I went to college in New Hampshire, the state that votes first in the national primary election.
Basically, if you wanted to win the presidential nomination from either major political party, you had to spend a lot of time shaking hands in small towns, holding massive rallies in arenas, and holding town hall meetings in churches in many small towns.

At my age, you would think something as simple as going to a grocery store would be a simple task. But as with everything else today, it’s not like it once was. Now if that doesn’t make me sound like an old fogy, nothing will.

In the Feb. 15 paper I read another article, “Agents menaced observers at their homes, filings say,” similar to reports in various media outlets over the last few weeks. The stories describe visits by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the homes of citizens exercising their constitutional rights as observers. There is clearly confusion about how this can actually happen.

The 2026 Legislative Session began this week with a touching tribute to House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.
Melissa Hortman and I served together for many years. We talked frequently, and I’m happy that I regularly made her chuckle during the tough days. We both strove to advance the interests, and improve the lives, of our constituents.
Speaker Hortman will be greatly missed.

In Minnesota, winter is more than a season — it’s a stage. As the temperatures drop and snow blankets our towns, gyms and arenas across the state come alive. Winter tournament season is one of the most special times of the year in Minnesota, bringing together students, families, schools, and entire communities in a way that few other events can.

I was riding a dopamine high last Friday morning.
We were in Brooklyn Park for the annual Minnesota Newspaper Association Convention. The night before, we took the Mills Trophy back to Owatonna for the second year in a row.
The Mills Trophy is a highly coveted award in the world of print newspapers. It is given to the best weekly newspaper in Minnesota each year.