… I might just as well wrap this up.

Writing a column in a weekly newspaper, especially one in a community this small and close knit, often feels like one is a salmon swimming upstream with a grizzly bear standing on shore with an expectant, hungry, look on his face. And yet I would not change one moment of it.

Student Debt: Fairness Is the Issue

The drumbeat for abolishing student debt is growing as students and former students feel the financial crunch of poor employment and increasing inflation. Forty five million (45,000,000) Americans owe $1.6 trillion ($1,600,000,000) for federal student loans.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, I had worked up myself through a real good rant but I have to walk that back in light of the good news. However, some of what I planned to say is still apropos: this is so wrong on many levels. You are the age of my daughter; so I should be on the sidelines, not you.

Editor’s Letter to the Readers

Dear Readers, It has been my privilege to be the Editor of Valley News & Views since September 2014. During this time, I have had the help of columnists; K.C. Garder, Pastor Leroy Aufenkamp, Saralee Hoselton, Christine Jensen, Laiken Larson & Taylor Stegman, Cindy Bronson, Clint Van Camp, and Mrs.

Pastor Leroy’s Column

There are “Christians” and then there are Christians as defined by the Bible. In the former category are people who are Christians because they do not belong to another religion.

KC’s Column

GREAT BEGINNINGS, 1830 Announcer: “When a Girl Marries. Maxwell House, that ripe, mellow, satisfying coffee that’s good to the last drop, presents When a Girl Marries, a tender, human story of young married life, dedicated to everyone who has ever been in love.

Liturgy of Life

“He has achieved success who has worked well, laughed often, and loved much.” - Elbert Hubbard In the successful analogy of life’s present moments, one finds the greatest sufficiency of commonality.

Will My Husband’s Benefits Continue After He Dies?

Dear Rusty: My husband is 65 and I am 55. He has recently been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. My question is, will I continue receiving his full social security check every month after his passing? Will the amount decrease?

What is Next?

I want to thank many readers who have encouraged me with their comments. Considering I was reluctant to start writing weekly it has been a good run. Here it is more than two years later and not a week went by when I didn’t turn in something for the column. What is next?

Bowesmont Lives

May 10th Gayle McConnell visited John and Jan Styles at their farm home before they left for their new home in Helena, MT. They are sorely missed as neighbors. That day Gayle McConnell drove to West Fargo to the home of Mike, Rachel and Ava Wittrock.