Local Columnists

Governor Tim Walz released the following statement announcing that he will not seek a third term as Governor of Minnesota. “Good morning, and Happy New Year. “Like many Minnesotans, I was glad to turn the page on 2025. It was an extraordinarily difficult year for our state. And it ended on a particularly sour note. “For the last several years, […]

By Tom Tourville Here come more. This is a column I have been planning on doing for some time, but this being my 10th year in doing “Rock & Roll Memories” for the Pipestone County Star I wanted to do a column like this. These are a collection of questions I have received, saved and have combined together to create […]

With new years, come new beginnings. Champagne is consumed, kisses are exchanged, and resolutions are made. My quick and dirty research found that 38% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, with the top two resolutions including better physical and financial health. Sadly, reading did not break the top ten. And while approximately 70% of people believe they should read more, […]

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS: Every week, there is another headline about fraud in Minnesota. From the Feeding Our Future scandal to ongoing problems in child care and health care programs, taxpayers keep learning that millions meant to help Minnesotans are being wasted or stolen. Minnesotans are generous people. We want to help families who need support. But when the state fails […]

On Monday, Jan. 5, Gov. Tim Walz announced that he will retire following his second term as Minnesota governor. Sen. Bill Weber (R-Luverne) released the following statement: “I continue to hear frustration from Minnesotans who feel abandoned by years of poor oversight and misplaced priorities. Billions in taxpayer dollars have been lost to fraud and waste, with no accountability in […]

The year 2025 appears to be going into the history books as the year of fraud revelations in the state of Minnesota. I hope now that 2026 will go into history as the year of accountability. Whether it’s state or federal, we all send gobs of our hard-earned money to St. Paul or Washington D.C through a host of taxes […]

By Representative Michelle Fischbach (MN-07) The fraud and financial waste exposed in Minnesota under Governor Tim Walz are not just scandals; they’re a display of radical negligence, proving he is entirely unfit to manage a single taxpayer dime or protect Minnesotans. The theft of $1 billion from vulnerable Minnesotans across our state’s human services program, including the notorious $250 million […]

By Dr. Klint W. Willert, PAS superintendent of schools December 2025 has truly ushered in winter. Despite starting out with cold winter temperatures and snowfall, the students and staff started to heat up our schools with the holiday spirit that comes from students, staff, families, and community members coming together in the true spirit of the season. The holiday celebrations […]

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the lights, the movies, the music, the treats, the gift wrapping, the family time and all of it. This year, weather and other issues have prevented us from enjoying some of our family traditions such as frosting Christmas cookies and shopping for gifts with grandma. Hopefully the circumstances […]

The definition of a gift: a thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present. If you have followed my columns over the last couple of years you might remember the time when I talked about our adventures of showing a horse for the first time at the fair with my oldest daughter. Often people will ask how a family […]