Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I read your recent article about vehicle equipment and taking the road test for your driver’s license. When I take my test, can I take my dog along with me?   Answer: Minnesota state statute says pets or loose objects that may distract, injure, or break are not allowed in the… Read More

Publisher’s Perspective Chad Koenen There is perhaps no more important phrase in a dad’s arsenal than the phrase “go ask your mother.” Perfecting the delivery of the phrase can take a few years, but when you do, these four words can be the difference between a lengthy “discussion” with a child or staying arms length… Read More

Garver’s Movie Review Bob Garver Few blockbuster franchises are as reviled by critics as “Transformers.” The 2007 original and its 2009 sequel “Revenge of the Fallen” both have special places among the worst movies of all time. Later sequels weren’t exactly improvements (though 2018 spinoff “Bumblebee” was surprisingly-well-reviewed), but they didn’t inspire the same vitriol, if… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: My child will be taking their road test for getting their driver’s license. Do you know what vehicle equipment if required for this? Answer: The Minnesota State Patrol does not oversee these activities. That would be the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS.) But here is some information from their website and… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda Here’s a question for you: How many coffee cups should one household have? Or need. Or possess? As S. and I combine households, that question about the proper number of cups has arisen. I guess then so has the word “household,” which is one of those odd words that we take for… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I see a lot of vehicles broke down and on the side of the road in the summer months. This is when we have our best weather but I am not sure if people realize how hard the heat can be on a vehicle. Many look like they are on… Read More

Garver’s Movie Review Bob Garver How wrong I was about 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” When I saw the first trailer, I remember groaning about starting a fourth big-screen Spider-Man continuity when we were still in the middle of the Tom Holland version, hadn’t had a proper conclusion for the Andrew Garfield version, and weren’t far… Read More

To the Editor, I’m writing to let the town of Frazee know how disappointed I am.   Having grown up in this town, I have always felt the “Minnesota Nice” concept from this town and state… Oh how things have changed! This is what happened. I put flowers on the grave of my two sons who died in… Read More

The Prairie Spy Alan “Lindy” Linda It’s wood tick season. And it’s doctor season. Wood ticks because this is their time of the year in Minnesota, and doctors because there are new cases of Covid-19 in Minnesota. My nephew—he’s not really a nephew, he is by proper description a second cousin, being the son of a cousin, but… Read More

Ask A Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow Question: I know you talk about winter travel survival kits when it is that time of the year. But with summer upon us, can you talk about that and things motorists should have? Answer: Great idea! Motorists need to be prepared when traveling at any time or anywhere. Here is some information… Read More