedorn owes his 1st District constituents more details on the print-and-mail scandal that has embroiled his staff. We knew at the time that the first-term Republican had racked up the highest spending on taxpayer-paid printing and mailing in Congress ...
Peterson, Smith not seen in Lyon Co. THUMBS DOWN: Candidate Jason Lewis told Lyon County Republicans Tuesday it’s “game on” in his bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Tina Smith. During the Lyon County Republicans banquet Tuesday, he pointed out that several polls show the U.S. Senate race is now ...