Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

“Words to Meet the Moment,” an event January 15, 2026

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(Image sourced online from Content Bookstore, Northfield, Minnesota)

RENEE GOOD, fatally shot by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis on January 7, was an award-winning poet. That is fact. The federal government has flooded Minnesota with thousands of ICE agents. That, too, is fact.

So it seems fitting that “Words to Meet the Moment—A Poetry Event Against Fascism” is set for 2 pm Sunday, January 18, at The Grand Event Center in Northfield. More than 20 poets have already signed up to read their poetry, or that written by others, at this public gathering.

According to organizers (Content Bookstore, The Grand and Northfield area poets), the event is intended to bring the community together in response to recent ICE presence in Northfield and in response to the killing of Renee Good.

There is power in poetry, in the written and spoken word. The arts in general—whether literary, visual or performing—have long been a way to meet the moment. In 2021, for example, the Ramsey County Library published This Was 2020: Minnesotans Write About Pandemics and Social Justice in a Historic Year. That collection of short prose and poetry addressed the COVID-19 pandemic, the justice for George Floyd movement and the overall political climate in our country in 2020. My poem, “Funeral During a Pandemic” was selected for publication in the collection.

While I won’t be available to participate in Sunday’s “Words to Meet the Moment” poetry reading in Northfield, I will be there in spirit. And if I am so inspired, I will work on a poem to submit. That’s an option for those who can’t attend or who don’t want to read.

“Words to Meet the Moment” is about more than just words, though. Event planners are also accepting donations for Northfield Supporting Neighbors, a grassroots organization founded to help meet the needs of local immigrants, especially for legal services.

This marks a moment in time when we can use our words, our hands, our financial resources to make a difference. Or we can do nothing. I choose meeting the moment with strength, courage, hope, action and words.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

From Red Wing: The Equal Rights Meat Market January 14, 2026

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“Stand in the Shadows” public art outside the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Red Wing shares interesting local history. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

Oh, the things you discover when you least expect it. That can be said for the local history highlighted outside the Red Wing Salvation Army Thrift Store. There, imprinted upon the sidewalk, I found these words: I was born as chattel but on this corner I was an owner and bought cattle for The Equal Rights Meat Market—1897.

The Equal Rights Meat Market once stood at this location. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

And that’s how I learned about Red Wing’s first Black-white owned business opened in 1897 at the site of the current-day thrift shop on the corner of Plum and Fifth streets. Jeremiah Patterson, born into slavery, and activist Julia Bullard Nelson co-owned the meat market in this Mississippi riverside community in southern Minnesota.

I love when communities pull hidden history out of the archives and publicly share it in creative ways. If not for this “Stand in the Shadows” public arts project, I would have had no idea that the thrift shop I was about to enter stood on the site of The Equal Rights Meat Market.

That name, oh, that name. Equal Rights. It fits. Nelson was a leader in women’s suffrage. For a white woman and a Black man (freed from slavery) to go into business together in the late 19th century, especially in predominantly white rural Minnesota, speaks to their strength, confidence and courage.

But then again, the two forged ahead on multiple fronts. Nelson taught African Americans in government Freedmen Schools down South when that was not necessarily well-received during post Civil War Reconstruction. Patterson was her student. He eventually moved to Minnesota to manage Nelson’s farm south of Red Wing near Belvidere. Patterson would marry a local white woman, Verna Gaylord, in 1886 with the interracial couple having nine children.

A summary of the story behind The Equal Rights Meat Market is showcased at the thrift shop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

I considered all of this fascinating as I researched information based on that sidewalk message and on a plaque posted outside the Salvation Army thrift store.

Similar historical info and a sidewalk imprint are also located by Red Wing’s St. James Hotel, although I missed seeing that. That poem reads: Bondage and war behind me/Back and forth, trunks and trolley, from train, from steamboat to the St. James Hotel/I landed here, worked and forged a life. This honors another Black man, Joseph Parker, enslaved in Kentucky and later a porter at the hotel. He is the great grandfather of Seitu Ken Jones, a multidisciplinary artist from St. Paul and lead on the “Stand in the Shadows” public art in Red Wing.

As I searched out the backstory, I learned that the Patterson family eventually left Red Wing, after the Ku Klux Klan became active in the area in the early 1920s. It’s an unsavory part of Minnesota history that some would prefer remain hidden. I’d rather know about such hatred than pretend it never happened.

My shadow falls on the sidewalk as I photograph the words. This art also includes a sidewalk silhouette although I don’t recall seeing it. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2025)

On this day in Red Wing outside the Salvation Army Thrift Store, I learned about two strong individuals who owned The Equal Rights Meat Market. Although the business remained open for only a short time, it leaves a legacy of strength and equality in this community.

This public arts project reminds us that history cannot, should not, be erased, rewritten or hidden. Those words—“born as chattel” to “I was an owner and bought cattle for The Equal Rights Meat Market”—need to be imprinted not only upon a sidewalk, but also upon our collective spirits. Especially now. And in recognition of civil rights leader and activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who is honored annually, this year on Monday, January 19.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Council chat focuses on community concerns January 13, 2026

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Downtown Faribault during a snowstorm on a recent Sunday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo December 2025)

COMPLAIN. COMPLAIN. COMPLAIN. We all do it, right? While venting helps, that doesn’t solve problems. But listening, really listening, and sharing ideas thoughtfully and respectfully moves us toward solutions.

With that introduction, I point to the city of Faribault and its monthly Council Chats, an opportunity to engage with elected officials, city staff and others on issues of concern within the community. I’ve been to several of these and really appreciate the informal format of short presentation followed by a Q & A and then mingling. “Chat” definitely fits.

Faribault has experienced a surge in apartment construction in recent years, especially near downtown. This shows Straight River Apartments under construction in April 2022. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2022)

This month’s meeting, set for 6 pm Wednesday, January 14, at the Viaduct Park building, is promoted as a “Community Listening Session” led jointly by city staff and the Community Action Center, a community-based human services nonprofit in Faribault (and also in Northfield). Lack of housing, environmental concerns and employment opportunities will focus discussion. Those have been identified as top issues by city residents.

Based on the pre-event information I’ve read, the Community Listening Session promises to be a worthwhile sharing of information, exchange of ideas and thoughtful conversation. Attendees will be able to view and give feedback on locally-themed posters with Faribault specific data. It is the feedback that I find invaluable in planning for the future of my community. Attendees may have other concerns they wish to address.

The Community Action Center, according to its Facebook page, has been working hard to gather information for Wednesday’s chat:

Over the last few months we’ve been collecting meaningful feedback from our neighbors about important topics impacting all of our daily lives. Through one-on-one conversations with food shelf shoppers and folks at community events, by carefully listening to parent groups and partners, while reading responses from multilingual surveys, and by hearing participant stories, we are finally prepared (and excited) to share the perspectives and experiences that will help inform the future of our community.

The Gathering Room at Viaduct Park, the city’s newest park, will be the site of Wednesday evening’s Council Chat Listening Session. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo December 2025)

I am hopeful turn-out for this event will be good. People are too quick to criticize, especially on social media. Too quick to blame. Too quick to attack. Too quick to think their voice either doesn’t matter or is the only one that matters.

In many ways, these Council Chats are the most basic form of grassroots government—like sitting down over a cup of coffee, or a bottle of beer if you prefer that, and talking to one another sensibly. If we actually listen to one another, then perhaps together we can forge a plan of action that betters our community.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

I’ll take laughter & giggles with a cinnamon roll, please

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The iconic Pillsbury Doughboy on signage in small town southern Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

IF LAUGHTER IS GOOD MEDICINE, then I need a mega dose right now to ease the stress I feel these days.

Last Friday evening I got a large dose of laughter while attending the Little Fish Improv Comedy Show at the Paradise Center for the Arts. It felt good to laugh, to mostly forget about reality. That would return soon enough, in fact the next afternoon as I stood protesting on a street corner near the Paradise in downtown Faribault.

But Friday evening I laughed. I relaxed. I smiled, consciously aware of my face lifting into a smile throughout the performance. Afterwards I thanked the performers for the much-needed laughter and diversion during an extremely difficult week in Minnesota.

The entire sign, which I could only photograph through trees, vegetation and shadows. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

Now days later, when I really need a second dose of laughter, I remember photos I took in small town Dennison several months ago. They are of a Pillsbury Doughboy sign leaning against a shed along the main highway that runs through this southern Minnesota community.

The Pillsbury Doughboy is much older than the 25 years stated on this vintage sign. He is nearly 61 years old with a birth date of March 18, 1965. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo September 2025)

The Pillsbury Doughboy, spokesman for Poppin’ Fresh refrigerated dough products since 1965, is a memorable and much-beloved marketing figure. Poke his tummy and he giggles. Everything about this character in the white chef’s hat, scarf tied around his neck, makes me feel good. Smile. Laugh.

Not only that, but just the thought of popping open a tube of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls elicits joyous anticipation. I can imagine the scent of cinnamon wafting from a hot oven as the rolls bake. I can taste the sugary sweetness of a still-warm roll drizzled in icing. Yum.

This is what I need now to counterbalance the angst that is part of life today in this country. I need, not to forget, not to give up, but to counterbalance the craziness with that which is good. A warm cinnamon roll. A night out at a comedy show and cocktails afterwards with dear friends. And most of all, laughter.

TELL ME: What are you doing to counterbalance any stress you may be experiencing due to what’s unfolding in your community, your state and America? What makes you smile, laugh, giggle?

I also direct you to a Cinnamon Roll Casserole recipe posted by my friend Sue, a food blogger. Click here to see that recipe.

 

Protesting in Faribault January 11, 2026

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Me with my new friend, Bashir, a U.S. citizen who now carries his passport with him at all times. Bashir works as a family and community engagement specialist in the Faribault Public Schools. (Copyrighted photo by & courtesy of Chloe Kucera, Faribault Daily News)

SATURDAY AFTERNOON, as a raw northwest wind swept down Minnesota State Highway 60, I stood side-by-side with others at a busy intersection in the heart of downtown Faribault. I stood in solidarity over concerns about ICE enforcement locally, across the state and country. I stood in solidarity over concerns about the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7. I stood in solidarity over concerns for our democracy. And I stood in love and support of my neighbors.

Neighbors like Bashir, a long-time Faribault resident whom I met shortly after arriving at the gathering to the sound of bagpipes. My interaction with him nearly broke me emotionally after Bashir reached inside his jacket and pulled out his passport. “I carry this with me everywhere now,” he said. It’s one thing to hear and read about this in media reports. It’s quite another to meet a U.S. citizen “forced” to carry his passport by a president who has publicly stated he wants Somalis out of the country.

My humanity, my compassion, my heart and soul and spirit call upon me to support individuals like my new friend, Bashir, in this moment. My humanity also calls upon me to support the Latino and Hispanic communities who comprised the majority of the 25 or so of us gathered during the quickly-organized protest on Saturday.

Organizer Sonia mingled among us, protesting, passing out hot chocolate and later distributing educational information about Constitutional rights, alerting others to ICE’s presence and more.

The second protest sign I made and which my husband carried. Many at the rally held similar signs. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

ICE IN FARIBAULT

In conversations, I learned that ICE has been especially active in Faribault recently. I’d heard this previously from multiple sources. Protester Travis, who works in the school system, confirmed this, noting that student attendance is down. He watched for ICE vehicles during the rally and had every right to be worried given ICE activity along Lyndale Avenue in Faribault earlier Saturday. That resulted in multiple 911 calls, including one from a caller claiming they were “about to get shot,” according to a media release from Faribault Police Chief John Sherwin. Officers responded to ensure public safety. ICE was there. But no shooting occurred.

We are a state and community on edge following the killing of Renee Good. We are a state and community under incredible stress as the federal government relentlessly targets Minnesota and the people who call this state home. It is unfathomable to think that those of skin tones other than white must fear they will be taken by masked agents. It was not lost on me that I am (at least for now) exempt because I am white.

Another new friend, a young Hispanic woman named Christina, shared how ICE agents are patrolling the Cannon River Mobile Home Park, home to many Hispanics and Latinos. Residents are afraid to leave their homes for fear of being taken by ICE. Doesn’t matter if you are here legally or not.

Protesters line the sidewalk at the intersection of Central Avenue and highway 60. I am hugging Bashir in this image. (Copyrighted photo by & courtesy of Chloe Kucera, Faribault Daily News)

OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE SUPPORT

As I stood with Bashir, Sonia, Travis, Christina, Hannah, a high school senior and a mix of multi-aged Latinos, Hispanics and white people like me, I felt empowered. Our numbers may have been small. But for a last-minute protest and the first in Faribault, turn-out was encouraging.

Even more encouraging was the overwhelmingly positive response we got from passing motorists in honks, friendly waves, thumbs up and more to counter the few middle fingers, thumbs down and venomous words spewed by one especially angry young female driver. How anyone can hold such hate toward immigrants is beyond my understanding.

I felt only love in the presence of my new friends. Many thanked me for coming. I hugged several, offered words of encouragement. Words matter. And so do actions. A Somali couple arrived to distribute hot tea. I’d been protesting for 1 ½ hours and felt chilled to the bone by the estimated zero-degree windchill. That offering of Somali tea warmed my body and my heart. As I reached for a cup of the hot beverage, I was overcome by emotion. The message I carried—“I LOVE my immigrant neighbors”—reflected back on me as I, too, felt loved in that moment.

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NOTE: I moderate all comments on this, my personal blog. I will not publish comments which express hatred or are otherwise offensive, include intentional false information and/or do not meet the standards of decency I expect here.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Reflecting from Minnesota on the killing of Renee Good, wife, mom, writer & poet January 8, 2026

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This photo reflects how I am feeling today. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

ALL OF THIS is beyond belief, yet it isn’t.

I texted that to a friend today. “This” refers to the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning. The governor of Minnesota, the mayor of Minneapolis, the police chief of Minneapolis all publicly predicted several weeks ago that something like “this” could happen during ICE’s ramped up immigration enforcement here.

I’m not surprised either. Tensions have been building, not only in Minnesota but across the country, as ICE swarms cities and communities. ICE tactics seem unnecessarily aggressive and sometimes violent. I see zero humanity. Zero compassion. Zero care. I wonder about the vetting, the training, the actions, the accountability of these ICE agents.

Now in the aftermath of Renee’s killing, the FBI, which originally agreed to work with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on investigating the fatal shooting, has backtracked. The FBI will be the sole investigator and will not provide any investigative information to the BCA. It is impossible for me to trust the process since, shortly after the shooting, Renee Good was tagged “a domestic terrorist” by the feds. Judgment was already made.

(Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Nothing I’ve read or heard indicates to me that Renee was anything but a wife, mom, writer and poet. Recently-moved to Minneapolis, the 37-year-old was young enough to be my daughter. She had a full life ahead of her.

Because I am also a wife, mom, writer and poet, I relate personally and professionally to Renee. I am grieving the senseless loss of not only a human being, but of another creative. In 2020, Renee won an Academy of American Poets Prize for her poem, “On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs.” That’s quite an accomplishment for a then-undergrad at Old Dominion University. She graduated with an English degree in 2020. Today I think of all the poems this poet will never write, all the hugs and kisses this mom will never give to her three children.

A partial quote by Georgia Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, photographed several years ago in Dundas, Minnesota, and fitting for today. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I appreciate a three-paragraph statement released by Old Dominion President Brian O. Hemphill. It reads in part:

“…May Renee’s life be a reminder of what unites us: freedom, love, and peace. My hope is for compassion, healing, and reflection at a time that is becoming one of the darkest and most uncertain periods in our nation’s history.”

I think, as a creative, that Renee would have appreciated those well-crafted words. I do. In continuing to process this tragedy, I feel uplifted by those of you who have encouraged not only me, but Minnesotans as a whole. Your solidarity, your supportive actions, your caring words all matter while we work through this collective trauma. Thank you.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

When the feds target Minnesota, the state I love, I refuse to remain silent January 7, 2026

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NOTE: As I was writing this post Wednesday morning, unbeknownst to me, tragedy was unfolding 40 miles away in south Minneapolis. An ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis resident. That is a fact. She was, according to a Minnesota state senator, a legal observer of federal actions. I decided to publish this post as written before learning of Renee’s death. No rewriting or editing. Right now my emotions are raw. I am outraged. I offer no apologies for my feelings.

This sign along I-90 welcomes travelers to Minnesota along the Mississippi River by La Crosse, Wisconsin. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

WITH THE FEDERAL FOCUS on uncovering fraud and on heavy immigration enforcement in Minnesota right now, I’m feeling defensive. I understand that fraud is unacceptable. I, too, have concerns about the seemingly high amount of fraud in my home state. But I will say this. I feel like Minnesota is being unfairly and aggressively targeted on both the fraud and immigration enforcement fronts.

This seems more a personal vendetta by the President against our state than anything. He’s targeted our governor and our Somali community. And I’m not OK with that. Not the actions, not the rhetoric.

I photographed this sign in the window of a downtown Faribault business many years ago. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

THE GOODNESS OF MINNESOTANS

But rather than turn this into a political rant, I want to tell you this: We in Minnesota are, for the most part, good, kind, decent people. The term “Minnesota Nice” is a moniker tagged to those of us who call this place home. It fits. We may live in a cold and snowy state, but we are not cold.

Our generosity shines in strong volunteerism, in supporting others. It also shines in an abundance of nonprofits that assist those in need. For example, one organization is currently heading up a workforce and emergency housing development project in Faribault. Within blocks of my home, I see those buildings rising. An all-volunteer local bookshop sells used books donated by community members. Profits go to the Rice County Area United Way. Local churches house food shelves. Local shelters and centers help those dealing with domestic abuse and violence and substance abuse. The list goes on and on of organizations dedicated to helping those in need.

On a personal level, I know a friend who has taken a man experiencing homelessness out to eat several times. Another friend gave her mittens to an unsheltered man. Two others paid for a bus ticket to Iowa for an individual without a home, per his request to return there. Another is assisting our immigrants as a trained Constitutional observer. These are small acts of kindness and care that go unnoticed, yet are happening throughout my community.

Photographed in my local library in 2024. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

AND THEN COMES ICE

As all of these good things are occurring in Minnesota, so is the negative. And right now that is massive ICE enforcement efforts, including in Faribault with its large Somali and Latino populations. Imagine if you were of either ethnicity, how fearful you would feel. You could be stopped simply because of your skin color, your dress, your spoken language. Grab, detain and ask questions later seems to be the mode of operation for ICE.

Clearly I have sidetracked here. But I offer no apologies for feeling as I do about aggressive ICE actions with agents wrongfully detaining people. I take issue also with elected officials who fail to do anything about this, who fail to protect Constitutional rights, who think this is alright.

The type of ice we like here in Minnesota is the frozen surface of a lake where we angle for fish in the winter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

ICE OUT

In closing, I want to reiterate that I love Minnesota (except when winter gets too long). This is a wonderful place to live with its diverse geography, its natural beauty, its diverse residents, its strong arts community, its caring people…

I appreciate the many immigrants who have chosen to call Minnesota home. They make our communities stronger and better in endless ways. Just like my German ancestors who sailed across the Atlantic to America, eventually settling in Minnesota. I hope our newest residents in “The Land of 10,000 Lakes” find a welcoming place to establish roots, to grow a life.

Eventually they may even understand our Minnesota excitement over ice out after a long, cold winter.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A winter walk along the Straight River inspires

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Walking along the Straight River Trail near Fleckenstein Bluffs Park on a recent winter day. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

WITH WINTER OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED, it’s easy enough to stay home, settle in, curl up with a good book and avoid the ice, cold and snow that define Minnesota weather in January. When winter burrows in, I’m more inclined to hibernate. But I push myself to get out. It’s good for my physical, mental and emotional health.

An extensive city trail system runs throughout Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

Faribault offers plenty of options for aging Baby Boomers like me and others who simply want to take a walk. On the worst of winter days, I can loop around the soccer field at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, which opens its dome to the public most weekday mornings (except holidays) from November into early spring. Hours vary, but generally run from around six-ish to 9:30 am.

The Straight River Trail stretches before me in the area known as Frog Town. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

And when I want to be outdoors, the city’s paved recreational trails are usually cleared, allowing me to safely immerse myself in nature. There’s something about walking outdoors at a brisk pace on a cold winter day that invigorates.

Even in the drab winterscape, color can be found, such as in these dried berries. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

Sometimes, though, I opt to carry my camera and focus on the environment rather than upping my heart rate. Photography improves my well-being, too, because I begin to notice nature’s details in a mostly monochrome landscape. Winter’s beauty emerges. And that is good for my spirit, my soul, my creativity.

The Straight River is anything but straight as it winds between woods and bluffs in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

I especially delight in following the Straight River Trail because water, whether frozen or flowing free, mesmerizes me. I think humans have always been drawn to water. Near Fleckenstein Bluffs Park, the Straight River curves, winding through the woods, under the railroad bridge, along the bluffs.

Barely discernible, a temporary riverside shelter in the woods near Fleckenstein Bluffs Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

On a recent afternoon along the trail, with Canon camera in hand, I spotted a flash of red across the river in the woods. From a distance and through the trees, I couldn’t clearly distinguish details. But I knew this was a temporary shelter for someone without a permanent home. I saw a person shoveling snow.

Tangled twigs along the Straight River Trail. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

And I thought of my poem, “Misunderstood,” inspired by a previous walk along the Straight River Trail. That poem published in 2024 in Talking Stick 33, Earth Signs, a Minnesota literary anthology:

Misunderstood

Tents cluster along the Straight River,

home to the homeless on land

once held by the Wahpekute.

History and hardship merge here

in long-ago and present-day stories.

Bison skin tipis and nylon tents.

Different times. Different peoples.

Drawn to the water, the sheltering woods.

Misunderstood then. Misunderstood now.

This homemade trail sign, screwed to a tree along the Straight River Trail in Frog Town, leads to a path beaten through the snow. I did not follow the unofficial trail, not this time. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo December 2025)

Getting outdoors feeds my creativity. If not for that walk and my knowledge of Faribault history, I would not have crafted that poem about the Dakota and those experiencing homelessness today in my community. I observe, photograph, write, creating photos and stories that need to be shared.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Inside The Land of Plenty under “the king’s” rule January 6, 2026

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Protesters stand along Minnesota State Highway 3 in Northfield at a NO KINGS protest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2025)

ONCE UPON A TIME in The Land of Plenty, the leader of the land ruled like a king. Not a nice king. Not a kind king. But rather a mean-spirited one.

The leader had never been appointed king. It was a title he claimed for himself with oppressive authority. In truth, he’d been voted into his powerful position, not overwhelmingly as he declared, but rather in a close election. That should have been enough to tamp his crowing, rein in his overuse of superfluous adjectives and adverbs, deflate his super-inflated ego and encourage good behavior. But it was not to be.

ONE JANUARY DAY

Rather the self-proclaimed king, who’d been ousted from The Land of Plenty after his first tenure, determined to make up for lost time. Five years earlier, on an early January day, he attempted to retain power when his supporters stormed the castle. He claimed ignorance. Some believed him; many didn’t. Evidence doesn’t lie.

The king’s anger simmered, then boiled over when he returned to the castle feeling vindicated and empowered. A man of vengeance, he sought to punish any who opposed him. On the flip side, he freed those he considered wrongfully shackled. No one would do harm to him or his legion. No one. He was in charge. His decisions held absolute power. Only his voice mattered.

Threats. Intimidation. Cruel and demeaning words. Imprisonment. Deflection. Manipulation. Gaslighting. Conspiracy theories. All fit his mode of ruling. He would make The Land of Plenty great again, whatever that meant.

BROKEN PROMISES

He promised to end wars and claimed he had. He promised to lower prices. He promised to rid the land of strangers and foreigners. That sounded promising to all who supported him. No conflict, only peace. Fewer coins spent on food purchased in the town square marketplace. A strong land unlike any other, without foreigners roaming the streets, taking away jobs, committing crimes and creating chaos (his words).

Except it was the king creating chaos. Doing whatever he pleased. Causing discord. Divisions arose within the kingdom. World conflict increased. Prices spiked as the king imposed new taxes. The ruler of The Land of Plenty was viewed by millions as uncaring, ruthless, self-centered and far worse. Many felt his wrath.

SNATCHED, BANISHED

The king targeted strangers and foreigners who contributed greatly to the economy and success of the kingdom. They toiled in fields, wagon wheel factories, blacksmith shops, bakeries… Some even emptied his golden commode. But to the king, none of that mattered. “Go back to your homeland!” the king screamed. “We don’t want you here!” He decreed that the unwanted should be snatched, grabbed off the streets by his masked henchmen and banished. And so many were.

As the days, weeks, months and then a year passed since the self-proclaimed king resumed his rule, the situation in The Land of Plenty was far from fine. It was, in fact, rather awful, dire, especially for the lowly peasants who labored long hours for every coin. Many realized they’d been duped, led to believe in fairy tale endings. In happily ever after.

And so the story goes with three chapters unwritten, the ending unknown.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Art, history & laughter at the Paradise

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The H.H. King Flour Mill as painted by Faribault artist Maybelle Stark in 1959. This is a photo of a print I own. Stark’s mill painting is included in a new exhibit at the Paradise Center for the Arts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo January 2026)

THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS come together under one roof this Friday evening, January 9, at the Paradise Center for the Arts in historic downtown Faribault during an opening gallery reception from 5-7 pm followed by an improv comedy show at 7:30 pm. I’m excited about both. I love art. And I like entertainment that makes me laugh.

First up is the reception celebrating the work of artists showcased in four galleries. That includes “Homegrown Art: The Local Artist Collection of the Rice County Historical Society,” individual artists Barbara Schwenk and Leo Bird, pottery from the Paradise Center for the Arts pottery department and art by Bethlehem Academy students.

The RCHS exhibit in the main gallery kicks off a year-long celebration of the county historical society’s 100th birthday. “From a fantastical creature made of tin to bright, creative pottery and beautiful paintings, this gallery highlights items normally tucked away in storage and spotlights the talents of the Rice County community,” according to a media release from the RCHS.

“1938 Church Wedding” by Linda Van Lear is based on The Holy Innocents Church at the Rice County Fairgrounds/Historical Society grounds. The painting was previously shown at the Paradise. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo August 2020)

Naturally, I wondered about the artists to be featured in the 20 pieces chosen for the Paradise show. They include, among others, Grace McKinstry, Linda Van Lear, Ivan Whillock, Maybelle Stark and Frieda Lord. I’m familiar with all of them except Lord, although I have seen and photographed the art of her granddaughter, Dana Warmington Hanson. Lord and Stark were among the founding members of the Faribault Art Center, which evolved into the Paradise Center for the Arts.

“Rain,” a woodcarving by Ivan Whillock exhibited previously at the Paradise. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2020)

McKinstry and Whillock are perhaps the best-known in that short list shared with me by the RCHS. Whillock, who has a studio in Faribault, is an internationally-renowned woodcarver and also a painter. McKinstry (she died in 1936) traveled the world in pursuit of creating portraits and landscapes. Her art is featured in the Smithsonian, the Minnesota Historical Society, the Minnesota State Capital and elsewhere worldwide. Locally, the county historical society owns more than 40 pieces of her artwork, the largest collection of McKinstry’s art anywhere.

I own art by one of the artists, Maybelle Stark, whose work is included in the RCHS gallery exhibit. That’s a print of the H.H. King Flour Mill, once located along the Cannon River on Faribault’s west side and destroyed by fire in 1975. Stark painted the scene in 1959 and exhibited it locally the same year. Now that painting is back on public display nearly 70 years later.

All of the art showcased in the Paradise galleries from now through February 21 is sure to draw plenty of interest among those who value creativity. And local history.

Promo for Little Fish Improv. (Sourced online)

And for anyone who also values the performing arts, Little Fish Improv presents improv comedy beginning at 7:30 pm Friday. I’ve seen this group of area comedians perform several times on the Paradise stage. They are a talented bunch who think quickly on their feet (thus the word “improv”) and get their audience engaged and laughing. It seems to me a really challenging art form.

Bonus, this comedy show is a fundraiser with all proceeds benefiting the Paradise Center for the Arts. I feel incredibly fortunate to live in a community with an outstanding arts center and with a deep appreciation for the arts.

FYI: Click here to purchase tickets for Little Fish Improv.

At 1 pm Saturday, January 17, Diane Lockerby, pottery instructor at the Paradise, will lead a “Historic Pottery Workshop at the Paradise.” Following her brief talk about pottery and local history, attendees will make a piece of pottery to take home. There is a fee. Space is limited. Click here to register.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling