One of the most important things the city does is provide information to residents. People are busy. Family, jobs, extracurricular activities – it seems as if we’re all running from one thing to another with barely a moment to breathe. How then can the city make it convenient for people to s…
The end of the school year is a bittersweet time as we celebrate all that we have accomplished in our schools, launch seniors out into the world and thank our retiring staff for their dedication to public education.
The end of the school year is a bittersweet time as we celebrate all that we have accomplished in our schools, launch seniors out into the world and thank our retiring staff for their dedication to public education.
This could be a letter of condemnation and shame. Someone abandoned a kitten in a little carrier by the dumpster at the Prior Lake Holiday store last Sunday – no food, water, or note. Just a kitchen towel inside.
This is a letter of thanks to all who have attended or had a hand in the Passion of Jesus Play these past 40 Years!
An April 29 article in the American discusses Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools and a "controversial media policy." I have taken the time so solve this issue for you all.
Almost two years ago the beautiful rural area we live in officially became a city, which many residents of Credit River may not know. There were promises of continued status quo for the region, but upon learning of a potential large development, a group of concerned citizens formed together …
I wanted to reach out to recognize the fire rescue, police and Allina paramedics and the 911 dispatch who helped to save my life back on March 22.
Losing trust in local government is a concerning issue that affects the daily lives of millions of people around the world. When citizens feel they can no longer rely on their local government to provide basic services, protect their interests, and listen to their concerns, it can lead to a …
The push for innovative, clean energy is essential to economic growth in Minnesota for generations to come – but so is the need for an affordable and reliable energy grid. I, along with the rest of the Senate Republicans, have proposed clean energy solutions that practically meet the needs o…
Even for communities trying their best to protect the environment, it is easy to be misled that certain products are compostable when they actually aren’t. Many products, such as cups, plates, cutlery and napkins, display “green” designs or incorrect labeling that claim to be compostable — a…
The editorial page in any community newspaper represents the heartbeat of that community. Letters to the editor, based on facts, are informative and educational.
Too many people involved in supporting policies that relate to agriculture do not make a distinction between industrial agriculture and family farming. This is especially true in government sectors, but it also applies to media outlets that report on it.
I am not writing a letter to the editor to address one issue or another. I am writing about the bias in the media, including Southwest News Media.
A letter in the Feb. 25 issue of The American, “Leadership lacking on reentry home,” about a lack of leadership from the Prior Lake City Council with respect to the reentry home, as well as a follow-up article about the same issue, deserves some balance.
I have lived in Prior Lake in the same house since I moved here in 1977. Back then I loved snow as a Ski Club chaperone at Buck Hill and as a cross country skier at Cleary Lake Park and Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve.
Greetings. I am Karen Brandt, an 80-year-young woman who has been on Medicare for a while. I lost my lifelong partner 20 years ago and now live alone in a complex apartment in Prior Lake that houses about 160 seniors.
It is an honor to serve my neighbors in District 54B in St. Paul. As we approach halftime in the 2023 legislative session, I wanted to provide you with an update of where we stand at the Capitol.
Recently, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools Board of Education unanimously approved its legislative platform containing five priorities we believe will provide the greatest support for student and staff success in our district. The platform is just one way we as a school district can actively e…
On March 7, 2022, the Prior Lake City Council adopted a formal position on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. Specifically, the resolution recognizes the inherent dignity of and right for all to fair treatment, opportunity, and participation. This resolution was the result of months…
I believe most Americans are awake, if not woke, to the fact that the wellbeing of America and the world is at risk. Russian President Vladimir Putin demonstrated by his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine that he’s willing to risk a major war in Europe to regain dictatorial power that Communist …
Last summer, a unique investment opportunity came Prior Lake Rotary’s way. The project concept was not new — it was a water project in a developing country. And it was with a familiar partner, Jon Kaufman, the founder of H2OpenDoors.
“So we’re doing the Polar Plunge Saturday?”
What a winter! We’ve seen a snowstorm dump a foot of snow, followed by sub-zero freezing cold temps, and, more recently, it rained for an entire day! Fingers crossed all of it helps increase our Prior Lake water level. Kudos to our Prior Lake Public Works crews who work tirelessly to keep up…
To Our Prior Lake and SMSC citizens,
At this time of year, stalking through the forest with my camera in hand in search of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is one of my favorite activities. The crunching of leaves under my boots, the crisp cold air and the smell of the decomposing leaves are all part of the autumn whi…
Our family recently took a trip to visit a university. This was the kids’ first official college tour. It was a large university that had a sprawling campus and offered a variety of educational paths, housing options, and extracurricular activities.
Operant conditioning (behavior modification) is a metaphor for accountability. B.F. Skinner was an experimental psychologist at the University of Minnesota in the 1940s whose name and work came to be associated with operant conditioning and behavior modification. Skinner trained small animal…
Operant conditioning (behavior modification) is a metaphor for accountability. B.F. Skinner was an experimental psychologist at the University of Minnesota in the 1940s whose name and work came to be associated with operant conditioning and behavior modification. Skinner trained small animal…
It’s official: summer is over and fall has arrived. The days are shorter, the winds are cooler, and the trees are changing to their vibrant orange, red and gold. There are so many reasons to love autumn. On the top of my list is getting to enjoy all of the warm, comforting meals that find th…
Early fall brings an amazing insect to our flower gardens across the United States. It is the White-lined Sphinx Moth (Hyles lineata), also called the Hawk Moth or Hummingbird Moth. No matter what name you use, this is a large nectar feeding moth that looks and acts just like a hummingbird.
Sitting at the edge of the nest, the young Osprey is calling out in a begging call, trying to be fed. His high-pitched screams echo across the lake and, unfortunately go unanswered. His parents are not around. He is all alone and, worse yet, he is hungry.
What you see is not always what you think it is. This could be my mantra for nature.
I spend the entire month of June on a boat watching the sunrise and sunset. I do this because I am leading wildlife photography tours, to capture images of Loons. I am so fortunate to be outside, surrounded by nature for such a sustained amount of time. I see and hear so many cool birds and …
Last week, while leading a wildlife photography workshop to capture images of American black bears (Ursus americanus), we experienced a cuteness overload. Over three and half days, we saw many mother bears with spring cubs.
Recently I have been spending some time photographing a pair of trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) with six little cygnets. This swan family is not in a wilderness setting, but a suburban backyard pond.
The key to “seeing” nature is to stop and look. I know that seems rather obvious but it’s true. The simple act of stopping and looking is really all it takes to start to see more nature. This is something I learned a long time ago, but it seems that I need to stop and remember it every now a…
Not everything in nature appears the way you see it! I’ve said it over and over again in various ways. We see the natural world through the lens of a human and all of the things that go into being a human.
Tralfamadore is an alien world that appears in the novels of Kurt Vonnegut.
As we near the close of the 2021-22 school year, I have been reflecting not only on this year, but also on my seven-year career at Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (PLSAS) that has been filled with meaningful relationships, wonderful accomplishments and complex challenges. Throughout it all, I…
It’s Mother’s Day weekend. A time to thank the moms out there for all that they do. As a mom, I definitely enjoy the acknowledgment and pampering that often comes with the special day. My only problem is that I have a tough time answering the question, “What do you want for Mother’s Day?”
Back in the day when we lived in rural St. Peter, my kids went to school on a bus and loved it. They had a fun driver, "Snookie," who gave out candy for treats and they sang songs on the way to school.
This past weekend I did something I haven’t done in a long time. After a couple of years off, I felt like I was starting from scratch and had to relearn so many important skills. It took a lot of preparation and it wasn’t easy, but I made it through it just fine. In fact, I actually enjoyed myself!
Looking up into the dark Wyoming night sky, all the stars in the Milky Way were shining so brightly it looked like white paint had been splashed across the sky from horizon to horizon.
The other day, I spent several frantic moments searching the entire house for my phone. I eventually found it on the arm of a chair I’d been sitting in just minutes earlier. Whew, what a relief!
It seems like there are as many different strategies employed for a bird’s survival as there are species of bird.
I am fascinated by the diversity of mother nature. And this was abundantly clear to me the other day while I sat in a tiny chair blind, in the dark, waiting for the sun to come up and for a ruffed grouse to enter the habitat that lay before me.
Recently, I found myself back in a familiar place. One that I’d rather not have to visit so often. I was once again in the greeting card aisle, looking for a sympathy card.
Recently while leading a photo tour throughout Florida to photograph birds, it occurred to me how much things have changed. I don’t mean how much things have become worse, or crowded, but rather how much several species have increased in population.
A while ago, there was some discussion about how old is too old to shovel snow. One article said 45 years old was the time to stop. Another said that those over 55 should definitely find someone else to move the white stuff.
