It is a special time of year for families and friends. 2021 has been a challenging year in so many ways.
On Tuesday, Sept. 21 the Scott County Board of Commissioners approved a maximum levy increase of 3.99% for property taxes payable in 2022. While all five commissioners voted to approve this maximum levy amount, in watching the board meeting it was obvious that commissioners were looking for …
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and an important time to recognize and stand up for victims and survivors.
When it comes to home, local leaders have been stepping up. But there isn’t enough investment from the state back into our communities — and that’s a problem in the long run.
Climate change is an urgent issue with local and global impacts. In Minnesota, our cars and trucks account for the largest source of harmful emissions. To move forward on addressing climate change via our transportation sector, Governor Walz and the Office of Administrative Hearings gave Cle…
For well over one year the taxpayers of Scott County have been subject to the unconstitutional and wrongheaded actions of our governor and his one man rule-by-decree. The business crushing, job killing, education robbing, life-sucking policies of the governor have only been allowed to contin…
My husband Mike and I are moving into management of his family’s fourth generation farm. We live in an area where there’s been major declines in successful farming thanks to outdated federal guidance from the 1970s to “farm fencerow to fencerow,” which prioritized yield to pad the bottom lin…
We want to give a big thank you to the people in our community who gave so generously to the VFW Post and Auxiliary Poppy Drive on Friday, May 7.
We have the best local library. I believe the previous statement is true for a variety of reasons. First, since the moment I moved into town the staff have welcomed me and my growing family. They also did an excellent job sending out summer literacy packets to encourage families to still rea…
In a time when spirits are often low and the skies appear dark, a little ray of sunshine peeked through on April 4, in a neighborhood in the town of Jordan.
April is national Volunteer Appreciation Month and I want to thank all the volunteers out there that make our communities stronger, safer and healthier for everyone. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteers are needed more than ever at nonprofits and we applaud all of you that are…
Every Scott County business with unreimbursed COVID related losses since March 1, 2020 should be livid.
Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative (MVEC) members were mailed a packet for MVEC’s Annual Meeting. Included was a bylaw question. One of the proposed bylaw changes removes director term limits.
My pedigree in the Republican Party of Minnesota runs deep. All the way back to a precinct caucus in February 1974 held in a farm kitchen in rural Goodhue County. I promptly got elected to the county convention. I kept going to caucus and county conventions for several years after my move ho…
The recent column by Tim Reckmeyer did a very good job of highlighting the urgency of the climate crisis and that the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act is the best first step to tackle the issue. But I want to stress to readers of this paper that addressing climate change is going to…
What happened to the America that I grew up in? An America that welcomed immigrants and embraced those looking for a better life in the greatest country on Earth. An America where people were considered innocent until proven guilty. An America where the news media reported the facts and the …
The events of this past week have caused five people to lose their lives, leave our country with a major black eye, and completely undermined the process of governance that has existed for almost 250 years. The reaction has left people with shock and anger with knee jerk reactions across the…
On behalf of the Jordan Lions and Jordan Fire Department, I am proud to announce the success of this year’s Christmas Food Basket program. This year the program served 176 families with a wonderful Christmas basket with a turkey and ham and your traditional family meal fixings.
After reading Gary Shelton's editorial, I think he needs to turn off his TV news and put down his paper. Maybe he could cheer himself up by looking at his 401K balance. He believes, among other things (according to his editorial last week) that President Trump is vain, dishonest, vulgar and …
This is in response to the Nov. 14 letter to the editor by Josh Ondich, who wondered if we would ever know who won the presidential election. The answer is yes, we know who won.
Residents please take note there are over 200 newly mapped properties in Jordan that have been added to the Jordan Flood Zone. As an insurance agent that has sold flood insurance in Jordan for many years, please citizens take and do participate in the program that the city has offered.
I watched the election coverage waiting like everyone else for a final answer. But my eye was drawn to the state map with red and blue counties. The election was decided by the total votes but we are going to live in a world of red and blue counties.
I'm concerned that the focus of the Jordan School District is skewed toward continuing the athletics program, when the education of the children receive through distance learning is failing them. At the school board meeting on Nov. 12, Jordan Public Schools administrators announced that, due…
I have always promoted third-party voting as a way to highlight your issue to major party candidates for whom you would have to hold your nose or cross your fingers to support. My preference though would be to pass ranked-choice voting where a voter could support a candidate or party that em…
The events of the presidential election during the past weeks with legal challenges, recounts and ongoing absentee ballots being accepted after Election Day in multiple states.
The city of Jordan is alive and thriving due to the strong leadership of Mayor Tanya Velishek. She does not play party politics, which is important in today's world. During the last four years your community has received much positive attention, from the Jordan Tap Room, Mousse Sparkling Win…
It was National 4-H Week again. I have 60 years of involvement in Scott County 4-H. If you add my mother’s career we have 80 years of the nearly 100 years of 4-H covered. I am a parent of successful 4-H members. I believe 4-H is a tool in raising successful children.
The mounting human and financial toll being exacted by our changing climate can leave us wondering how much time we have left before we simply must make significant changes in energy production and usage to ward off the worst consequences of a warming planet.
I really appreciate that this paper helps inform us about the candidates in our elections. I, like most people, want to be an informed voter. But there was one thing in particular that jumped out at me when reading the recent Q&A articles for Minnesota House District 55B. The question wa…
I first met Mike Franklin seven years ago when he was working on a marketing strategy for a local business.
I have known Mike and the Franklin family since our children entered pre-school together eight years ago. He is passionate about the success of our community and our schools; therefore, I believe Mike when he says he will work side by side with the school district to achieve our mutual goals.
I am writing to support the re-election of District Court Judge Joseph Carter in Minnesota’s First Judicial District.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and an important time to recognize and stand up for victims and survivors. Did you know that one in three women and one in four men experience domestic violence in their lifetimes? We would like to think it doesn’t happen in our community, but the…
I just read Amanda Schuh's recent column and wanted to thank her for being a voice of reason regarding the pandemic.
It is standard fare for advocates to say that this is the most important election ever. However, in 2020 I think it is abundantly clear that our vote this time is of particular consequence. As a country and a state we remain mired in dreadful problems. The constant tumult and dysfunction at …
If there is one issue that will affect every U.S. citizen at some point in their lives, it’s health care. Regardless of political leanings, everyone will suffer from what some providers consider a pre-existing condition at some point in their lives. The impacts of this will be felt more than…
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association represents Minnesota’s public safety officers, including police, corrections officials, dispatchers, and firefighters.
It’s Thursday, Sept. 3. I am very fortunate to work for a healthy company and can do so from home. I strolled to the curb to grab the JI so I could catch up on local news over lunch.
The role of a representative is right in the name: to represent. However, in order for that person to be a good representative, they must be held accountable. We don’t serve our representatives; they serve us, the constituents. For years, the people of Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District …
At last week's City Council meeting, I was on the agenda to appeal a fine for failing to comply with one part of Jordan’s Rental Ordinance, specifically Jordan’s requirement that I attend an all-day training session on "crime free" housing. Over the past year, and at Monday's meeting, I was …
Relay For Life is a chance for communities to fight back against cancer. It’s a chance to honor those who are currently fighting cancer, those who have beat it, and those brave individuals who have lost their lives to the unforgiving disease. It’s a night for the community to come together t…
In the June 4, 2020 edition of the Prior Lake American, editor Dan Holtmeyer asked each Minnesota congressional candidate their thoughts and position regarding “police policy changes." Again, our Republican representative and candidate for House District 55B Tony Albright didn't comment. In …
Minnesota’s economy is opening up again — and it couldn’t come soon enough.
In light of the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers it demonstrates that we have a policing problem.
Recently, a U.S. citizen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Scott County courtroom. I assume that as part of his plea agreement, the defendant admitted certain facts and that those facts constituted a sufficient basis for finding the defendant guilty of second-degree murder without intent.
National Day of Prayer is celebrated annually throughout the United States on the first Thursday of May. Since 1952, each president has signed a proclamation encouraging all Americans to pray. As an act of Congress, National Day of Prayer is intended for all people of faith to pray to the Go…
I am writing to thank everyone who has worked to respond to COVID-19 and prevent its spread in the community. Avoiding exposure to this virus is especially important for people whose immune systems have been compromised.
April is national Volunteer Appreciation Month and I want to thank all the volunteers out there that make our communities stronger, safer and healthier for everyone. Especially during the COVID-19 epidemic, volunteers are needed more than ever at nonprofits and we applaud all of you that are…
We wanted to thank the Chaska SnoHawks and our friends and family for making our daughter Madelyn's benefit on March 7 a huge success. We also want to thank all of the individuals and businesses in the surrounding communities that donated. It was an incredible evening and we were blown away …
Coronavirus is expanding quickly and we now have a national emergency. This is serious because of its evolving and dynamic nature. With the enormous scope of the problem, a lot of questions and not much answer, it is easy to get confused, demoralized, frozen with fear and transfixed into inaction.
