Benning Printing & Publishing

I finally did something fun this summer. As the chaos of a hectic and depressing summer finally begins to wind down, my boyfriend and I found ourselves with something we haven’t had much of lately—a day with nothing planned. The weather was nice, and he wanted to get outside and do some hiking. We started looking at local parks when I came across the Thomas Dambo trolls in Detroit Lakes. I thought that sounded like a fun adventure and something his kid may like, so we decid

Grief is contagious. To say this has been a busy and stressful summer would be an understatement. Mom’s battle with cancer has been only half of it. Recently, my boyfriend lost his older brother to cancer. After spending his entire life in and out of hospitals for medical conditions he was born with, and for countless surgeries, and also living with a tracheostomy, he made the difficult decision not to pursue treatment. He was only 41 years old. From what little time I kn

The newspaper hasn’t changed, but the way mail is delivered has. Each week, we get calls from people wondering why their newspapers are late or they never receive them. Recent changes in the Postal Service mean that mail delivery is more unpredictable, especially for rural newspapers. Even if a newspaper is printed, labeled, and sent to the post office on time, it doesn’t always arrive when expected. For one person, a newspaper mailed on Tuesday might come on Wednesday, but

I hurt my back while switching out a five-gallon water jug over the weekend. I’ve done this many times before, but this time I felt something pull in my back. By the evening, I was in horrible pain. That night, I wasn’t home and wasn’t paying attention when I took a steroid, which kept me awake, resulting in a horrible night’s sleep. I took another one in the morning. Between that and the Tylenol, I was able to make it home for muscle relaxers, hoping Monday would be better.

To the Editor: No Reason To Die Who am I? My name is Norman Hagelstrom. I was born at the Thiel hospital in Bertha on January 27, 1940. I graduated from Bertha-Hewitt School in 1958. I have spent the last sixty plus years studying the human mind. The following is what I’ve learned. Our cells are constantly dying every few days to ten years. New young cells replace these retiring cells. If we completely renew our cells every ten years why do they wear out? They wear ou

Every time I scroll through social media, I see another event flyer. After a while, they all start looking the same. They all have the same bold fonts, the same glossy backgrounds, and the same over-the-top lighting. Before I even read the words, I can usually tell it was made with AI. I understand why people use AI. Not everyone has the budget to hire a graphic designer or the skills to create something from scratch. AI can be a helpful starting point. But when everyone is

Having a sick parent is challenging for anyone, but dealing with a parent who experiences hallucinations and incoherent mumbling takes it to another level. My mom is currently battling her second bout of lung cancer, which has spread to her neck and brain. She has undergone radiation treatment for her brain and is currently going through chemotherapy. Things are about as good as they can be expected, but she hasn’t gone a week without a trip to the hospital or emergency room

Editor’s Note: Letters to the editor are opinions expressed by the author. They do not necessarily represent the views of this publication and have not been independently fact-checked. To the Editor: I can’t believe it is June already! This year (2026) is half over, time really flies as we all get older each day. In June, we celebrate Father’s Day. My father passed away in 2001 of cancer and has been in Heaven enjoying our Lord and Savior for many years. I thought we cou

A conversation at a gas station this morning got me thinking. I walked in and spotted a wad of dollar bills on the floor. Another customer said it wasn’t his and handed it to the cashier to hold in case someone came looking for it. Most of us have come across random money at some point—a $20 in a parking lot or a dollar bill blowing down the sidewalk. Depending on the amount and the circumstances, you either pocket it or turn it in to the police or a nearby business and hop

To the Editor: Our greatest privilege is our private line to the desk of Jesus. He operates a tremendous switchboard, and there is never a line out of order, unless it’s down here. Prayer is the thing that is neglected the most down here, and I believe this neglect can explain the difference between “the haves and the have nots.” You’ve never met, and neither have I, a great Christian who wasn’t great on his knees. Your knees, and maybe the bend in your shoes if you pray