Opinions

Adventures in Kasson Mantorville

I had visited El Patron when they first opened but had not been back until a couple months ago. El Patron is the Mexican restaurant that took over the space previously occupied by Daniel’s in Kasson, located at the intersection of Highways 14 and 57 on the south side of the city. A couple months...

Will U.S. take climate change seriously?

Is the U.S. government ready to take climate change seriously? It looks like that may be the case. After years of inaction by the federal government, the Senate last week narrowly approved legislation dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act on a 51-50 vote with the vice president casting the tie-...

I Was Thinking... Slowly Changing

We are lucky enough to have a trailer in a campground that overlooks a lake. Usually, the campground is a quite active place with families and kids enjoying a weekend away from home. But every so often, it is a quiet weekend with few campers in attendance, and nothing but the birds and rustling...

September’s coming; a time to celebrate

Greetings and Peace. September will soon be upon us and with it comes the time to Celebrate Sobriety and Celebrate Creation and prepare ourselves for the Blessing of the Animals. Each of these offer each of us an opportunity to share our gifts, passions, concerns, and celebrations of who we are as...

Cheap basic cell phone plans for penny pinching seniors

Dear Savvy Senior, A few months ago, I read a column you wrote on extremely cheap smartphone plans for budget-conscious seniors. Can you do a similar column for those of us who still use basic flip phones? My old 3G flip phone is about to become obsolete, so I’m looking for the cheapest possible...

SMIF invests in early literacy efforts

As summer days turn into evening, many parents pull out a book or two to read to their kids at bedtime. This is important because studies consistently show that reading at a young age drastically improves a child’s educational trajectory. At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) we know...

Reader takes offense at cartoon

To the Editor, I never thought I'd see the day when I would take offense at an item in the Dodge County Independent. Until now. Ed Fischer's July 28 cartoon titled "World Production Inc." was offensive and untrue. It depicted multiple babies coming down a conveyor belt contrasted with very sparse...

Vote Tuesday, our democracy depends on it

Minnesota voters will go to the polls next Tuesday to cast their ballots in the State Partisan Primary. For voters who live in the 1st Congressional District there will also be a Special Election. The statewide primary is to decide which candidates from each party will be on the General Election...

I Was Thinking . . . Before I Go

I do something now that I never thought I’d do. When I get the paper on the computer, I regularly check the obituaries. First, I check to see if there are any names I recognize. After that I compare their ages to my own. It is always a relief if the deceased is at least 10 years older than I am. ...

Adventures in Kasson & Mantorville Terry Eckstein

Unfair Tactics at the Hubbell House

I was getting ready to leave my house and go pick up Carla. We frequently go out on Friday nights and tonight we had reservations for the Hubbell House. Just as I was going out the door, my phone rang and it was Sara (future daughter-in-law). As she spoke, I could tell she was in pain. Sara...