opinion

Traveling across Interstates 35 & 94 in the last few weeks, I have been surrounded by semi-trucks carrying any number of cargo with large, bright yellow signs declaring "Oversize Load". As if this wasn't completely obvious! There were the usual trucks carrying other trucks and cars...

I've always felt that any time you have federal, state or small-town special events or holidays with a participating marching band, especially at a small community event, it does more for public relations and good will than one can imagine. It's often been said that without a band,...

The character assassination has begun. Several residents in the Aitkin and McGregor area recently received some very toxic phone call surveys. The survey asked questions about who you would vote for if the election was held today. A typical survey question went like this. "Who...

We are concerned and frustrated lake home owners in Ideal Township next to a very visible neighbor who purchased his lake home for investment rental purposes, renting weekly all summer with a new group change every weekend. We bought our lake home in Ideal Township almost three...

Until this Crosslake council modified the city's land use ordinance there was a restriction on renting a residence in a residential zone. Owners were limited to a maximum of three rentals a year. The underlying reason was to prevent residential zones from becoming commercial rental...

Our community is going to try a new festival this week. It's going to be called the Zany Zucchini Street Festival. It may be interesting. Small communities all over the country come up with odd ways to bring in an extra body. This is what we small communities have resorted to with...

I have a life outside the newsroom. I know, it's hard to believe if you go to a lot of Pine River events. Everyone is always telling me, "Hey, I just saw you at blah blah!" Admittedly, a lot of my personal life is wandering through the woods by myself picking things (everyone else...

Just the other day, jouncing along on our old tractor trying to fill the gullies along the side of our driveway where the rain had eroded the gravel, I caught sight of something yellow and, in a heartbeat, found myself transported back across the decades by the memory of a similar...

Pequot Lakes has a rich tradition of celebrating Bean Hole Days every year in mid-July.

The city council of Pequot has developed a plan to include with a project to repair the sewer problem on Washington Avenue, the total cost of which will exceed $250,000. The city council decided, without any consideration to residents of the block, to add some Minneapolis flavor...

The 30th annual Lower Hay Lake Fireworks will be held this year at dusk on Saturday, July 19. Lower Hay Lake is located on the west end of the Whitefish Chain of Lakes. The display, which is put on by Dean Kuhn and Zambelli Fireworks, is widely considered to be the best and biggest...

For those who have not followed Nisswa politics closely the last few years, here are a few things to think about. In most cities, city staffing and elected officials remain relatively constant over the years. Only if some scandal breaks out or people move away do you see a lot...

A 14-month-old child was run over and killed when someone backed up a vehicle at a family gathering recently. This happens too often. Very, very sad. I worked for Bell Telephone, and as part of its company driver's safety education, we were required when getting into a vehicle...

The Pequot Lakes Fire Department would like to thank everyone who came out and supported us during our annual Fourth of July pancake breakfast. We served 1,480 people. That is a lot of pancakes! This is our main fundraiser each year. The money we raise at this breakfast helps us...

In a recent column the writer recalled with fond memories his experiences with fireworks. I would like to present a different, and more realistic, view. According to the latest government data from 2012, there were 8,700 people injured seriously enough by fireworks to require a...