Accident Claims Young Mother’s Life

A 32 year-old West Concord woman was killed in an automobile accident involving three vehicles on Monday December 30th . Scarlett Tanner of West Concord was involved in a head-on collision about …

2025 Messenger Valentine’s Day Drawing

Start the year out with our Valentine’s Day drawing. We are giving away a gift certificate to a local restaurant and a box of chocolates to six lucky winners in our Valentine’s Day giveaway. …

Local Raffle Supports St. Jude Children's Hospital

For the third year a raffle is taking place to raise funds locally for the St. Jude Children's Hospital. St. Jude Children's Hospital was founded in 1962 by Danny Thomas and has grown through the …

Southeast MN Adult Mental Health Initiative to Offer Grant Funding to Increase Mental Health Services Region Wide

The Southeast Adult Mental Health Initiative (SE AMHI) will be accepting applications for grant funding from mental health and related service providers starting January 10, 2025, from the following …

Applications Now Open for Century and Sesquicentennial Farm Recognition in Minnesota

Applications are now open for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Sesquicentennial Farm program, honoring Minnesota families that have owned their farms for at least 150 years. The deadline to apply is March …

United Way of Olmsted County to Host Centennial Gala

Rochester, MN – United Way of Olmsted County will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025 with a Centennial Gala on March 15, 2025 at J. Powers at the Hilton in Downtown Rochester. This special …

Dispose of Holiday Greens and Christmas Trees Correctly to Protect Minnesota’s Trees and Forests

Holiday greenery and Christmas trees bring joy throughout the season, but they can also hide dangerous pests. Diseases and invasive species can make their way into our landscapes on trees and boughs …

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Side Effects

What are the results of the choices you and I make? In this season of reflection and resetting, we can see how a choice made last year or a few years ago resulted in a specific outcome. Some outcomes …

A Minnesotan

2025. How can it already be 2025? It feels like not too long ago we were ringing in the new decade. I could take the time to talk about the first five years of the 2020s, but instead I’m going to …

The Importance of Time Spent Outdoors for Children

The concept of designated “outdoor time” is a mostly recent phenomenon. Some folks born in a year that starts with the number 19 can remember a time where your mother gave you a designated inside …

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Obituaries

Marvin Gene Vanderhyde

Marvin Gene Vanderhyde, born on December 23, 2939, in Mantorville, MN, passed away on January 6, 2025 in La Palma, CA. Marvin was a beloved father to his son, Troy, and daughter, Nikki. He also …

Jeffrey Scott Schlachter

Jeffrey Scott Schlachter was born on July 6, 1955, and died peacefully at his home in Claremont, after a battle with cancer on December 20, 2024. Jeff was born to George and Marie (Romano) …

Scarlett Suzanne Tanner

Scarlett Suzanne Tanner May 3, 1992 - December 30, 2024 Scarlett Suzanne Tanner, 32, passed away on December 30, 2024, following a tragic car accident. Scarlett was a beloved mother, daughter, …

Judy Biers

Judy Biers, age 67, passed away December 12, 2024, surrounded by family after a battle with cancer. Friends greeted the family from 3-6:00 PM Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at the Brick Meger …

Blair Edmund Schuck

Blair Edmund Schuck, 79, of Hager City, passed away in his home surrounded by family on November 18, 2024. Blair was born in Rochester, MN on February 2, 1945. He was the youngest of the four …

The Messenger January 2025 Issue 1

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Community

Planks for Spinal Health

When it comes to spine health, planks are one of the best exercises you can integrate into your routine. I’ve worked with countless individuals who struggle with posture issues and lower back pain, …

Claremont City Council Meeting - October 1, 2024

CITY OF CLAREMONT CITY COUNCIL MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2024 7:00 P.M. A regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Claremont, Minnesota was held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, …

Save the Date: Audition for Neil Simon's RUMORS

Under the direction of Bill Schnell, cast needs are: 8 major roles, 4 female and 4 male, and 2 minor roles. Ages 25 to 60. About the Play: At a large, tastefully-appointed Sneden's Landing …

Community

SEMCAC Announces January Grant Opportunity for Individual Artists

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. The …

Christmas in West Concord

The Wait is Over!

After almost 2 years of planning and waiting, and waiting...Union Coffee Cafe has finally come to fruition! Here is a sneak preview of the end product, and I'm happy to say, it is worth the wait. …

A single page from a book lies on the charred remains of a home that burned down in the 2025 Palisades fire in Los Angeles.

How the literature of fire can help readers find hope among the ashes

Reading and maintaining a human connection have a vital role to play as extreme events that have long served as the stuff of dystopian fiction simply become a part of everyday life.

How do you create a workplace that people want to work in? We embedded in a company to find out

Going to the office doesn’t have to be a chore. Here’s how:

Actress Diane Ladd in a scene from David Lynch's 1990 film 'Wild At Heart.' Samuel Goldwyn Company/Getty Images

David Lynch exposed the rot at the heart of American culture

When Lynch’s films were first released, they seemed to be funhouse-mirror reflections of society. Not so anymore.

To counter gun violence, he recruits police from the communities most afflicted

The Trace examines how a chief deputy in Ohio is fighting for a community policing approach to gun violence in the movement for police reform across the Midwest.

The slow, powerful work of bridging the women's health gap

Reasons to be Cheerful looks at the growing focus on women in medical research.