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4 money moves to make before you turn 30

Local Columns

For most young adults, your 20s are all about learning — who you are, who you want to be and where you want life to take you. Maybe you just landed your first “real” job, are moving out of your childhood home or working on a degree to consider a new vocation. It’s an exciting era filled with growth and exploration. As you navigate these big life changes, it’s important to use this time to also consider your financial future. You’re never too young to get your finances in order, and the decisions you make now can help you develop positive habits to build wealth down the ...

On the Porch

Local Columns

The social news or gossip columns in the old newspapers are always fascinating to read. A special section in the newspaper was devoted to the social media of the day. The whereabouts of local people and events were often featured in these columns. Here are a few from The News Messenger of Lyon County on Sept. 14, 1900: Miss Maud Fredenburg is in Mathews & Patterson’s law offices as stenographer during the illness of Tom Davis. Miss Freida Bangs, from St. Paul is the new milliner in charge of J.R. Wolff & Co’s millinery department in Langland’s store. Miss Bangs arrived ...

Taking care of some creaky parts

Community Voices

“You gotta take care of stull.” Long ago, my father Sylvester told me that. That admonition still sits in the back of my mind. Dad was referring to taking care of the myriad machines involved with working the farm. Routine maintenance of everything from the gutter cleaner to the tillage tractor is required. It also means being ever vigilant, on guard for loose chains and squeaky bearings. Recently I’ve been taking care of stuff. Every few years, my 70-year-old Farmall 400 and 60-year-old IH 560 get a once over from the tractor doctors at Miller Sellner Implement. Both ...

Printing plant tour highlights modern technology

Community Voices

I had an interesting experience this week, one that showed how much the world has changed because of technology. I took part in an Adult Community Center tour of the Henle Printing plant at its new location in Marshall’s industrial park. Owner Charlie Stark and Production Manager Marc Klaith introduced the group to the set of machines that produce a massive amount of printed materials. They also gave a demonstration. They printed off 800 programs for the Marshall Tiger football season on a machine that automatically puts pages in order and staples them. Henle’s has only one ...

Walz gives access to COVID-19 vaccine a boost

Editorials

Earlier this week, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order directing the Minnesota Department of Health to expand its efforts to safeguard vaccine access in the state in response to federal actions restricting vaccine availability. The order also directs the state epidemiologist to issue a standing order for the COVID-19 vaccine. The order was issued to allow for greater flexibility for health care providers and pharmacists to provide the vaccine. “Vaccines are one of the greatest public health achievements in modern medicine,” Walz said in his press release. “While ...

Funding cuts hit sustainable Agriculture Partnership with University of Minnesota

Community Voices

A significant setback to Minnesota’s growing sustainable agriculture sector is in the works as part of budget cuts being enacted at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences. Sustainable agriculture community partners recently received a letter from the college’s dean, Brian Buhr, announcing that he is discontinuing funding for the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) and distributing its projects and endowed chair funds elsewhere. The dean cited budget cuts as the reason, with federal and state funding reductions ...