Breaking News

Opinion

Ignoring the Constitution

Letters

To the editor: In 2017-2018 President Trump wanted a military parade in the nation’s capital. This did not happen because it was determined that the cost would be too exorbitant, roughly $92 million. This year is the 250th anniversary of the Army and there is already a festival planned for the National Mall. The cost for this festival has not been published. Now Trump wants to celebrate his 79th birthday with an expanded military celebration including a much longer parade. Current published cost estimates are a minimum of $45 million for the parade itself. After the parade, ...

Bringing Minnesota stories back to the Senate

Columns

Minnesota relies on the strength of our state’s rural communities and farmlands. As your Senator and as one of the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee, it’s important to me to hear directly about the challenges you are facing. Every year I go to all 87 of Minnesota’s counties, and last month, I went on a 19-county tour to visit farms, small businesses, and other organizations throughout rural Minnesota. Everywhere I went, I got to talk to small business owners who were proud to contribute to their local economy, neighbors who went the extra mile for each other, and ...

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 ...