Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Your voice matters, on data centers & at the ballot box November 2, 2026

Filed under: Uncategorized — Audrey Kletscher Helbling @ 12:15 PM
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A city of Faribault water tower located at City View Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

HERE IN FARIBAULT, we’re only hours out from a public hearing on proposed rules for data centers.

Nationally, we’re less than a day from the mid-term elections.

I don’t need to tell you that both are important. We are all affected by election results. And all of us are affected by data centers, even if one is not built in our communities.

I’ll start with the data center since I want locals to be aware of the 6 p.m. Monday, November 2, Faribault Planning Commission hearing in the city council chambers. It’s important to attend, even if you opt not to speak.

Comments may also be submitted digitally by noon today at https://www.faribaultmn.gov/FormCenter/General-4/Online-Public-Input-Nov-2-Public-Hearing-128

According to a media release, the planning commission “is considering proposed rules which will better address data centers through enforceable performance standards that are intended to serve as regulatory safeguards for our community.”

You can bet many of us support regulations that will protect our environment, our health, our communities. Think water, air, light, noise, pollution, emissions, utilities, cost, land use…and on and on.

And, yes, it appears likely a data center will be coming to Faribault, despite opposition.

MORE UPCOMING MEETINGS ON DATA CENTERS

The Faribault Planning Commission will forward a recommendation to the City Council, which will discuss the proposal at a 6 p.m. Tuesday, November 17, work session and then set a date for a vote on the issue.

Additionally, the city’s monthly Council Chat at 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 18, at the city’s public works building will focus on data centers.

In a media release from the city, the event is detailed: “During this community engagement event, staff will have various stations focusing on key ordinances, such as land use, water and sewer, noise, lighting, and other rules of interest. The public will gain a better understanding of the intent of the rules and why they must be legally defensible and enforceable.”

That covers basic information for anyone concerned about data center regulations in Faribault.

A sticker handed out to voters at a previous election. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

VOTE

Now on to the election. Please vote if you haven’t already. In my decades of voting, this ranks as one of the most important, if not the most important, mid-term election in this country.

Every vote matters. Every voice matters. Locally. And nationally.

Be heard. Let your voice rise whether at the ballot box or at a public hearing.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Rolling toward the election, thoughts from Minnesota October 30, 2026

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I stand beside the DFL Get Out the Vote bus touring Minnesota days before the election. I’m holding a campaign sign for Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, a DFLer on the ballot. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo by Randy Helbling)

ONLY DAYS BEFORE the mid-term elections, the big blue bus rolled into Faribault in a DFL-led Get Out the Vote effort. I was among those who gathered to listen to candidates talk not only about their goals, but also about the importance of this election. There’s no denying this election is especially important given the current federal leadership in this country and the very real threats to our democracy.

This shows DFL candidates running for top state offices in Minnesota, left to right: Senator Amy Klobuchar with Fergus Falls Mayor Ben Schierer for governor and lieutenant governor respectively; Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate; Attorney General Keith Ellison up for re-election; incumbent Secretary of State Steve Simon; and Zack Filipovich, former Duluth councilman and accountant for state auditor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

As I listened to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon share that his office is preparing for possible election interference by the federal government, reality hit. Hard. Yes, I’ve heard this, read this, intellectually understood this. But still, to hear this spoken aloud by the man in charge of elections in Minnesota took me back to the January 6 insurrection and the current threats by a President hell-bent on suppressing/manipulating voting, even bribing Americans with the promise of $5,000 payments if Republicans retain control of Congress. Really? Buying votes? Not mine.

The DFL Get Out the Vote Bus pulled into Faribault late Thursday afternoon for an hour-long stop to fire up voters. Minnesota consistently has the highest voter turn-out in the country. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I struggle to understand how anyone can support any candidate aligned with the President. So, yes, I am voting blue. Right down the ballot.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addresses the crowd in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I am concerned about the rising costs of everything from fuel to healthcare to groceries. I am concerned about tariffs. I am concerned about the unnecessary war in Iran. I am concerned about the United States’ damaged relationships on a global scale. I am concerned about an immigration enforcement program that has targeted not the worst of the worse, but also those who are here legally. I am concerned about Americans shot to death on the streets of Minneapolis by agents of their own government. I am concerned about the blatant racism and hatred spewed by our President and echoed by too many of his own party. I am concerned about the name-calling, the lies, the deception, the calls for violence. I am concerned about efforts to suppress free speech and freedom of the press. I am concerned about those who are losing their healthcare or unable to afford health insurance. I am concerned about those who live on the margins, who need our help, our compassion, our support. I am concerned about…the list is seemingly endless.

Parked along busy Minnesota State Highway 60/Fourth Street in Faribault, the DFL bus was highly-visible during its Thursday stop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Perhaps I care too much. But I’ve always been someone to stand up for what is right and good and decent. I champion for those who are bullied, probably because I was bullied as a middle school student and even as an adult.

Lieutenant Governor candidate Ben Schierer speaks for his ticket. He’s running with Senator Amy Klobuchar in the gubernatorial race. In the foreground, supporters of Minnesota House District 19A candidate Martha Brown listen. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I refuse to remain silent, becoming somewhat of a political activist in the past year, if you call protesting weekly and planting my corner yard with DFL campaign signs political activism. My vote is also my voice.

A message posted on a house in Dundas, Minnesota, in August 2020. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo August 2020)

Here are some motivating quotes on voting that resonate with me:

Voting is the foundation stone of political action.—Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democracy.—U.S. Representative John Lewis.

We cannot be silent when our rights and our democracy are under attack. The way we win is by standing together—and by making our voices heard in every election.—Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey

Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.—President Abraham Lincoln.

Your vote matters. Even if you disagree with me. Vote.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Fundraiser for motorcycle crash survivor Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck

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Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck. (Photo from his GoFundMe page)

WHEN I FIRST “met” Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck, the 61-year-old rural Faribault man was lying motionless in the street outside my home severely-injured following an August 26 car-motorcycle crash. His damaged Harley Davidson motorcycle lay nearby.

Now, just over two months later, Scooter continues to heal and regain strength at a local care center. He spent weeks at St. Marys, a Mayo Clinic hospital in Rochester, some of that in ICU. His injuries included a broken pelvis requiring surgery, internal bleeding, a severe head wound, traumatic brain injury and no movement on his right side.

Scooter’s motorcycle, photographed after he had been taken from the scene. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)

When Scooter was transported by ground ambulance directly to the Faribault airport and airlifted to the Rochester trauma center, none of us at the crash scene knew whether he would survive. Miraculously, he did.

And this Sunday, November 1, the community will gather from 1-6 p.m. at Faribault American Legion Post 43, 112 Fifth St. NE, to support Scooter at a benefit fundraiser. All proceeds will go toward his medical expenses.

The event includes a silent auction raffle, food, bake sale and music by Tiger Ries, a Minnesota musician who performs classic rock, country, blues and ballads.

Randy Helbling and Paloma Sanchez, center, pictured with Scooter after the awards ceremony. Officer Todd Bristol, second from right, responded to the August 26 crash. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)

I’ll be at the benefit with my husband, Randy, who was recently honored along with passing motorist Paloma Sanchez, for rendering life-saving aid to Scooter at the crash site. I expect Scooter will be at Sunday’s fundraiser also just as he was at the Faribault Police Department award ceremony for Randy and Paloma.

To see Scooter for the first time several weeks ago proved especially emotional. Many of us were either crying or on the verge of tears. That included Scooter and his family who expressed their gratitude for life-saving actions. I look forward to seeing them again on Sunday.

The Community Certificate of Merit Award presented to Randy (and also to Paloma) summarizes his actions that helped save Scooter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)

When you’ve been through something like this, you pause to consider how life can change just like that. One minute all is fine and the next you’re fighting for your life or trying to save a life.

Thankfully, Scooter remembers nothing of the crash. The body has a way of protecting itself from trauma. And this was trauma for all of us involved and for his family processing the aftermath.

In all of this, I’ve witnessed the strength of the human spirit and the value of family and community love, support and prayers. Through a GoFundMe, $11,055 of a $16K goal has been raised to help cover Scooter’s medical expenses. And now this Sunday, there’s a second opportunity to give.

This is not just about donating money to pay medical bills. This is also about uplifting, surrounding, supporting, caring, embracing and loving on a man who is grateful to be alive.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Halloween fun, frights & memories October 29, 2026

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Among the many animatronic frights at the Cauldron County Scare Grounds, 234 First Avenue Southwest, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

WHAT SCARES YOU? If you say nothing, I won’t believe you.

Ghosts overlook Bridge Square on the second floor of Cottage Tearoom Fare in Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Here are a few things that frighten me: Tornadoes, pandemics, bats, mice and unleashed dogs in public places. But not Halloween.

The hand of an animatronic fortune teller in a Faribault Halloween display reaches out. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

A time existed, though, when Halloween held some fright for me. Imagine for a moment a Halloween party in the basement of a local veterinarian’s house. Then imagine playing a game of touching objects while blindfolded. And then imagine being told you were fingering a cow’s eyeballs. That would be me, a gullible elementary-aged girl who truly believed that cold grapes were a bovine’s orbs. Why wouldn’t I trust the veterinarian’s daughter?

A hanging skeleton in the Lanes’ Halloween display, which is open to the public. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Fast forward six decades and I consider myself a Halloween observer. All around me, southern Minnesotans are getting in the Halloween spirit. Just up the hill from my house at 234 First Avenue Southwest, Coy and Kathy Lane transform their Faribault yard, the Cauldron County Scare Grounds, into a spectacular, interactive Halloween display.

Coy Lane drew the clown for this bean bag toss board while Kathy painted it. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

While the Lanes buy many of their frightful props, they also craft many, making this a truly home-grown display that includes games for guests to play. Last time I stopped in about a week ago, they’d already counted 1,000 visitors to their Circus De Soulless which is open from noon-9 p.m. daily through October 31.

Halloween decor is featured in the front window of Antiques of Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

While out and about in the region, I’ve seen the creativity of residents, business owners and others who clearly enjoy Halloween.

A funeral staged in the window of Fate Vintage, Northfield. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Take Fate Vintage in Northfield, a Division Street antique shop now showcasing skeletons in funeral and medical scenes. Definitely creatively creepy, these front window displays draw shoppers inside to peruse racks of Halloween costumes and more in this packed store.

A Fonzie costume for sale at Fate Vintage. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Looking at a “Happy Days” The Fonz Halloween costume here, I was reminded of the importance of choosing just the right costume. My two Minnesota grandkids, ages seven and 10, chose Gryffindor and Ravenclaw robes from houses at Hogwarts School as their Halloween attire. Mega fans of the Harry Potter book series, their choice did not surprise me.

A Little Free Library in Elysian offers some books fitting for Halloween. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Over in Elysian next to Scoops Ice Cream & Rentals, readers won’t find Harry Potter books in a Little Free Library. But they can take home books in The Vampire Diaries and the Goosebumps series.

Suggested Halloween reading at the Cannon Falls Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

To the east in Cannon Falls, the public library has gotten into the Halloween spirit by creating an outdoor “DYING FOR A GOOD BOOK” display. Staff slipped covers of fright-appropriate books, like Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Tales,” into empty DVD cases and hung them on a tree. I’ve always found the story of the headless horseman to be ghoulishly creepy.

“Bloody” cupcakes at Sweet Kneads, Cannon Falls Bakery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Down the street and around the corner from the library, display shelves at Sweet Kneads bakery are filled with Halloween-themed cookies and cupcakes, some cutesy, like an over-sized green spider, and others macabre, like a blood-dripping knife stabbing a cupcake. It’s all in good fun.

A roadside stand in Stanton vends pumpkins, squash and more. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Fun comes in choosing a pumpkin from a patch, roadside stand or store and then a parent carving just the right face while the kids supervise. I remember those jack-o-lantern days.

A scene from the Faribault Fall Festival earlier this month which included kids in costume and kids’ activities. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)

I also remember, and this is going back to my childhood again, the rock-hard popcorn balls handed out by my Great Aunt Gertie. To eat one was to risk a trip to the dentist. And, yes, my siblings and I chomped our teeth into the sugary sweet popcorn balls. Now I’ll take dark chocolate candy over any Halloween treat, if you’re so inclined to “treat” me.

Halloween fun in Faribault began October 3 at the Fall Festival. The event included a chili contest with this offering from Faribault Transportation. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Ah, Halloween. Onward with the fright, the fun and the sweet, and not-so-sweet, memories.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

CarnEVIL fun & frights in Faribault October 20, 2026

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A large sign marks a Halloween display along Seventh Street Northwest in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

A MILE FROM THE HALLOWEEN attraction Circus De Soulless in Faribault, a traveling carnival has set up temporary residence along a busy corridor in town. That would be CarnEVIL, intentionally misspelled and located at 406 Seventh Street Northwest.

The entrance to the CarnEVIL set up by Robb Morris. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

On a recent weekend, I noticed signage and eye-catching pops of red while passing by the home, did a swing around the block, stopped for a closer look and met ringmaster—my title, not his—Robb Morris.

CarnEVIL games are played by clown skeletons. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
It’s not difficult to imagine that’s blood on the canopy wall. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
The top of the high striker game. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Here Robb posed skeletons playing carnival games in a carnival/carnevil type setting complete with a red-and-white striped canopy entrance leading to his front door. Walk under that canopy and, if you look closely, you’ll notice blood-splattered walls. Well, not really, but red paint looks a lot like blood at Halloween.

This rat is appropriately eating popcorn at the CarnEVIL. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I didn’t miss the popcorn-eating rat either, tipped on its side until righted by Robb. I really don’t like rodents or any animal that unexpectedly causes terror or fright. That includes an injured raccoon recently trapped in our garage and requiring a call to animal control.

Caged skeletons hang around the front entry. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

All of that aside, getting to the Morris front door to collect a Halloween treat requires a bit of bravery. Even once there, the frights continue with caged skeletons suspended above the entry on the stately brick house once owned by the Ochs family.

Throwing knives game, on display only as are all of the games. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I commented to Robb that his is the “Ochs house,” something I bet he hears all the time. The Ochs family operated a well-known southern Minnesota department store based in Faribault. Eventually Verna Ochs, upon the death of her husband, Al, in 1969, headed the business. She was among only a handful of women in the country running a department store at the time. Locally, Verna’s signature hats distinguished her. Several of those came with the house, Robb noted, and will stay with the house.

Robb Morris built some of the sets from discarded wood. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

From Halloween to hats, I got sidetracked for a moment while chatting with Robb. We got back on subject when he mentioned that for the first time this year, he built some of his scenes with old pallets and scrap wood. He shops dollar stores for props. And he also trades Halloween goods with his daughter in Woodbury, who gets into Halloween decorating just like her dad.

Following the carnival theme, a clown throws a ball. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Just a little bit creepy, a hooded skull. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
A clown skeleton spins a macabre wheel in the yard. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

It’s good fun, this CarnEVIL created by a man who clearly loves Halloween enough to design a set that delights with detailed fun and frights.

FYI: Be sure to also visit Circus De Soulless, 234 First Street Southwest, for an even larger and interactive Halloween display.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Here come the clowns & other frights at Faribault Halloween circus October 18, 2026

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The entrance to the Scare Grounds and Circus De Soulless. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

ANYONE LOOKING FOR HALLOWEEN fright and fun in Faribault need look no farther than the Cauldron County Scare Grounds, home to Coy and Kathy Lane.

A challenge on a tombstone upon which clowns rest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Located at 234 First Avenue Southwest, the Lanes’ hilltop front and side yards and porch are transformed each autumn into a space for the community to celebrate Halloween. This marks the fifth year the couple has created a display locally.

Clowns push a hearse across the yard. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

And each year the theme changes with 2026 bringing a yard full of clowns to the Circus De Soulless. A wedding, class reunion and clown daycare were among past themes.

The largest of the clowns, made by the Lanes, blocks the driveway and serves as a photo backdrop. The clown’s eyes glow red in the dark. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

If clowns creep you or your kids or grandkids out, then be prepared. A whole lot of creepy clowns have crept into the Halloween yard, which is open from noon to 9 p.m. daily in October. That includes clowns drawn by Coy and painted by Kathy, one a menacing clown that serves as a photo op backdrop reaching to the second story.

One of the creepiest clowns. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

At seemingly every turn, clowns lurk, wait, threaten, their bright clothes no cover for the darkness within. But it’s all in good fun. The Lanes clearly love Halloween and sharing that love with others. It’s their “thing,” says Coy, who this year was sidelined a bit by knee surgery necessitating tapping into friends to help set up the display.

Next to a chained hand, a step on pad activates a display. These pads are located throughout the yard. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
Macabre versions of familiar tales are showcased in the Scary Tales Tent. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
A towering, ghoulish character by the crypt. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I’ve been to the circus, just up a steep hill from my house, thrice. Once for a quick check and chat. Then with my elementary-aged grandkids, who claimed not to be frightened although their body language showed otherwise. And finally, during the golden hour before sundown to take photos.

Probably the scariest part of the display. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Come here after sunset and the fear factor notches up because everything seems scarier in the dark. I’ve stuck with daylight. The back side yard, where towering animatronic characters surround a crypt, seems the most frightening.

This sign directs visitors to a tent filled with frightening characters, including a Flying Monkey seen here to the left. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
A Flying Monkey lurks at the Scary Tales Tent. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)
In the “Beauty & the Beast” display. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

By far, my favorite section of the Halloween yard this October is the Twisted Big Top Scary Tales Tent. A chained “Wizard of Oz” Flying Monkey guards the tent entrance. Inside, ghoulish versions of well-known tales bring visual and auditory fright to the likes of “The Three Little Pigs,” “Beauty & the Beast,” “Alice in Wonderland” and more. And, yes, more than one creepy doll moves, blood dripping, eyes glowing.

The fortune teller talks, greeting visitors as they enter. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

This circus-themed Halloween display features lots of glowing eyes, including those of the ticket booth fortune teller. The ticket booth is just a themed prop. The Lanes don’t charge an entry fee, even though they’ve spent $1,100 on candy alone this October and endless more on other expenses.

This photo shows two of the games: the high striker and the skull toss, right. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Some of their spending goes toward small prizes for games. The couple makes their Halloween display interactive, adding an element of fun for kids with basketball, bean bag and skull tosses and a high striker. They’re always thinking of the kids.

Approaching the Lanes’ Halloween display at 234 First Avenue Southwest. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

And Coy tells me he’s already thinking ahead to Halloween 2027 with a theme chosen, and which I won’t divulge. Soon he’ll start building, creating, preparing for the next opening of the Cauldron County Scare Grounds just blocks from downtown Faribault high atop a hill.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Faribault residents honored for life-saving actions October 16, 2026

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The Faribault Police Department presented Community Certificate of Merit Awards to Paloma Sanchez and Randy Helbling, center, for their life-saving actions in rendering aid to Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck, center. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

EMOTIONS RAN HIGH as some 40 of us gathered Thursday evening at the Faribault police station to honor two individuals who helped save the life of a motorcyclist severely-injured in an August 26 car-motorcycle crash by our house.

One of those honored was my husband, Randy. Also recognized was Paloma Sanchez, a passing motorist who stopped and joined Randy at the side of Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck.

The award presented to Randy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo by Randy Helbling, October 2026)

In part, the award presented to Randy reads: “In recognition of your commendable courage, compassion, and a willingness to assist a seriously injured individual during a life-threatening emergency.”

Those words reflect the seriousness of the crash, which left Scooter with severe head trauma, a broken pelvis and more requiring several weeks in the ICU. To see him Thursday evening doing so well nearly two months after he was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester proved emotional. He’s currently recovering in a local care center, working hard to rebuild his strength so he can walk again.

Scooter’s Harley Davidson motorcycle lies in the street after the August 26 crash. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)

Several times on Thursday I glanced back to see Scooter and others in tears. I was on the verge myself. To see him upright in a wheelchair, talking, showing emotion, contrasted sharply with my memory of Scooter lying on the pavement moaning, his breathing ragged, the back of his head a graphic, bloody mess. He has no memory of the crash and for that I am grateful.

I am also grateful for the calm manner in which Randy and Paloma rendered aid, Randy kneeling beside Scooter in Willow Street, holding his hand while blood pooled. And Paloma using her new jacket to cradle Scooter’s head.

The responding officer, Todd Bristol, shared how thankful he was for their quick response, their choice to help, something that he noted is becoming a rare occurrence in a time when people would rather pull out their cellphones and record.

Randy poses for pictures with his award. The responding officer, Todd Bristol, is to the left. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

That word “compassion” in the award presented to Randy says it all. Love thy neighbor.

I was on scene, too, but not next to Scooter because I couldn’t handle seeing his injuries. Instead, I stood barefoot in the middle of busy Willow Street waving my arms wildly above my head so oncoming motorists would see me in the dark, slow down and avoid hitting the two men in the middle of the street. Paloma had not yet arrived on scene.

I also, immediately upon running out of our house, prayed aloud for the injured motorcyclist lying in the street. I shared that with the crowd at the recognition ceremony, emphasizing the power of prayer and the presence of God. Paloma did the same.

That August evening as the ambulance took Scooter directly from the scene to a waiting air ambulance at the local airport, none of us knew if he would survive. But he did and looks remarkable considering the extent of his injuries.

Paloma Sanchez accepts her award from Captain Brandon Gliem. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Credit for his survival goes in part to those two everyday, average citizens, Randy and Paloma, who chose to step in and help an injured man in need. Their “immediate intervention may have been instrumental in sustaining the (motorcycle) operator’s life until EMS personnel could take over his care” reads the award. I agree.

I am incredibly proud of Randy. He spoke briefly after receiving his award, sharing that he was injured in a motorcycle crash nearly 30 years ago. His injuries, though, were minor and he encouraged Scooter to keep working hard in his recovery. He also noted his experience reacting to medical trauma. In 1967, at age 11, Randy raced across cow pasture and fields to a neighbor’s farm for help after his dad’s hand was caught in a corn chopper. That was after he turned off the power take-off. His dad survived, losing his left fingers and forearm, but not his life.

And today Scooter is alive, partly thanks to the actions of Randy and of Paloma.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Fall colors the local landscape October 15, 2026

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This view from hilltop City View Park in Faribault shows the beauty of the autumn landscape. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

AUTUMN RATES, undeniably, as my favorite season. I love the crisp mornings and evenings, the often sunshine-drenched afternoons. I love wrapping myself in the warmth of flannel or fleece. I love the cinnamon scent of apple crisp baking in the oven, the smell wafting through the house. I love roadside stands packed with plump pumpkins. I love hiking in woods, fallen leaves crunching underfoot.

My husband, Randy, photographs the vibrant trees across Kelly Lake, rural Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

But, above all, I love the fall colors. In shades of red, orange, yellow and brown, singular trees, pockets of trees and entire hillsides are ablaze. Now is the time to get out and view the colorful landscape before wind, rain and time strip those trees bare.

South Cordova Farms, Waterville, set up this roadside pumpkin stand in a rural area near Cordova. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

In the four-plus decades I’ve lived in Faribault, I’ve found this community and the surrounding area to be especially colorful. So there’s no need to leave town or travel far to enjoy the hues of autumn.

City View Park offers a bird’s eye view of Faribault and beyond. Here buildings at the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf poke through the treetops. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Several local spots draw me back year after year. In town, City View Park by the water tower and just above Roosevelt School on Faribault’s east side, offers a spectacular vista view of the valley below. I picnicked there the other day at high noon, taking in the tree-scaped land for as far as my eyes could see. Even in the haze of the dusty air, colors popped in the mass of dense trees. It’s a spectacular setting any time of year.

A maple in City View Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Among all those trees, I picked out local landmark steeples, struggling to identify some, sure of others. I also paused to appreciate the colorful maples in the park.

From the public boat landing, I zoomed my camera lens to photograph the distant color-splashed shoreline of Kelly Lake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

To the west of Faribault, Kelly Lake, as viewed from the public boat landing, rates as another favorite local color spot. Each October I walk out on the short dock and take in the scene across the lake, the orange treeline slicing color between blue water and blue sky.

Whether in town or out, autumn shows her rugged beauty, here along a gravel road buffeted by cornfields. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Within the Faribault city limits, the Straight River bluff packs a colorful punch as do trees along many streets, like Second Avenue and Seventh Street. The campus of the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf, a place where I sometimes walk, presents more color.

Driving into woods along a back gravel road west of Faribault, exact location unknown. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

As with anything, we often bypass beauty that lies directly before us, blending into the background of daily life. In my own backyard and next door at my neighbor’s, maples fire orange and yellow.

On a fall color drive in the Montgomery area. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Consistently each autumn, fall color drives take me along roads around area lakes like Roberds, Union and French. I have yet to do the complete lake tour this year. I’ve found fall colors aplenty in the Montgomery and Lonsdale areas, too.

A rural fall scene of harvested corn along a hilly gravel road, Falk Avenue, near Cannon City and Nerstrand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I have not yet headed over to the Nerstrand area for a stop at the historic hilltop Valley Grove churches where color splashes a treeline across the prairie. Nearby Nerstrand Big Woods State Park rates as a popular fall color destination, parking lots crowded to overflowing on October weekends. I prefer the quiet of Valley Grove.

A farmer picks corn along Falk Avenue near Cannon City against a colorful backdrop of trees. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Mostly, I simply want to immerse myself in autumn. Visually by viewing distant treelines and rolling farm fields along Falk Avenue northeast of Cannon City. Or up close along Farmer Trail, a twisting gravel road snugged by woods.

Across fields, I photographed this picturesque farm site near Richter Woods County Park west of Montgomery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I love autumn. The woodsy, earthy scent. The feel of soft flannel and cozy fleece. The crunch of biting into a locally-grown apple. The taste of cream cheese frosted pumpkin bars. And, above all, the oranges, reds and yellows of this season blazing color across the southern Minnesota landscape.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Recent memorable life moments October 13, 2026

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Loving words once posted in downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

IN LIFE, SOME MOMENTS stand out. Not for their WOW factor, but rather in the power of simplicity. A smile. A loving word. An unexpected act of kindness. In recent days, I’ve experienced such feel-good moments.

IN MY KITCHEN

The most personal came in a family group hug as our eldest daughter and her family were about to leave after a Saturday afternoon with us. Randy and the two grandkids were hugging each other goodbye when 10-year-old Izzy called for a group hug. So the six of us circled by the kitchen door, wrapped our arms around each other and held each other tight. It was the best moment of the entire day.

I made this sign last winter during the height of Operation Metro Surge. I pulled it from my basement stash, refreshed the letters and carried it on the protest line again last Saturday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)

ON THE PROTEST LINE

A week later, while standing on the protest line in Faribault holding a resurrected sign with the message to “love each other,” I locked eyes with a passenger in a passing car. She happened to be a Somali woman. Upon seeing my sign, her face spread into a wide smile. This is one of the reasons I protest—to stand up for those who’ve been targeted, hated on, including by our own president.

At that same protest, several middle school-aged boys, walking past on the opposite side of the street and who happened to be Hispanic, waved and smiled in support of our messages. I can only imagine how good it felt for those youth and the Somali woman to see that others care enough to publicly stand up for them. That “love each other” sign is now displayed in my front living room for all to see who drive along my busy residential street.

AT THE GROCERY STORE

While grocery shopping hours after the protest, I spotted a woman wearing a “Kindness Matters” floral tee. I paused to tell her how much I appreciated the message on her shirt. Kindness does matter. And expressing kindness in words ranks high with me.

This is the photo that includes my friend Sharon and her family. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2026)

IN A TEXT

My friend Sharon expressed such kindness to me via text after I shared a recent photo I took of her and her family at the Faribault Fall Festival. In part, Sharon wrote, “You do a lot for Faribault with your articles and photos. So uplifting.” I try. I try to follow the lessons learned from my kind, compassionate and caring mom. A strong woman of faith, she gave back to community through her extensive volunteerism all the while raising and teaching six children the importance of always speaking kindly of others.

A sign posted at the Bell Church last Friday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

AT BELL CHURCH

Kindness comes in actions, too. While on a fall color drive several days ago, Randy and I stopped at St. Peter Bell Lutheran Church, rural Waterville. We’ve always wanted to see inside the church. So when we noticed several vehicles parked outside, we stopped. Inside the fellowship hall, three women were prepping for a Smoked Pork Chop Dinner. Trudy paused in her work and took us into the sanctuary. Not only was that kind of her, but, as we were about to leave, she gave us a bag holding two servings of pumpkin ice cream made by the pastor for the fundraising dinner. Trudy didn’t expect anything in return, but Randy gave her a small donation anyway. Later, we enjoyed the flavor of fall in that delicious pumpkin ice cream at Richter Woods County Park in rural Montgomery.

ON FACEBOOK

Yesterday brought another sweet moment when Randy showed me a Facebook photo of our two eldest grandchildren, ages seven and 10, walking down the sidewalk, arms wrapped around each other. Unbeknownst to them, their mom, following behind, snapped the image. “Best buds,” she labeled the sibling photo.

Scott Hoffbeck’s motorcycle lies in the street by our house following an August 26 crash. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo August 2026)

AT THE POLICE STATION

Finally, at 5 p.m. this Thursday, October 15, the Faribault Police Department is recognizing Randy and also Paloma Sanchez for their actions following a late August car-motorcycle crash by our house that severely-injured the motorcyclist. The two likely helped save the life of Scott “Scooter” Hoffbeck, according to the responding police officer. They tended to and stayed with Scott until he was taken via ambulance directly to the local airport and airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. He remained in ICU for several weeks, but is now back in Faribault recovering at a local care center. Scott hopes to attend the public event in the second floor meeting room of the police station. (You are welcome to attend.) More memorable moments are yet to come in that anticipated emotional reunion and in the recognition of two individuals who truly showed what it means to “love your neighbor” by helping a stranger lying severely-injured in the street.

Moments matter. Love each other. In words. And actions.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Library highlights “freedom to read” during Banned Books Week October 7, 2026

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A button in a banned books display at Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault, encourages patrons to find and read a book that has been banned somewhere, not locally. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

“LET BOOKS BE. Protect the freedom to read.” Those statements theme this year’s nationwide October 4-10 Banned Books Week. That event focuses on informing all of us about book censorship attempts in libraries, schools and bookstores.

This is the main banned book display showcased on shelves between the check-out and information desks at Buckham. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Locally, Buckham Memorial Library is spotlighting Banned Books Week in two displays. There I read a list of 10 far-fetched reasons for banning books, according to the American Library Association. For example: Shel Silverstein’s A Light in the Attic “encourages children to break dishes so they don’t have to dry them.” Or “the basket carried by Little Red Riding Hood contained a bottle of wine, which condones the use of alcohol” from the story by Jacob and Wilhelm K. Grimm. Or “if there is a possibility that something might be controversial, then why not eliminate it?,” referencing Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown.

On the book ban list because “kids might break dishes.” (Book cover sourced online)

As I read down the list of ridiculous reasons for banning books, my jaw dropped. I laughed at the absurdity of it all. Really?

This display shows books that have been banned elsewhere. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

Because I’m a writer, an avid reader, a journalism school graduate who has worked as a newspaper reporter, and a strong supporter of First Amendment rights, I hold zero tolerance for banning books. If someone objects to the content of a book, then don’t read it. But don’t tell me I can’t read it. And certainly don’t pull it from a public space.

The Faribault library’s displays on banned books will be up through October. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

With kids, adults should consider age, maturity and the consequences of withholding a book from a child in their life. If I was a tween or adolescent and my parents or school banned a book, I’d probably try really hard to find a copy. Banning books from public libraries and schools is not a decision I can support. Ever.

I believe that knowledge is power. I’d rather a child be informed than uninformed. I’d rather a child learn from a reliable information source, such as a book, than “learn” from peers, social media or the internet. Or be kept in the dark. Kids are way smarter, know way more, than we adults realize.

Popular books that have been banned in some places. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

All of those thoughts flitted through my mind as I viewed the two Banned Books Week displays at the Faribault library. Those displays featured books like Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Freebies at Buckham Memorial Library promote the freedom to read. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo October 2026)

I fingered the free LET BOOKS BE swag—bookmarks, buttons, wristbands, stickers—grabbing a few to show that I’m not OK with banning books.

We need only look at history, to Nazi Germany, to understand the devastating consequences of banning books. Consider May 1933, when 40,000 people gathered in the Berlin town square and burned some 20,000 books deemed as “un-German.” That is perhaps the most extreme example of book banning ever.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” wrote George Santayana in The Life of Reason in 1905, years before the book burnings in Nazi Germany. Now more than ever with attacks on the free press and on First Amendment rights, it’s important and necessary that we, and I don’t mean just librarians and teachers, stand strong against censorship, against book bannings.

A book that some have wanted banned. (Book cover sourced online)

To suggest that The Diary of Anne Frank should be censored because “it is a real ‘downer’” is among the far-fetched reasons given for banning a book on the ALA list I read at my local library. Imagine suppressing the voice of that remarkable teenager by pulling her diary from library shelves. I cannot fathom the thought of such absurdity, of Anne’s story left unread because someone objected. “LET BOOKS BE. Protect the freedom to read.”

FYI: To learn more about Banned Books Week and banned books, visit the American Library Association website by clicking here.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling