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Opinion

Fifty years slip by

Columns

I am about to attend one of the most stressful events anyone can imagine. That’s right: I will soon be going to my high school class reunion. Specifically, it’s the reunion that will mark 50 years since we graduated. Fifty years. How can that be? How is it that half a century has slipped under the bridge since we wore those ridiculously oversized gowns and those silly caps that looked like a cross between a beanie and a pizza box? I’ve stayed in touch with a few of my classmates over the years. Some of them, like me, never left the area. We’re among those who decided to ...

Going extra innings on the farm

Columns

I wrote once when I was young, that farmers had about 40 seasons to ply their trade. When I wrote that, 40 years seemed an unimaginably long time. Here I am, past that number, still putting in a crop. You could say I’m in extra innings. Each planting season is highly anticipated, stressed over, hard work, and unique. No two are ever the same. If I am done planting, this one was quite pleasant. I say “if,” because replanting acres is not uncommon. The last two springs are examples of that. In both years, hard and excessive rains meant I replanted large numbers of acres, more ...

Thumbs up/down

Editorials

THUMBS UP Graduation begin School is nearly out for the summer. That means it is the season for graduation. Area high schools and colleges are preparing to host ceremonies for the spring 2025 graduates. In New Ulm, the first commencement ceremony will be held by Martin Luther College. The service is 10 a.m. today in the campus gymnasium. Cathedral High School graduation service is 1 p.m. Sunday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. River Bend Education District’s graduation ceremony is 1 p.m. Tuesday at the New Ulm Community Center. Minnesota Valley Lutheran will hold its graduation ...

Garage sales serve as valuable American tradition

Columns

Spring is garage sale season throughout the region, and in Marshall it gets off to a fast start. Our city-wide garage sale weekend takes place in early May and always offers something for everyone. It’s a great opportunity to get out and find some bargains. I never make it to every sale on the city-wide weekend. I start with the paper’s advertisements and map. I figure if people advertise they’re serious about their sale. They’re likely to have more of a selection. There are a lot of others who just set up shop. They’re worth an extra stop. You never know what you might ...

America rapidly dying

Letters

To the editor: The beautiful American Republic that our Founding Fathers created like never before in history and fought for by America’s incredible military of the greatest generation of WWII to save, protect and maintain America’s freedoms is now in dire trouble and dying rapidly. At the rate of daily evil events rampant and spreading everywhere unlike anything in U.S. history makes every place a possible dangerous area. Countless shootings and stabbings daily across this nation make killings now the norm in parks, at stores, gas stations, schools, roadways, and more as ...

When mom is depressed

Columns

I find women to generally be nurturing, caring, and kind. Mothers go well beyond that. Mothers are selfless, anticipate other people’s wants and needs, nurture, are supportive, protective, show empathy, care for, and guide their children. They are the glue that binds the family. Since mothers play such an important role in the lives of the family and have such a profound impact on each member of the family, they need to be cared for and protected. If something unfortunate or bad happens to her, then her ability to do and be all those wonderful things can be significantly compromised. ...