Opinions

Child care shortage negatively impacts communities

As the final snow melts away and spring flowers appear, our staff at Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is looking ahead to a busy year of programming for our 20-county region This spring, our Early Childhood team has already been focused on providing trainings to area child care...

It’s certainly something that soothes the soul

Music has long been seen as a way to improve one’s quality of life. As I sat down Sunday afternoon at my daughter’s piano recital, I couldn’t help but think about the benefits not only to those who listen but also the pianists. For nearly two hours, I found myself mesmerized by many young people...

Local newspapers are just as important

When people think of small town weekly newspapers they often think of a paper that comes out once a week and that’s it. For some papers that may be the case, but I am here to tell you that our paper is the furthest thing from that. From time to time, I run into people and entities that think...

To the point of beyond frustration

I went into a state of beyond frustration, if there is such a thing, the other night while trying to help out my parents. A few Sundays ago, the DirecTV service at my parents’ house went out. Somehow, I got the lucky task of trying to help them resolve the issue. Knowing what was ahead of me I...

Respect those who are different

April is Autism Awareness month, a month where people around the country and world are encouraged to bring awareness and to talk about the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Over the years, Autism and other disorders and disabilities have become more acceptable in society. One of the main reasons for this...

Some bills are not good news for taxpayers

The contents of the bills that will fund state government over the next two years are beginning to move forward in the Minnesota House. And from my perspective some of them are not good news for taxpayers. We have already begun to work up the House transportation finance proposal. There are a lot...

Trying new things

Almost two years ago I moved from Rhode Island to Minnesota, I didn’t know a soul, and I didn’t know about many of the different food chains and stores that are out here compared to out east. When I first to St. James in the summer of 2017, I was eager to try different things, and learn about...

The daily life of an editor

Growing up I always wondered what it was like to be an editor of a newspaper. I used to sling papers for my local newspaper, the Warwick Beacon, and I always wondered how the paper was put together. After graduation, I entered the world of journalism, something that I never expected and without...

Bringing our resources to a Sprout! event near you

At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we sometimes joke that we are our region’s “best kept secret.” But it is true that despite the fact that we are regularly out in our 20-county region visiting with partners and facilitating trainings, we find that there are still many people who do...

LifeSource gives renewed life

"Don't take your organs to heaven -- heaven knows we need them here!" There's a wonderful organization out there that gives many renewed life. It's called LifeSource, an organ donation program that is dedicated to saving lives through organ, eye and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest. It serves...