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Taking care of some creaky parts

Columns

“You gotta take care of stuff.” 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 those ...

We must honor our commitments and act with prudence

Letters

To the editor: I take this opportunity to share with you a message from the Catholic Relief Services and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (edited for brevity). On Aug. 29, the administration proposed rescinding an additional $4.9 billion in international assistance, including $3.2 billion in development assistance which support critical programs for food, clean water for families and to help victims of human trafficking. If these funds are cut, it would make it harder for the United States government to help people in need and support safer, healthier communities ...

Funding cuts hit sustainable Agriculture Partnership with University of Minnesota

Columns

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 ...

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 ...

Boundaries before the wedding

Columns

Dear Annie: My fiance, “Mark,” and I are getting married in six months, and there’s one issue I can’t shake. His best friend, “Tyler,” makes me uncomfortable. Tyler has a history of cheating, drinking too much, and making offhand comments that cross the line -- especially toward women. At Mark’s bachelor party planning dinner, Tyler joked that he was in charge of “making sure Mark has one last wild night,” and when I said I didn’t like the sound of that, he laughed and told me to “relax.” I’ve told Mark I don’t trust Tyler’s influence. He brushed it off, ...

Are you emergency prepared?

Columns

What is emergency preparedness? Simply put, it means being ready for an emergency, and it’s a responsibility everyone shares. While first responders, emergency management, and public health staff have important roles, individuals and families can also take steps to be prepared. There have been widespread disasters and emergencies across the state and country, including flooding, severe storms, and wildfires. Brown County is not immune — snow and ice storms, tornadoes, and even disease outbreaks are possible. Being prepared can help keep you and your family stay safe and even ...