From Where I Sit By Pat Spilseth, Columnist Halloween is just around the corner. Time to purchase the candy treats every kid looks forward to when they ring my doorbell on October 31. Disappointed, suprised and even angry faces confront me if I try to pawn off fresh toothbrushes and a tiny tube of toothpaste or if… Read More

What’s on the Horizon for Public Health By Marcia Schroeder, RN, Horizon Public Health The words “safe and effective” have been used over and over in reference to COVID-19 as well as other routine vaccines. It struck me that people might be interested in knowing what the “vaccine world” means exactly when that phrase is used. First… Read More

Publisher’s Perspective By Tim Douglass, Publisher of the Pope County Tribune The state’s voters, including those in Pope County have already begun voting early for the Nov. 8 general election. We haven’t checked in yet to see how many have voted early, but if this year is like a normal year, about 25% of the state’s… Read More

Stoneage Ramblings By John R. Stone A lot of us can get pretty angry about news recently about Feeding Our Future and the 48 people charged (so far) in a massive fraud against the Federal government. In the case of Feeding our Future, people said they were feeding more children than they were and pocketed the… Read More

Republican solution to problem that doesn’t exist From Jim Thoreen, Glenwood So, the Minnesota Republican party offers to voters a candidate for Secretary of State who, according to the Minneapolis StarTribune (9/25/22) “…believes Minnesota should tighten its voting laws even in the absence of evidence of widespread voter fraud, saying ‘it’s just something we have… Read More

Guest Opinion October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), recognized and observed across Minnesota and the nation each year.  Each year, hundreds of DVAM activities are held to mourn those who lost their lives as a result of domestic violence, celebrate those who have survived and are thriving, and connect communities in their efforts to… Read More

View from a Prairie Home By Hege Herfindahl, Columnist My brave mother, who at 18 faced the Nazis who then occupied her country, when she was walking down the street with a bunch of illegal newspapers, became crippled by worry after she had children. It gradually got worse. When her favorite grandson, Erland, wrote to her that… Read More

Growing Green By Robin Trott, Extension Educator As the growing season comes to an end, it is helpful to clean and put your garden to bed for the winter. A good fall cleanup provides multiple benefits for gardeners – it reduces weed populations and disease, minimizes plant insect pests, prevents rodent infestation, and eases the workload… Read More

Guest Opinion By Kayla Bergman, policy manager, policy director, Center for Rural Affairs As producers work to harvest their cash crops this fall, some will also be turning their attention to another.  Cover crops, which can be a grass, legume, or brassica, are seeded for both on-farm and natural resources benefits. Those benefits include reduced… Read More

From Where I Sit By Pat Spilseth, Columnist It’s time to start thinking of Halloween and the treats I’ll serve this 31st to the witches, ghosts and goblins on Halloween. I love to see the little kids come to my door with their pillow cases filled with candy. Dads usually hide behind the garage waiting anxiously hoping… Read More