Columnists

A mouse ran up Lisa’s pant leg

I was recently driving up a long driveway to visit a friend south of Waseca. The property is surrounded by set-a-side, cattail sloughs, ditches, and agricultural fields. A caravan of brown critters was plowing across a snow covered field. I pulled out my binoculars–I always carry them–and...

Frustrations of dealing with youth

It’s easy to make friends and be active during the summer, even for an introvert such as myself. There is great plenty to talk about and do because I can be OUTSIDE and there are DOGS. Trails to walk, nature sounds to hear, things to smell, …even Otto and Shelby (the Senior dogs) will happily...

Work at it with all your heart

By PASTOR KEN ANDRS Consistency is key. I was told this as a young man, but didn’t understand what it meant till I got much older. I thought it had to do with doing the same thing over and over again, just to get it done. That is not the case though, rather it is a reminder to work at...

I’ll take dogs over people anytime

Wallace is a little nuisance sometimes (or a LOT of the times), but he never tries to hide who he is. It’s all out there in the open to see, both good and bad: This is me. I love outside. I love sitting on laps and cuddling. I sprinkle fine white hair on your clothes. I pee where I want to. Got a...

What name are you looking for?

Grandma's house has always had a special meaning; it has been the center of family gatherings and the family kitchen; the stove in grandma's house was on even when the refrigerator and drawers were empty. There was a time when the grandparents lived on a second floor with a small balcony...

Chances are you’ve lost a fishing pole

I was out for coffee a week ago and joined a group of guys; the conversation was ice fishing. The group was talking about vehicles going through the ice. The focus was on the expense involved with retrieving the vehicle. I did a little research and found out insurance will cover the vehicle under...

Learning the trade as an upcoming journalist

As a kid, I loved to write. Although it may sound a bit cliché, it’s true. I remember sitting in the car on the drive to my grandparents’ house and starting my own newspaper– “The Girl’s Gazette.” It was only one issue, written thoughtfully into my soft, zebra-print-covered, hand-sized steno...

I hope you like what you’re seeing so far

If you’ve made it this far into the paper, I hope it means you’re liking what you’ve seen so far. Any of you from Janesville may recognize me from the Janesville Journal and already know I have a column called “Mike’s Corner” in it. Folks from other towns may not know me as well. So, I want to...

A privilege and a responsibility

Life is short and full of complications. It’s the stories that survive. Based on what I know of Pioneer publisher Eli Lutgens, that’s what I believe its readers will find to be one of the newspaper’s greatest strengths: its dedication to sharing people’s stories. Some of you may remember me...

So many thanks, but let’s start with Dad

The story I want to share really begins with my father, Jim. My dad began his journalism career at the age of 20 after his buddy said, “Hey, you like sports, why don’t you come be a sports editor?” That guy worked for the Waseca County News in the ‘80s when it was locally owned. Dad went on...