Opinion

Legislative session preview

Jan 9, 2019

The new legislative session begins on Jan. 8. Though we are entering a new year, with a new governor and a new House majority, my goals remain the same: to do my best for the people of Senate District 21 and all of Minnesota.Senate Republicans are now the experienced body, and we will be a...

Gratitude for the year that was

Jan 2, 2019

Now that we are past the busyness of the holiday season, I am reflecting on what a wonderful year 2018 was for southern Minnesota. It was a year that renewed my optimism for the future of our unique part of the state. I was once again humbled by the generous people of our 20-county region who make...

Letter: Humane Society is grateful for support

Jan 2, 2019

To the editor:The volunteers of the Hiawatha Animal Humane Society want to thank all of the many generous animal lovers who again this year made the holiday gift drive for homeless animals a huge success. Over 30 animals received gifts from area residents, this year.The event was, as in the past...

Halvorson: We hug

Dec 27, 2018

As I put away the Christmas gifts and throw away the wrapping I’m reminded of my late mother-in law. Each year she’d bring out her box of goodies, ribbon and paper that she had ironed to reuse, a ball of string, and the cards she’d cut up for tags. I wonder if she ever got anything new. I think...

Christmas memories

Dec 20, 2018

I was paging through my book of memories remembering Christmas the way it use to be. When we were kids during the 1930’s it was just our immediate family and maybe the grandparents. As the years progressed the family kept growing with weddings and new babies. And then there were years when there...

Hearing will compare cost of landfills vs waste to energy in Goodhue County

Dec 20, 2018

Goodhue County sent out notice of a public hearing to gather the public’s testimony on designating all mixed municipal solid waste (commonly referred to as “trash”) generated in Goodhue County be sent to the City of Red Wing’s Solid Waste Campus. That public hearing will be held on Jan. 8, at 9 a...

Halvorson: I am the Mighty Mississippi

Dec 13, 2018

Not everyone likes poetry so I’ve made it a point not to include my poems in my weekly post. Sometimes we need to be reminded of all the beauty at our front door. The following is from my book “When Life Throws Tomatoes.” I am the Mighty Mississippi Although I start as a small stream I have been...

New Republican caucus aims for transparency, inclusiveness

Dec 13, 2018

Editor’s note: Representatives Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa), Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg), Cal Bahr (R-East Bethel), and Jeremy Munson (R-Lake Crystal) are the organizers of the New House Republican Caucus. They have issued the following statement about the formation of the caucus. We want the...

Goggin: Caring for veterans

Dec 6, 2018

With the recent observance of Veterans Day, I thought it would be a good time to share some of the legislation we worked on that cares for Minnesota’s veterans. There are more than 330,000 veterans in Minnesota. Despite making up a relatively small percentage of our population, it is exceedingly...

Grateful to have grown up here