The Outdoors By Scott Rall I called my son, Brandon, on Saturday of  Memorial Day weekend to thank him for his military service. He was deployed twice to Afghanistan and Iraq back when things were pretty hairy for our service members. I asked him if he wanted to take his two daughters fishing for any part… Read More

Growing Green By Robin Treat, Extension Educator Come see what it’s like inside a honey bee colony! University of Minnesota Extension Educators are excited to offer three honey beekeeping field days across the state. Join Dr. Katie Lee, University of Minnesota Extension Apiculture Educator, and local beekeepers as they go through colony handling, common disease and insect… Read More

View from a Prairie Home By Hege Herfindahl, Columnis It is summer! Finally! I must admit I hoped spring would stay longer. Spring. With its awakenings. Nature emerging. First, my crocuses sprung forth. Timid at first, but then blooming with courage in the face of the raging, cold spring winds. Then, my bulb gardens exploded. And because… Read More

Stoneage Ramblings By John R. Ston Watching gas prices jump 40-45 cents a gallon overnight last week was quite a shock bringing gas to $4.39 thereabouts around here. I remember paying more than that for gas in 1968 but I was in Germany at the time and the Europeans tax gas heavily because virtually all of it… Read More

Publisher’s Perspective By Tim Douglass, Publisher of the Pope County Tribune   The Buckthorn Brigade, a group of local volunteers, again this year have been working to remove buckthorn from Barsness Park. The volunteers have also been busy cleaning up after the storms that hit the area in consecutive weeks.  High winds downed some tree branches in… Read More

Notes from the Capitol By Representative Paul Anderson Our legislative session ended rather quietly this past Sunday, minus the last-minute rush of bills to be passed before the midnight deadline. Only one of the major supplemental budget bills – the one dealing with agriculture, drought relief and broadband – made it to the governor’s desk to become… Read More

Stoneage Ramblings By John R. Stone My first reaction on May 23 when I woke up and found out that the Minnesota Legislature had not resolved nearly $8 billion in proposed spending was “who snookered who?” Remember this is a non-budget year so major monetary issues didn’t need to be resolved. On the other hand, the… Read More

Will we do something this time to stop the slaughter in schools? From Jim Thoreen, Glenwood As I draft this letter, I am watching network TV news coverage of the massacre of 18 people (maybe more) in the community of Uvalde, TX.  My God. How can we, who claim to be a civilized, peaceful society,… Read More

Minnewaska Musings By Paul Gremmels I helped to bury my 4th grade teacher the other day. The circumstances that brought me to the cemetery were that we are both veterans. He, of the Navy, and me, of the Marine Corps. He was buried with full military honors, and I carried the American flag for our local… Read More

Collaborative Corner: On the Move By Jeannie Pederson, Pope County Initiative Coordinator Question Persuade Refer, or QPR, is a 1.5-hour training for any community member to learn basic skills to assist someone at risk for suicide. By asking a simple question, you can save a life. Community members are free to attend one of two trainings on… Read More