Opinions
After 18 years of sharing stories with southern Minnesota readers, this is my last op-ed as President and CEO of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). As I prepare to retire, I do so with immense gratitude and pride.
For nearly two decades, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside...
For the past few years, I’ve covered a number of folks who have been passionate pickleball players.
I had one source in particular, at my last newspaper, who anytime I tried to get a hold of him, if he didn’t answer, there was a good chance he was going to call me back and tell me he was playing a...
A corporate culture of indifference permeates America. A crash earlier this month that resulted in the death of 43 pigs near our family farm in Dodge County is illustrative of this indifference. Disposal of the dead pigs was easy. Within hours, the euthanized pigs were added to dead boxes or...
Friends and neighbors,
The 2025 regular legislative session came to a disappointing conclusion at midnight on May 20. The Constitution requires us to write a new state budget this year. Unfortunately, despite my hope and optimism, we were unable to finish our work.
The reality is that we were...
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...
May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize and honor the critical role that foster parents play in the lives of children and youth in care. Across the country, thousands of individuals and families open their homes and hearts to children who have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma....
We’ve all heard about people adopting pets, but what about taking a liking to something that will have a direct impact on the environment.
With Earth Day taking place a few weeks ago, many people have a renewed focus on the environment. One-way folks can get themselves involved in saving the...
This month we embrace National Military Appreciation Month, a time to honor and express gratitude to the men and women who have served, or are currently serving, in the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as their families.
This month-long observance, established by Congress in 1999, encompasses several...
Things are heating up at the Legislature as we enter crunch time. With just two weeks left in the session, there is a lot of work left to be done. With some bills still outstanding, it’s times like now we wish we had those three missing weeks at the beginning of session, but we are still working...
It seems as if the activities pick up as the school year winds down.
I spent some time Tuesday morning at Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School where the fourth graders were enjoying LEAP Day. This is a program that continues throughout the year with each grade getting a chance to explore various...