Columns/Opinion

Proposed industrial pig operation not good fit for area’s fragile geology

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/23/2018 - 10:33am

I'm writing to urge everyone in the Root River watershed to express your concerns about Catalpa LLC's proposed giant pig CAFO (confined animal feeding operation) in Newburg Township. It would house 4,980 sows that would generate 19,920 gallons of manure daily directly uphill of an intermittent as well as a perennial stream.

Death of author brings back memories of a time long gone

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/23/2018 - 10:31am

The recent death of author Tom Wolfe probably didn’t register with too many people, except maybe those who are fond of “The Right Stuff,” the story of the first astronauts and the Mercury space program. Of course, “The Right Stuff” became widely known not for the book, but when the story written by Wolfe was adapted into a film in 1983 with a cast that included Sam Shepard, Dennis Quaid and Ed Harris.

Why mow when you can make hay?

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/23/2018 - 9:43am

I may have mentioned this before, but in case you didn’t know, the Clan lives out in the country.

If you were wondering what the home address, we live next door to two cornfields, with a scenic view of a bean field out back. You can’t miss it.

One of the side effects of living out in the country, however, is that we have about an acre of lawn to mow on a semi-weekly basis all through the summer and fall.

That mowing starts now.

Not-so-long-ago parade seems long ago

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/23/2018 - 9:36am

Not so long ago, 1985 (33 years ago), the Ag Day parade was going down Broadway (north).  It is interesting to see the business signs in the background of parade photos to see what changed.

1) Fire engines:  maybe the latest and the oldest??  

Then we see the line up behind the units:  

• Parson's Stone Block built in 1871, succumbing to fire in 2017; already there was a 7 Up sign for Johnny Ringo's Bar -- was that a bar then?  

• Dueber's dime store...what a fine retail store that was -- just what was available for a dime?  Good place, anyway.  

Distracted legislating may kill proposed cell phone bill

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 05/17/2018 - 9:13am

A state trooper stopped a 25-year-old pickup truck driver in northwestern Minnesota last month and gave him a citation for texting and driving. He was using his phone to pay the fine for another texting and driving ticket he had received two weeks before, according to a report in the Star Tribune.

Garage sale bargain bikes don’t come with brakes

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 05/17/2018 - 9:02am

I’ve been told before, by people who are amazed by the Clan’s gardening, home schooling, and so on that “There’s nothing your family can’t do!”

Most of the time, I’d agree with those people. If we put our minds to it and work together, the Clan can pull of almost anything. But even the Clan has limits, and there are some things you're never going to see us do.

Starting a touring trapeze troupe comes to mind immediately, as does doing all of our math without complaining. Or, as we are always reminded at this time of year, opening a bike repair shop.

World’s Fair was magical city in Chicago in 1933

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 05/17/2018 - 8:52am

It was sandwiched between Lake Michigan and the Illinois Central Railroad along the shores of Chicago...this was touting the “Official Guide Book of the Fair - A Century of Progress!” This was 1933 — the year I was born.  The World’s Fair had over 100 attractions, and “What is the meaning of it all?”  "Millions are expended — A magic city created — Throngs come — The world watches — Then it vanishes — WHY?”  

Breakdowns causing problems

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/09/2018 - 10:20am

I’ve had a lot of experience with breakdowns in the past few weeks, unfortunate occurrences that force some element of creativity to solve workarounds.

The first breakdown was in my body. After remaining sedentary all Saturday due to a freak April winter storm, I got up Sunday and was a bit stiff from sitting too long the previous day. That was annoying, but not a problem.

However, later in the day while I was reaching for something in the back seat of the car, I felt a sharp pain in my back. I could barely walk and I even thought I saw stars, as the old saying goes.

My Mom has unreasonableness down to a science

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/09/2018 - 10:12am

For once, I’m ahead of the game. For once, I’ve remembered which week in May Mother’s Day falls on.

And for once, I have a plan in mind for what people ought to know about my mom.

I’ve explained/complained numerous times before about how my mom is unreasonable. It’s come up in my May 10, 2017, column titled “Unreasonable parents make children wear socks” and also in a column called “Clan kids well-behaved due to crabby chores” from September 27, 2017. 

Final look at history of churches in Spring Valley

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Wed, 05/09/2018 - 10:03am

We continue with church stories from the History of Spring Valley 1855—1980.  The Free Methodist Church was organized in 1915 at a "tent" meeting.  Pastor was Miss Ida Helgen who moved on to mission work in Haiti.  The “church” met at various places in homes on Saturdays and Sundays.  About 1950, the Rev. Russell reorganized the work, and the annual conference purchased a house and lot on Center Avenue.  The church was meeting in the “basement church” for some time but what happened to it?   I do not know, and perhaps someone can fill me in.