Breaking News

The Iran war could shape American policy for decades

The war with Iran that never really ended is back on. Like everybody else, including the Trump administration and the Iranian regime, I have no idea how it will end. But it eventually will, and how it will be remembered will matter enormously. Politics is about many things, but whether you ...

Never take for granted

We’ve all heard that we should not take things for granted, but it never hurts to give a reminder about this piece of wisdom. I was at a meeting with some local business owners recently and one of them pointed out how when we visit other cities, especially, say, up north, we often go to their parks, their local coffee shops and eateries and check out their museums and such, yet many people haven’t even done that in their own town. So many people who live in Fairmont haven’t visited a local coffee shop or many of the local parks. Yet I sit in government meetings and hear people ...

Walkers and mobility devices- get a tune up

To the editor: When I recently arrived at an event at a local venue I was surprised to see an ambulance at the back door. It seems that someone’s walker “snapped” and left the owner with an injury. Thankfully, the person looked reasonably good but not walking. I hope it is a precautionary visit to the hospital. Later I looked at the walker. A strong looking plastic part had indeed “snapped”  - fractured. It was probably a defective part, but it may have
been caused by other loose parts that allowed some “wiggle” to overstress the part. That reminded me of another ...

Prescription for a socialist workforce

America has a socialism problem, and it's bigger than most citizens realize. When candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America win Democratic party primaries, or New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani hails "the warmth of collectivism," socialism's advance is obvious. But it's ...

Following a tragedy, we need honesty, not judgment

As the tragedy of Nolan Wells' death continues to dominate the news, there are so many unanswered questions. Perhaps the most significant one is what his grieving parents shared in a recent interview with "Good Morning America's" Michael Strahan. Why did their 18-year-old son separate from his ...

Biodiversity has value for our region’s natural landscapes

This summer I’ve noticed for the first time some widespread effects of Emerald Ash Borer in the Marshall area. There are clusters of partially defoliated ash trees in locations such as Southwest Minnesota State University and the Eatros Place housing addition on the opposite side of town. ...