Opinions
It appears that the US economy is pretty solid compared to other countries. Inflation is lower, gas prices have stabilized and actually are down about 50 cents from last year, unemployment is lower, we have the biggest year of job growth in America’s history, the pandemic is over, people are...
For the past several months, this newspaper has written about the EMS crisis facing communities including some in Dodge County.
Whether it’s West Concord struggling to find volunteers and or staff, or Dodge Center Ambulance dealing with coming up with needed funds to help pay for capital equipment...
The Dodge County Independent has written about transparency often on its editorial page, and once again, it will have to be used to call out government officials trying to hide information from the public.
As you may have read on page A1, the Triton School District, and its responsible body, the...
To the Editor:
It is said in the Bible, “And a child shall lead them.” Tim Walz’s son Gus has led us into a much-needed discussion about developmental disabilities.
Chances are you know someone with a developmental disability. A slight disability might manifest itself in issues navigating day-to-...
No matter what line of work you are in, seeking out professional development often means traveling to the Twin Cities or even out of state. Costs can add up quickly when factoring in travel and lodging.
At Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), we are proud to offer a range of high-...
It’s already August 15 so it looks like we can’t deny it. Summer, at least as far as vacations are concerned, is coming to an end.
Last weekend the Kasson Festival in the Park drew a big crowd. But, aside from a couple of county fairs in the area such as the Steele County Fair which is going on...
Several new laws passed during the 2024 legislative session went into effect on August 1, 2024.
Like the 2024 session results or not, it’s important for citizens to understand how new laws affect them. I encourage all Minnesotans to familiarize themselves with these changes.”
Key changes include:...
There is an election coming up next Tuesday, Aug. 13, in Minnesota. It hasn’t received a lot of attention, especially here in Dodge County and southeastern Minnesota. A lot of you may even have forgotten about it, or consider it not as important as that big General Election coming up on November 5...
Since 1986, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) has invested over $60 million in grants across our 20-county region. These grants support a diverse array of projects, ranging from providing books to young children to fostering growth in small towns. Many of our grants also support...
Applications are now open for a $24 million emergency aid package aimed at bolstering rural ambulance services across Minnesota. The package targets providers making 30 or fewer trips per square mile in their primary service area.
Our rural EMS services cover large but sparsely populated areas....