opinion

By State Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, MN Once again, Gov. Mark Dayton has surprised Minnesota's ag community by announcing that he was issuing an executive order curtailing the use of a group of chemicals widely used by farmers in the state.

10 years ago Sept. 19, 2006 Two open sheriff positions brought nine contestants out to battle at the polls. When all votes were counted, it was Troy Wolbersen and Dave Ahlquist at the top of the Douglas County list and Peter Mikkelson and Terry Lee Bandemer topping Todd County. The...

I often think of how fortunate the people of Osakis are to have a place like Galeon Senior Living right in their own community. With affordable access to skilled nursing care (Community Memorial), income-based independent living (Community Manor Apartments), senior independent living...

To the editor: This is to announce to all area educators, retired educators and PERA members that the Retired Educators Association of Minnesota (REAM) is holding their annual conference on September 26-27 at the Holiday Inn of Alexandria. The keynote speaker on Monday will be Stearns...

I racked my brain for a while on what to write about, but I find myself stuck on a single subject that is quite present in my own life. That subject is marriage, as I am fortunate enough to have my own wedding coming up in a couple days. But since everyone's "Big Day" is unique...

10 years ago Sept. 12, 2006 Although enrollment is down a bit from last year, Osakis Public School superintendent Gregg Allen said the district is above their projections by 14 students with a total first day of school enrollment of 719 students. A new video of old Osakis, a sequel...

By State Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, MN It appears there will be no special session in St. Paul this summer to finish work on several major bills left over from the bizarre finish to the legislative session this past May. Leaders emerged from negotiations Aug. 18 with no agreement...

10 years ago Sept. 5, 2006 The communities of Osakis and West Union, joined together by the Lake Wobegon Trail, gathered to celebrate the newly paved 7.6-mile segment that runs from the Douglas to Stearns County lines. As the first bell rings in another school year, seven new teachers...

By Bev Bales, Douglas County Commissioner Each spring for the past 43 years while looking out our windows at beautiful Lake Carlos and seeing the ice melting and moving, it has been a wonderful experience. The magic of it all is truly amazing. Lake living — a great many of...

10 years ago Aug. 29, 2006 Dr. Susan Rutten-Wasson does not have an ordinary examination room. Her patients voyage along the country roads and enter through her tidy farmhouse doors for checkups. A baffling Lake Osakis mystery is little more than nature hard at work. What has been...

By Brent Olson, Ortonville, MN A couple of weeks ago my mom received a phone call. The caller was crying and identified himself as my son, her only grandson. He told her he'd been riding with a friend when a cop pulled them over and the friend had guns and drugs in the trunk of the...

STEALING AT THE FAIR Boot: The Douglas County Fair was a bustling, fun event filled with many family friendly activities. But, as is the case at other large-scale events, there always seems to be an isolated few who exhibit selfish behavior. Even with an attendant watching over the...

10 years ago Aug. 22, 2006 As a grandmother, Jan Hensley of Osakis never imagined she'd be jet-setting halfway around the world for a photo shoot. Hensley received an all-expense paid trip to Germany to model in a shoot that required her to bare more than just skin — she was...

DOWNTOWN CONSTRUCTION

By Lee H. Hamilton, former Congressman, Bloomington, IN Politicians spend a good bit of their time complaining about the media. But why should they have all the fun? I'm going to join in, though I tend to get upset about different things than most sitting politicians do. You see,...