Opinions

Inspiring stories remind us to fol-low our dreams

I love writing stories about people who have made their dreams come true – which happens more often than you might think. Over the past 30 years, I’ve talked with world-class athletes, authors, visual artists, musicians, nonprofit founders, entrepreneurs, craftspeople, all of whom had one thing in...

Time to bring back horse and buggy

Like most Americans, I’m certainly feeling the bite when it comes to filling up the vehicle with gas. Ouch! I normally don’t focus on the negative and try to roll with the punches as I often feel there isn’t much one can do. But after a trip to the gas station last week, I thought I had a case of...

STAFF PHOTO BY HOWARD LESTRUD Members of the Blooming Prairie Honor Guard rifle squad march toward the BP City Cemetery at a special Memorial Day program on May 30. Rifle squad members are: Bruce Kubicek, Steve Wencl, Ken Vermilyea, Clete Glenn, Joe Wacek, Doug Johnson, Ken Trom, Bob Ingvalson, and Kurt Blome.

BP has gold rush for Quilts of Valor

It’s been almost eight years since Judy and I moved south of the Twin Cities and landed near communities where we grew up. We love the Blooming Prairie area and hope to spend our remaining years here. We all must meet our mortality head-on, and we choose to contribute in any way to make our...

Saying goodbye to all ya’ll

After two-and-a half-years it's a bittersweet goodbye. First to my staff-my editor, Karen Jorgensen (the Great Dane); Jami Morris, our newest and most humorous staff member; Tricia, my wife has been the ramrod of this outfit; part-timers, Pat Garry, our sports guy; Renee Berg, our contributing...

Follow safety and detour rules as construction begins

Last Monday Mantorville Avenue construction began in earnest. Barricades were placed at both ends of the avenue — at First and Seventh streets. A sign affixed to one of the barricades noted “ROAD CLOSED.” That failed to discourage an older lady driving her Lincoln around the barricades and headed...

Reconstruction of Hwy. 57, demise of drought and food shortages

Finally, construction is underway on Minnesota Highway 57. It’s been a long time coming. One of the impacts of reconstructing Mantorville Ave. is that enormous trees — maples, elm, and a variety of other deciduous trees that are old growth have to fall to the chainsaw. It was a colonnade of...

Prices spike, inflation is at 8.2 percent, babies need formula

It’s not his fault that April’s rate of inflation is at 8.3 percent. It’s not his fault that gasoline is up 44 percent from a year ago. Who’s fault is it that airfares have climbed 33 percent, used cars are up 23, a hotel stay will cost 23 percent more, eggs up 23, bacon is up 18, chicken is up 16...

Innovator takes EVs to another level

Fisker, the name attached to a pair of utility scissors, is no showing up on highways in America. An all-electric Fisker Ocean is poised to revolutionize the electric car industry. Here’s the claim of this new kid on the block of electric cars (EVs): “With the Fisker Ocean’s revolutionary full-...

Headlines indicate an over-the-top craziness in U.S.

Hyperventilation over the purchase of Twitter by Elon Musk led the news last week. The zillionaire paid $44 billion for the tech giant that has not been profitable. • Washington State outlaws the word marijuana-it connotes racism. • Biden’s Office of Public Engagement director and senior adviser...

Scientific predictions that did not come true

Friday, April 22, was Earth Day. On April 22, 1970 more than 20 million Americans took part in Earth Day events, eventually leading to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Those who were alive in the 1960s-70s may recall predictions of an apocalypse that would end life as we...