Opinions

OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES

Publisher — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:07:43 +0000

OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVES

The wide, wide world of local food

Publisher Wed, 09/02/2026 - 16:07

Alex Malm, Staff Writer

As someone who has lived in different parts of the country, and not a native Minnesotan, I’m intrigued by the different foods people eat based on where they’re from.

And sometimes we don’t have to go very far either to see these differences.

My wife’s cousin got married in Tittle Town a couple of weekends ago – also known as Green Bay, Wisc.

Now keep in mind both sides of my wife’s family are from Minnesota. Her stepdad is from Iowa, but we try not to hold that against him.

But Mitch, the groom in question, and his sister Morgan, were born and raised in Wisconsin after their mom – my wife’s aunt – moved there.

I mostly quit drinking alcohol over the past year, just as a personal preference, but I could not help myself when I saw at the open bar the signature drink was a Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned.

Admittedly, I never really knew this was a thing, and I certainly never had one.

In fact, Morgan and I have drunk a good amount over the years since I met her eight years ago, almost always old fashioneds – our drink of choice – and exclusively the correct way: with bourbon.

Since I was curious, I ended up having a couple of brandy old fashioneds, which were quite tasty, I must admit.

Emily, the bride, had her signature drink as an espresso martini, which I assume has no geographical meaning. Those were also quite good.

And of course, I would not be a good Minnesota transplant if I didn’t stop at the premium fast-food business of the Midwest.

Late at night, I found myself hungry at the hotel. I was done socializing for the night so did not want to join the late-night party at the bar across the street, so I walked a few blocks to Kwik Trip – a place that was once a foreign concept to this Rhode Islander.

Back home in Rhode Island, we have all sorts of corky things we drink and eat.

We drink coffee milk, which is essentially chocolate milk but with coffee syrup instead. My wife still gets red in the face when I bring up her first experience with it.

We were at our annual family summer vacation at a beach house (not a lake house because this is Rhode Island) and she asked my grandma if she was making it correctly.

Instead of milk, she had a cup of coffee and then the syrup with her.

My grandma, a strong willed first-generation American, teased her about it, probably until the day she died.

An acquaintance of mine, from the news industry back home, recently took a television job in Iowa and made a video of his newsroom trying different Rhode Island foods and drinks. Based on the video, it would appear his Iowa colleagues are still trying to figure out what to think of coffee milk.

Like Minnesota, we have our own types of beers back home too.

The most well-known Rhode Island beer is called Narraganset, which is also the same name as a beach community back home.

My wife and I were watching a movie last weekend, and it was based but not filmed in Rhode Island. Of course, they were drinking Narraganset in the film.

There is also an assortment of foods we eat back home, that would be taboo here. One of the most iconic, I think, is the fact that we use malt vinegar on a lot of foods, especially French fries. I have never seen someone eat French fries that are drenched in vinegar – something which is normal in Rhode Island.

When we got home from Wisconsin, I was also reminded of the fact that even within different cultures, food can be different.

My mother-in-law came and stayed with our cat and dog while we were away. When we got back on Saturday night, we helped her get her car loaded, when she noticed a fundraiser going on a couple of houses down.

We decided to swing by and help support our neighbor who is battling cancer.

While a woman was serving up the food – a Mexican plate – she noted to us there are no tortillas with it.

This was the sister-in-law of our neighbor – who explained they are from South Texas. There, the custom is to serve Mexican dishes with two pieces of white bread. Who would’ve thought?

To piggyback on a column I wrote a few weeks ago about the world being small – she told us she is from Corpus Christi – which is where one of my best friends going back to college is a coach for the AA affiliate of the Houston Astros.

She told us she was a big fan of the Hooks – the team he coaches.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 12:56:54 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

Determination drives this year’s Princess Kay

Publisher Wed, 09/02/2026 - 14:56

Rick Bussler, Publisher

Jena Hanson of Owatonna is Minnesota’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way, the top ambassador of the dairy industry. Staff photo by Rick Bussler

If there’s one thing I’ve grown to support over the years, it’s rallying behind the underdog, so to speak.

Such is the case with this year’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way for Minnesota. On the eve of the Minnesota State Fair, Jena Hanson of Owatonna became the first Princess Kay from Steele County in 18 years and only the fourth in the program’s 73-year history.

It may not seem surprising for someone like Hanson who is friendly, poised and bubbly to earn her way to become the state’s top dairy ambassador. But she has certainly turned more than a few heads with her untraditional background. She likely didn’t go into the Princess Kay competition as the favorite as most come from lifelong dairy roots.

Hanson grew up in Owatonna with no dairy farm in the family or farm background at all. During high school, she became interested in dairy by doing mentorships on area farms. She also was involved in 4-H and FFA where she served as vice president.

She’ll be the first to tell you that she didn’t think there would be any way that she could ascend to become Princess Kay.

She certainly didn’t grow up with the advantage many Princess Kay finalists have with lifelong knowledge from their parents or others, but under it all there is something incredibly remarkable about Hanson.

In April, I had the opportunity to judge the Steele County Dairy Princess competition where Hanson was one of eight princesses. At the time I was extremely impressed with her leadership and communication skills. She was articulate in describing her hands on experiences with area dairy farms and how she wants to help the dairy industry. Dedicated and caring are two key attributes I noted in judging her.

What truly stuck out with me was how she did not grow up on a farm but planned to go into the dairy industry as a professional career. She is convinced her future path will lead her into something dairy-related. Currently, she shares a strong passion for dairy nutrition.

“With the connections I have made so far from FFA to my mentorships, job shadows and internships, I was able to kickstart my success in pursuing my first couple of years in agriculture, and I can’t wait to expand within the industry,” she said. “I want to be a voice for the small dairy operations because they hold a special spot in my heart.”

Obviously, Hanson knows where she came from in working with at least three small dairy operations in Steele County in recent years. Her experiences with those dairy farmers have propelled her into becoming Princess Kay.

She may not have been in the cow barn as a toddler or young child, but Hanson has grown to obtain deep knowledge of the industry. She has a thorough understanding of the dairy community, dairy nutrition and farm operations. She also has unmatched enthusiasm and passion that’s often difficult to find in young people who are trying to figure out their lives.

Perhaps most importantly Hanson is genuine. With an infectious smile, she interacts with people by displaying high energy, friendly and an approachable personality.

It will be exciting to watch the new Princess Kay as she travels around the state over the next year. What’s even more exciting is that the knowledge she will share comes mostly from the hardworking dairy farmers in Steele County.

Hanson may not view herself as an underdog, but she went in hot pursuit of the title, proving that determination can overcome most obstacles.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 13:35:07 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

She took a lifetime of pain and anguish to make a difference

Publisher Wed, 08/26/2026 - 15:35

Rick Bussler, Publisher

Mary Kay Malakowsky

One of my first assignments about 35 years ago as a young reporter at KAAL-TV in Austin led me to a woman who has forever impacted my life.

Back in the early 1990s, I covered a Mothers Against Drunk Driving Impact Panel where I met Mary Kay Malakowsky. Just a few years earlier, she had lost her teenage daughter. It’s one of the stories that has impacted me the most throughout my professional careers as a journalist and police officer.

I am saddened to learn that Mary Kay died on Aug. 8 at her home near Hartland. She was 79.

She was a passionate advocate with MADD for more than 30 years. She even earned the recognition of “State Speaker of the Year.”

Over the years, we kept in contact from time to time through our involvement with MADD. She channeled her anger and passion to stop other senseless tragedies into MADD. She shared her gut-wrenching story with DWI offenders, most often in the Albert Lea and Mankato areas.

“It rips out your heart,” she once said. “It rips it out so bad you never know how to put it back together.”

Mary Kay’s daughter, Michelle Malakowsky, 19, was fatally injured in a head-on crash in a construction zone along Interstate 35 in Rice County in August 1988. The violent impact of the crash sheared off Malakowsky’s head. It’s one of the most gruesome crash stories I’ve ever heard.

The driver, a pro-golfer who had just come off the course in Faribault, was vomiting all over as he drove and smashed into Malakowsky. Prior to the crash, Mary Kay later learned, the driver was so drunk he couldn’t even stand up and people at the club were laughing at how drunk he was. His friends carried him down the steps and put in the driver’s seat. They did one last thing—turned the key so he could drive away.

Just minutes later Mary Kay and the rest of her family were given a life sentence. She once told me, “The day the deputy told me she was dead, I had a headache and I had it for 10 years, day and night, 24 hours a day.”

To hear Mary Kay share the horrific details was chilling, even after I heard it several times over. And she didn’t mince words when describing her feelings about the drunk driver that ripped a hole in her family. “He has never told us he is sorry. There is no remorse there. He can go to hell.”

For years Mary Kay struggled and couldn’t laugh or enjoy life because of the terror that haunted her. Who can blame her?

Mary Kay was left to raise her 2-year-old granddaughter. Ashley Casey used the tragedy and eventually grew up to become an alcohol and drug counselor.

Mary Kay is one of the reasons I ended up in law enforcement for nearly 20 years. As a police officer, I made a commitment to DWI enforcement and went on to earn several awards from MADD for my efforts. She is the reason I have no tolerance for people who get behind the wheel drunk.

What troubles me is how drunk drivers and alcoholics (I was married to one) often take little to no accountability for their actions. As I have found out over the years, they often blame everyone else for their problem.

But that didn’t stop Mary Kay from attempting to make an impact. She relived her daughter’s gruesome story over and over in hopes of changing societal attitudes, one drunk driver at a time.

She drove home the message: U booze, U drive, U lose. Mary Kay leaves the world a better place, after taking a lifetime of pain and anguish to go in hot pursuit of making a difference. May you rest in peace Mary Kay.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 23:28:00 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

Fair week triggers childhood memories

Publisher Thu, 08/20/2026 - 01:28

Rick Bussler, Publisher

I know I’ve said it before in this space, but it bears repeating. I love the fair. Always have, always will.

Even though I didn’t grow up in Steele County, the fair was always an integral part of my life as a child in central Minnesota. My home fair is McLeod County. It always offered me the best time of my summer.

As we head into another Steele County Fair this week, I can’t help but think of all the wonderful memories fairs have generated in my lifetime. Some maybe weren’t the greatest, at least at the time, but most were beyond supreme. No matter what they ended up being, they still hold a special spot in my heart.

One of my most dreadful moments at the fair came when I was a youngster of 7 or 8 years old showing my pig in the judging arena. This particular pig had a mind of his own and wanted nothing to do with showing, even though I had worked with him all summer in preparation for the show. He burrowed his snout into the wooden bleachers, pushed under the bleachers, sent the spectators scrambling for cover and reduced me to tears. I was heartbroken.

As I look back on that experience, it provided me with an important life lesson that life doesn’t always go your way even with the best intentions. It also showed me how to be resilient and forge ahead to handle life’s challenges.

Another distressing and crushing moment came one year when I was getting my cookies or cupcakes ready to show in the 4-H Building. I remember sitting on the edge of the car seat with yummy treats balanced on my lap. Well, you can probably imagine what happened next. I lost my balance; they tipped and went flying in places I didn’t want them to.

Another life lesson of learning how to bounce back quickly after a hard time. And, yes, I was in tears again.

There were also the times of separation anxiety. I remember becoming extremely sad by the end of the fair knowing my prized pig would be heading off to the market. I still recall cuddling and laying on top of one particular animal wishing I could keep him forever.

But those terrorizing and daunting moments were limited, thank God. Most of my experiences were memorable in a good way, especially those when I won purple grand champion ribbons. There were many of those over the years. And with it, many trips to the Minnesota State Fair.

One thing that strikes me the most about all my experiences is how the 4-H program prepares you for a lifetime of challenges in many ways. I have developed so many life skills because of 4-H and my involvement with the fair. From communication skills to photography and dealing with people, 4-H has enriched my life beyond my wildest dreams. The fairs were always the icing on the cake.

I gained my love attraction to the fair from my late father, who volunteered for more than 65 years at the fair, mostly in the livestock area, before his death. One of the greatest memories was in his last year of the fair when he got to ride on top of the wagon of the Budweiser Hitch. A photo of him waving hangs dearly in my mother’s family room and provides her with an emotional bond as if dad was still around. The news clipping marking the occasion from the local newspaper still hangs on my refrigerator. (Isn’t local journalism wonderful?)

I’m off to the fair and in hot pursuit of some great fair memories once again. Enjoy the fair!

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Starts with K

Publisher — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:59:06 +0000

Starts with K

Lessons, memories come with gifts from the heart

Publisher Wed, 08/12/2026 - 19:59

Kay Fate, Staff Writer

When our granddaughter, Vivian, turned 3 last week, my husband and I presented her with a little tool belt, complete with a screwdriver, screws, hammer, nails and some sandpaper.

For the first time in her young life, Viv did not receive a hand-crafted wooden gift, lovingly created by her Papa Russ out of tiger maple or koa or purple heart or some other wonderfully exotic tree.

At her first Christmas, she received a little wooden spoon, carved with a shallow bowl and branded with her initials – and his.

We balanced it off her 5-month-old nose that night, but about two months later, pictures started coming our way of Vivian using it.

“Just vegetables,” my son said. “We don’t want to ruin it.”

“It will teach her fine motor skills,” Papa Russ said. “Let her eat yogurt and soup with it.”

At her first birthday, she received hand-hollowed wooden percussion blocks with a small set of drumsticks.

“They will teach her rhythm,” Papa Russ said. “She will not poke her eyes out with them. She’ll be fine.”

When she turned 2, she received a mallet as her special gift from Papa Russ.

It is heavy, solid, the square head made from padauk, the handle from maple. Her parents looked at my husband and me, eyes wide, as Viv lifted it with both hands – and promptly dropped it on the floor with a significant thud.

“We have a new baby coming in four months,” my son said.

“This will teach her control,” Papa Russ said. “She’ll be fine.”

That Christmas, Viv received a small all-wooden knife, complete with a handmade leather sheath. Her parents looked at my husband and me, eyes wide, as Viv slid the knife in and out of its case.

“We have a newborn,” my son said.

“This will teach her safety and knife skills,” Papa Russ said. “She’ll be fine.”

The lessons now will have to come a different route, because my husband is no longer able to be in his wood shop, making things he loves for the people he loves.

A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer that has spread to his liver and lymph nodes punched us right in the gut this month. The increasing fatigue, light-headedness, stomach pain and weakness now make sense.

He just finished a round of radiation, designed to stop the bleeding from a significant tumor.

By the time you read this, he will have started a two-month cycle of chemotherapy, designed to buy him some time.

He is unceasingly positive and brave: “You can get busy living or you can get busy dying,” he said. “I’m busy living.”

He is the maker of memories, the planner of adventures and the disobeyer of rules.

Papa Russ is the hands-down favorite of all of our grandchildren, who would boot me into traffic to find their way to his lap.

As soon as Vivian opened her birthday gift last week, she said, “Papa, open it please,” so he did.

He pulled out each tool and explained how to use it and care for it and why it is important. She listened solemnly, nodding and repeating key phrases.

“Always put them away!” “Watch your thumbs!” “So scratchy!”

Russ gets sad when he sees that I am sad, so I work hard at matching his optimism, because it feels like a betrayal to do otherwise.

If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s to never, ever count him out.

The five-year survival rate for Stage 4 pancreatic cancer that has metastasized to the liver is 3%, but, as Russ says, “somebody’s got to be the 3%. Why not me?”

He has a point, you know, so when you see me, also know this: Whatever happens, we’ll be fine.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:56:10 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

Area 4-Hers shine with creative writing

Publisher Wed, 08/12/2026 - 16:56

Rick Bussler, Publisher

During my younger years as a 4-H member, I always enjoyed getting my exhibits ready for the county fair with hopes of winning a trip to the state fair.

Conference judging has always been a staple in the 4-H program where judges meet individually with 4-Hers to gain a better understanding of their projects and what they know about their food item, photograph, vegetable, clothing or whatever they are exhibiting.

For me, one of the challenges was trying to figure out what the judges would be looking for in those projects as well as what knowledge I needed to convey to them. I usually practiced at home with my parents quizzing me about potential things the judge would ask. Sometimes I got stumped at the fair, but generally I was prepared enough.

Long gone are my days of exhibiting projects in 4-H. But last week I had a first of its kind experience where the roles got reversed from when I showed in 4-H. I served as a judge for the creative writing division in Steele County. While most projects are judged at the fair, this particular division is done ahead of the fair at St. John Lutheran Church in Owatonna.

I judged about a dozen junior and senior 4-H members who brought a variety of writing samples. Some wrote poems about Harry Potter while others shared fictional writings about various topics. There was even one about the Civil War. It was definitely different than the journalistic writing I’m used to in my role with the newspaper, but it broadened my horizons to encompass other ways to express yourself.

I found myself not focusing so much on the writing display itself, but the overall mechanics of the interview I had with the 4-Her.

What impressed me the most about this unique experience was the level of maturity displayed by the 4-H members which ranged from grades 5-12. They provided above average communication skills through their verbal presentation of the project.

As I told one of the 4-H leaders organizing the judging, some of the physical writings may have been on the fence between a red and blue ribbon, but the 4-H members talked themselves into getting blue ribbons just based on the shear knowledge they shared with me in their interviews and how they communicated.

All the 4-Hers I interviewed were poised and articulate in sharing why they like to write and what purpose it provides to their overall well-being. They understood the importance of writing beyond scribbling a bunch of words on paper. They had well thought answers to questions they likely had no idea I would be asking.

One 4-Her blew me away when she told me how she does not utilize Google to aide in any sort of assistance for writing but instead relies on a physical dictionary, if needed. What, did she say dictionary? I didn’t think teenagers had any clue what a dictionary is.

Another one used their writing as a call for action for others to help serve in the community.

The writer that I picked for champion aspires to be an author and is headed to a college in Illinois to major in writing.

I’ll admit that at times I question the direction our youth in general are headed in life. But my experience last week with the 12 young 4-Hers in Steele County changed my perspective and made me realize our future is in better shape than I thought.

It’s reassuring to see there are kids striving and going in hot pursuit to make the right choices and make the world a better place.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:44:50 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

Sometimes the media gets duped

Publisher Wed, 08/05/2026 - 16:44

Rick Bussler, Publisher

Over the years I have seen numerous occasions where the news media doesn’t get everything right, for any number of reasons. In simple terms, we get duped. While it doesn’t happen often, at least on the local level, the risk is always present.

Good journalism relies on accurate sources. We recently found ourselves in a situation that is unfortunate for all involved. Last week, we published a story about Steele County’s recent approval of a new digital data retention policy. To verify the facts, our veteran reporter, Kay Fate – who brings 35 years of trusted reporting experience – reached out directly to the state organization overseeing these policies. Fate is one of the most experienced journalists of any media organization in southern Minnesota.

She diligently reported on the information she was given by the state, along with comments from local officials. Unfortunately, a state official provided Fate with inaccurate information that fundamentally changed the premise of our story. This error only came to light after our print edition was published.

Our immediate priority is accuracy. We updated the online version as soon as the error was discovered, ahead of any outside notifications. A fully corrected and verified version of the story is published on the front page of this week’s edition.

We take full accountability for the initial error and apologize to our readers. We are actively refining our verification process to ensure this does not happen again. While the response from some county officials has included personal attacks against our staff, our focus remains strictly on ethical, professional and accurate reporting for our community.

For an editorial team like ours, we want nothing more than to present readers with accurate, ethical and timely information. Maintaining public trust is the cornerstone of our mission, and we view every story we publish as a direct commitment to the truth. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical benchmarks, ensuring that our reporting remains a reliable anchor for the community. After all, an informed community makes a better community.

We hope the silver lining in this latest incident will be a far-reaching reminder to officials and sources that the information they provide must be completely accurate. We love covering this community and want its residents to have the most reliable information possible.

For our part, we will continue to uphold the rigorous standards of verification our community expects and deserves.

As always, we’re in hot pursuit of tracking down the truth, and something like this reinforces the importance of what we do.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 15:51:43 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

A remarkable tribute to Theodore Roosevelt

Publisher Thu, 07/30/2026 - 17:51

Rick Bussler, Publisher

One of the features at the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is AI-generated photos on large screens. The photos take you back in time to the Roosevelt era of the early 1900s. Staff photo by Kyrie Bussler

It’s a hidden treasure that has found its way onto the prairie land of North Dakota. Earlier this month, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opened in Medora.

Within the past few weeks, I took great American road trip across North Dakota to check out the new $450 million library that shares the amazing story of our 26^th president. It’s refreshing from the billionaire presidents we’ve been accustomed to operating our country in recent times.

Roosevelt is widely considered one of the top five most popular presidents of America. What intrigued me about his story is his humble beginnings and attachment to the plains and badlands of North Dakota.

Now 107 years after his death, we are learning more about this great man at what’s widely considered America’s most remarkable presidential monuments yet. He was only 60 when he died. Most presidential libraries are in or near large cities.

Why Medora?

The Roosevelt library overlooks Medora, a tiny town of 130 and the only incorporated city in Billings County. This rare gem highlighted by its earthen roof rising from the butte and echoing the landforms of the surrounding Badlands offers something that no other presidential site can offer—a fabulous landscape right outside its front doors, preserved in a national park named after Roosevelt.

Medora is largely credited with transforming Roosevelt before he took over the country’s top spot. Roosevelt grew up in New York and the story of how he came to love North Dakota is quite compelling.

At 24 years old, tragedy struck Roosevelt’s life. Both his mother and wife died in the same house on the same day on Valentine’s Day 1884. Dealing with grief that overshadowed his life, he headed out west to North Dakota. He was living the life that he only read about in books.

Roosevelt came to love nature, and certainly there probably is no better place in the world to experience it than North Dakota. At the time he was a broken man in a broken land, and he found nature to be his healer. He loved wildlife in the Little Missouri Badlands.

Years later after becoming president, Roosevelt made it clear that if it weren’t for his experiences in North Dakota, he would have never been president.

The library is not connected with the other presidential libraries around the country. It’s not a traditional museum, but rather an immersive journey into Roosevelt’s life and legacy. It blends exhibits and artifacts with interactive stations and wall-sized screens designed to inspire adults and kids to get “in the arena” and “spend (themselves) in a worthy cause,” as TR put it in a memorable speech in 1910.

A wristband is provided to guests to take AI-generated photographs from the Roosevelt era. They photos are later emailed to you at no additional cost. This is the first presidential library built with AI.

The design process for the library is informed by Roosevelt’s personal reflections on the landscape, his interest in environmental stewardship and periods of quiet introspection and civic engagement in his life.

Officials want the TR library to challenge people, to reconnect families, to get kids off of screens and to think about where they want to go in the future. And they want people to enjoy the beauty of nature.

Roosevelt’s wishes were for people to dare greatly, think boldly, live passionately and care deeply. Something I found interesting was one of his many great quotes: “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president.”

It’s a cultural adventure that I hope you can go in hot pursuit of enjoying at some point in your life ventures.

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HOT PURSUIT

Publisher — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:09:59 +0000

HOT PURSUIT

A “ghost paper” looms over St. Cloud

Publisher Wed, 07/22/2026 - 15:09

Rick Bussler, Publisher

Whenever I go on a road trip, I usually make a few stops along the way to pick up newspapers at convivence stores. It’s my way of seeing what other newspapers offer local communities for news coverage and to maybe get a few ideas for myself and our newspaper. Or at least in the case of one that I found last weekend what they don’t offer.

On Sunday, I grabbed the St. Cloud Times once a highly regarded newspaper in Minnesota packed with tons of local news, sports and feature stories. I remember not so many years ago when it was a robust, award-winning daily publication with about 50 newsroom employees working hard to cover the St. Cloud greater area of about 200,000 residents.

But sadly, it’s no longer the case. It’s now a hollowed out “ghost paper” that has endured massive cuts from its corporate owner, Gannett. This scenario has played out so many times in recent years as hundreds of papers have either ceased printing or significantly reduced operations.

What I found quite honestly shocked me. Their weekend edition printed on Sunday contained three sections totaling 30 pages (excluding the comics section). A deeper dive into those 30 pages revealed not a single story produced by one of their staff members. I’m not even sure they have a local reporter on staff any longer. There was one local story in the entire paper written by a freelance writer. All the rest of the news copy came mostly from USA Today, which is also owned by Gannett, and other wire content from across the country.

Wait a minute, isn’t St. Cloud in the name of the newspaper? After all, it’s the St. Cloud Times. Apparently to greedy owners like Gannett that means absolutely nothing.

As a newspaper publisher, I would be horrified and ashamed to put out a newspaper like St. Cloud did on Sunday. My fear is Sunday’s was not out of the ordinary and has become pretty much the standard operating procedure for the daily newspaper (six days, not published on Saturday). I just shake my head in disbelief and can’t comprehend why corporate giants fail to get a better handle on saving journalism.

In contrast, the Steele County Times serving an area of about 45,000 residents contained 26 pages last week, which I actually consider an “off week” for us. However, within those pages, there were 21 local news stories produced by local reporters, along with a local editorial and several local columns. There were also 30 photos of local events or people of local interest. While last week may have been a slower week in the summer for us, I have begun to think there really is never a slow week anymore. Maybe the week after Christmas, if we’re lucky.

Which brings me to my point of sharing all of this with you. I hope you truly appreciate what my staff offers every week. Please don’t take it for granted. We are passionate about local news and covering the communities within Steele County and the surrounding area.

The St. Cloud Times is a textbook example of the decline of local print journalism. In St. Cloud, the Times has largely vanished as a premier independent civic institution. But rest assured we here at the Steele County Times are committed to not allowing that to happen to the greater community that you all so affectionately call home.

While we’re always in hot pursuit of local news, I can promise you that there is no room for a “ghost paper” on the local level, at least in Steele County.

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Starts with K

Publisher — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:29:34 +0000

Starts with K

Hypocrisy and humans go hand-in-hand

Publisher Wed, 07/15/2026 - 17:29

Kay Fate, Staff Writer

One day, years ago, my third son said to me, “Mom, I hope you don’t always describe me as your gay son.”

I usually don’t, but if you’re going to read this column, you need to know: I have a gay son. He is 34, single, lives in Wisconsin and is a special education paraprofessional at an elementary school. His coworkers and students love him.

It goes without saying, so do I.

That makes covering assignments like Rainbowatonna’s Pride in the Park a bit of a double-edged sword for me. I love seeing people laughing, celebrating, dancing and hanging out with friends.

There was a lot of that on Saturday at Owatonna’s Central Park.

On the other hand, I hate conflict – especially conflict rooted in, well, hate.

As promised, members and supporters of Old Paths Baptist Church in Northfield attended the event. They brought large signs, one with the 10 Commandments and another telling people to repent and believe in the gospel. Another large sign said “GOD HATES PRIDE,” a play on God’s Biblical view of people who are proud.

There was a sign decrying abortion, but without the graphic images displayed last year.

The little group stood first at the designated “free speech” area on the southwest corner of the park. When they were widely ignored, the protesters made their way to the northwest corner – where they were also largely ignored.

I saw just one man engage angrily with them: Marc Boyett, the parent of two LGBTQ+ children.

“I wanted to hear what they were saying,” he said later. “And you’ve got a preacher, right? Preaching out of the Bible – and he’s preaching hate. He’s spewing hate. He’s quoting Jesus, and Jesus didn’t spew hate.”

Boyett was referring to Jason Cooley, the minister at OPBC. He and a few other protesters took turns standing on a small metal bench, holding a Bible, citing scripture and their interpretation of it.

“The hypocrisy just drives me absolutely insane,” Boyett said.

“We’ve always been an ally,” said his partner, Jen Spencer. “They need to have the same rights as everyone else.”

But here’s the real beauty: The six or eight protesters were far outnumbered by the people enjoying a hot summer day with live music and food trucks and acceptance.

It was literally a park full of rainbows and unicorns.

The Rev. Steve Tyykila smiled through the condensation on the small clear plastic “window” in the face of a uniform costume he was wearing.

“It’s pretty hot,” he agreed.

Tyykila is the minister at Associated Church in Owatonna, which is itself no stranger to controversy around Pride.

The church is identified as a member of both the UCC coalition called Open and Affirming, and the Presbyterian Church’s ministry called More Light. The groups support and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

Church members agreed to a covenant and welcome, which was accepted in 2022.

“We did lose a few members,” said Larry Ostermeier, moderator at Associated. “It wasn’t traumatic, because it was a two-year process. We addressed all the issues, and when it came down to our final vote, 96% of the church voted yes.

“We had some resistance from the community, too,” he said.

Most of the concerns have died down now, though, “and we’ve had great leaders in the community, too.” Several church members are on the board of Rainbowatonna.

“I think people are getting the idea that we’re somewhat of a progressive group of thinkers, supportive of all people,” he said. “Actually, our covenant supports many different things, not just LGBTQ.”

Specifically, it reads in part: “Believing that each of us is created in God’s image, we celebrate people of all generations, races, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, family configurations, economic circumstances, physical, cognitive or emotional abilities, education, or spiritual and religious traditions.”

It’s hard work, actually. Like Boyett said, hypocrisy is often in the way.

Literally this morning, friends, I complained about a perceived transgression of a member of our church as I was driving home from church.

So yeah, I know hypocrisy. It’s why I also struggle to be angry at the protesters – people who would be cruel to my beloved child. I believe they’re acting out of fear; I’m just not sure what they’re afraid of.

If you’ll pardon the pun, Ostermeier practices what he preaches when talking about the protesters.

“You know, they’re using the Bible, too,” he said. “We have the philosophy of opening our arms to everyone. We try to show them all the same love.”

To that, I say, amen.

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