August 2025
Fischer Laser Eye Center Welcomes Dr. Carlene Solomon, OD to Montevideo and Willmar Offices
Fischer Laser Eye Center is proud to announce that Carlene Solomon, OD will be joining its team of dedicated eye care professionals. Dr. Solomon will begin seeing patients on August 25, 2025, at both the Montevideo and Willmar locations, bringing her expertise and compassionate care to communities across the region.
Farmers Gather in Madison to Discuss ‘Bringing Small Grains Back to Minnesota’
“Welcome to my midlife crisis,” joked Peter Haugen on a Saturday morning in early August as a couple dozen farmers stood in a semi-circle around him and his wife, Brittany, at the edge of a 12-acre field south of Madison. The “crisis” Peter was referring to was what was growing in that field: emmer wheat, an ancient variety of grain sought after by specialty bakers. Over the hill was a 15-acre stand of einkorn wheat and down the road was a bright yellow stand of oats. Surrounding all these fields were crops more typically found in this part of the Midwest: corn and soybeans.
Southeast Technical College Congratulates the Class of 2025
Southeast Technical College congratulates its students completing their AAS, diploma and certificates at the end of the Summer 2025 semester.
Archery in the Parks at Lac qui Parle State Park
Archery in the Parks is hands-on instruction shooting a bow and arrow from certified instructors in a safe and supportive environment. Aim for a family adventure with kid-friendly equipment designed for beginners aged 8 and older. Children age 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. All equipment is provided. Personal archery equipment is not allowed. This program is run as a stop by, first come first served program.
Annual Chippewa County Fair draws a crowd
A crowd of people gathered for the annual Chippewa County Fair held in Montevideo last Thursday through Sunday. Activities included the Midway rides, 4-H projects, musical entertainment, a circus, and much more. The annual event is held due to the work of local volunteers who put in many hours preparing the fairgrounds for the event, and booking the entertainment for the event outside of the duties necessary during the actual event itself to keep everything operating smoothly.
This Happened Here: The Future is Smoggy…
It’s been a bad week to be preparing a class in editing and publishing. On Thursday, my husband roared up on the lawnmower and was greeted by the sight of his wife frantically slicing her arms at him. It was a gesture I hoped meant “please, cut the noise, I’m on the phone and can’t hear the other person” and not “get out of here, love of my life!” I probably seemed deranged, though; the person I was talking to was my literary agent, who was moving to a new firm and thus delivering the news that we had to part ways.
Ask a Trooper: Vehicle vs utility pole…
Question: I have a new driver in the house and they asked a question that got me thinking. If someone has a crash and hits a power pole, what should they do in that situation?
Beyond Reason: Bunting…
As you know, here at Beyond Reason, we always tackle the biggest, most important issues of the day. A philosophical conundrum. A Buddhist koan. The t-shirt gun. Look, if it’s in Beyond Reason, it’s important. That’s why, this week, it’s time to consider bunting.
Live Well, Age Wisely: Planning ahead brings peace of mind…
If you already have your will and other advanced planning documents in place, there are some important reminders for you at the end of this column! I recently received an email from Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) with a reminder that August is National Make-A-Will month. SWIF has a valuable partnership with FreeWill, an online tool to write a legal will at no personal cost. SWIF is an independent community foundation whose mission is connecting people, investing in ideas, and building communities. They support many initiatives in our region, in fact, my position at Prairie Five is funded in part with a grant from SWIF.
Reeves Dementia Care and Consulting LLC awarded grant to support work in Dementia and Parkinsons progra
Gretchen Reeves was recently awarded a grant through her private practice, Reeves Dementia Care and Consulting LLC, as well as a separate grant to the Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network (MAMLN), awarded last year that supports the work she does in Dementia and Parkinsons care in the local area.