Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

A meeting reminder & my Allina Health story July 28, 2026

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I’ve had physical and occupational therapy at Courage Kenny in Faribault multiple times, most recently in 2023. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2026)

FOR SIX MONTHS in 2023, once a week, my husband, Randy, drove me across the bridge to therapy at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute in Faribault for vestibular rehab therapy. Without that intense weekly therapy, I doubt I would have reclaimed my ability to function in daily life.

Early in that year, I developed debilitating neurological symptoms following a virus, likely COVID, although I never tested positive for it. There was no other explanation for my sensory overload issues which kept me unable to handle light, motion, sound, anything really entering my brain.

I stayed inside the house, curtains drawn, shutting out sensory input. I couldn’t tolerate watching TV. I couldn’t read. I could hardly handle a phone call or conversation. I felt anxious, overstimulated by even the smallest external stimuli. I barely ate because of hyper-sensitive taste buds. I lost weight. I couldn’t tolerate toothpaste. I couldn’t sleep. I struggled to maintain. Managing daily living seemed nearly impossible. Basically, I was confined to my house, unable to function outside of it.

And then my family doctor, Dr. Todd Sykora of Allina Health in Faribault, referred me to Allina’s Courage Kenny. Sykora had seen me multiple times, determined to find a way to help me. I’d gone through a battery of tests to rule out causes like a brain tumor. I’ll always feel grateful for my doctor’s genuine care and compassion, for not giving up and for admitting that he didn’t have the answers. He eventually suggested vestibular rehab therapy to treat my long COVID.

That therapy would put me on the road back to good health. I was ready to try anything at that point.

Some of the exercises I did in vestibular rehab therapy. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Enter Courage Kenny therapist Ryan Iverson, who’s trained in vestibular rehab therapy. From the get-go, Iverson assured me he could help. He validated my traumatic brain injury type symptoms. And then we set to work at those weekly sessions with homework exercises assigned each week. I worked hard, experienced some setbacks, but, eventually graduated after six months. I’d reclaimed my life.

Today I am doing well, although minor sensory issues linger. But now I know how to cope, how to manage. I am living my life, doing the things I love, being with people, out and about. And I owe that to my Allina Health primary care doctor and my vestibular rehab therapist. If not for this great local care, I would still be struggling.

This sign on the Allina Health Faribault campus directs patients and visitors to the hospital, pharmacy and clinic. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I share all of this again three years later because the Allina Health system, which serves Minnesota and western Wisconsin with 12 hospitals, 60 primary care clinics, 20 urgent care centers and more than 100 specialty care clinics, has signed an agreement with California-based Sutter Health to buy Allina. And that affects me given I get my care through Allina.

From 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, the Minnesota State Attorney General’s office will host a listening session in Faribault on that proposed acquisition. I’ll be there. You can attend also, but only if you pre-register. And, if you wish to speak, you must complete a form in advance. Only then will you be notified of the community forum location.

This is an important meeting. Important because this is about healthcare. Local healthcare. I’m thankful I could get my vestibular rehab therapy in Faribault. I can’t imagine traveling out of town once a week for six months to access care. It would have been difficult and draining for me, taxing for my brain. Plus, the time and travel expense would have added to an already challenging situation.

I don’t know what will happen if Sutter assumes ownership of Allina Health in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. I expect this acquisition will happen. But I hope safeguards are put in place to continue services, to keep clinics and hospitals open, to protect the jobs of 27,000 employees.

There’s a lot at stake here for any community served by Allina Health.

FYI: Click here for more information about the proposed Allina-Sutter acquisition and the upcoming meeting. That includes links to register to attend and/or to speak.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Pioneering Minnesota seedswomen featured in library exhibit July 27, 2026

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Carrie Lippincott built a successful seed-selling business in Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

IF CARRIE LIPPINCOTT, Emma White and Jessie Prior toured Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault, I expect they would appreciate not only what’s inside the library, but also outside. They were, after all, pioneering Minnesota businesswomen who ran successful seed companies at the turn of the 20th century.

Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The trio would be impressed by our local library, which actively promotes gardening via programming, a seed library, an organic learning garden, bee lawn, pollinator habitat and native prairie plantings. Plus, the current children’s summer reading program, “Plant a Seed, Read/Planta una semilla, lee,” themes to seeds.

Three informational panels comprise the Seedswomen exhibit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

All of that makes Buckham an ideal location for the traveling exhibit, “Minnesota Seedswomen 1890s-1900s,” on display until July 31 in the hallway linking the library to the Faribault Community Center.

Credit info is featured at the bottom of the panels. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Lippincott, White and Prior focus the three-panel exhibit crafted from information in the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum’s Andersen Horticultural Library.

Jessie Prior marketed herself as a “flower seed specialist.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

My love of libraries, reading, learning, flowers and vegetables drew me to the exhibit. I’d never heard of the three enterprising women who became successful in their field on a national scale. Prior, who started Prior Seed Company in 1895 at age eighteen, called herself a “flower seed specialist.”

Among the many flowers growing on library grounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Lippincott labeled herself as “The Pioneer Seedwoman of America,” operating Lippincott Flower Seeds in partnership with family. She made a point of hiring women.

Colorful artwork promotes Emma White’s company, Choice Flower Seeds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Likewise, White’s Choice Flower Seeds tapped into women, specifically female artists, to create catalog covers. She marketed to women with Sunbonnet Babies and Brownies (elf-like creatures) artwork. The previous owner of the seed company enthusiastically endorsed his successor, telling customers White deserved their business and trust.

Each of the three panels is packed with information and illustrations. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Each woman, in her own way, made her mark in the seed-selling business. Yet, together they shared the commonality of women entering business during a time when most businesses were run by men. I expect these businesswomen had to work hard to prove themselves, to distinguish themselves, to compete and succeed.

Seeds in Buckham’s seed library come from Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

And succeed they did. Prior won a bronze medal in the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair for the pansies she grew. White, especially active in the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, became the first to guarantee packet size rather than seed numbers. Lippincott set herself apart by arranging catalog seed offerings alphabetically. In many other ways these women promoted and grew their Minneapolis-based seed companies.

“Why Local Seed Matters” posted on a library wall. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

In the competitive world of seed-selling, the three most assuredly understood the importance of standing out. Whether through colorful, eye-catching catalogs (Lippincott), creative writing and pansy growing competitions (White) or becoming an accomplished grower of sweet peas (Prior), the three seedswomen showed business savvy.

Creativity in encouraging reading, a woodcarving, “Story Time,” by world-renowned carver Ivan Whillock of Faribault hangs in Buckham Library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

All were decidedly creative in marketing through their colorful catalogs, growing guides, leaflets and books. They shared their gardening knowledge, which likely helped grow a loyal customer base. These women were business smart. And they were strong. Those are among my take-aways from the traveling exhibit.

Posters hang throughout the library promoting the seed-themed summer reading program for kids. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The log for the summer reading program at Buckham. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Seed-themed, gardening and other related books on display at the library. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

After I read the information on the panels, I entered Buckham library, thinking about Lippincott, White and Prior. I pictured them opening the drawers of an old library card catalog, now holding seed packets. I envisioned them paging through the seed and gardening books on display. And I imagined them enthusiastically encouraging kids to participate in the “Plant a Seed, Read” summer reading program.

Community members can harvest vegetables from the library’s organic learning garden. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Stepping outdoors, I saw them admiring the many flowers flourishing around the library. And they may have, like me, pulled ruby red rhubarb from the organic learning garden.

The rhubarb crisp I made with exceptionally red rhubarb from the library garden. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Afterwards, I would have welcomed my new friends, Carrie, Emma and Jessie, to my home blocks from the library. Over plates of tangy rhubarb crisp, I would thank these seedswomen for their pioneering efforts as strong, innovative and creative businesswomen. And, if they were willing, I would put them to work in my tangled mess of flower gardens.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Community forum set on planned acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health July 25, 2026

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Signage directs patients, visitors and others to various sites on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

ACCESS TO LOCAL HEALTHCARE ranks high on my list of necessities. I expect it does for almost everyone, especially seniors like me.

This building on the Faribault campus houses the clinic and urgent care. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I appreciate that I can go across town to see my family doctor, specialists and other medical professionals in our local clinics and hospital.

As someone who grew up in rural southwestern Minnesota with only a few doctors to serve the entire county decades ago, I deeply value living in a city with multiple clinics, a hospital, numerous therapists and more. I value local.

That all said, the future of healthcare in Faribault could change. Why do I say that? Because my healthcare provider, Allina Health, and California-based Sutter Health have signed a “definitive agreement” that would make Allina the Upper Midwest Division of Sutter Health.

This sign directs patients to some of the services provided on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The proposed acquisition will be the focus of a community forum from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, in Faribault, location to be determined. Allina Health has hospitals and clinics throughout Minnesota so this planned acquisition affects people across the state.

The Minnesota State Attorney General’s office is hosting the meeting to lay out details about the proposal and to get public input. It’s a process required by state law.

I care enough about local healthcare to attend. I need to learn more, to begin to understand what this could mean for me, my family and others in my community and area. Locally, Allina owns the hospital, a general clinic, specialty clinics and a sports rehab/therapy center. I’ve been a patient at these clinics, gone to therapy, used the emergency room and been hospitalized many times locally. Likewise family members have accessed Allina health services.

This shows the entrance to the hospital, left, and the space linking the clinic to the hospital. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I don’t know much about the proposed acquisition, only that I grow concerned when ownership is assumed by an out-of-state nonprofit that is massive in size. My local hospital was once community-owned, until it became part of the Allina system in 2015.

Much-needed improvements were made to the surgical and emergency departments by Allina Health. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Allina invested in the former District One Hospital with improvements to the emergency and surgical departments and more. But recently we lost our birthing center and hospital pediatric care. That’s a loss to parents and families who must now travel out of town to have their babies and get hospital care for their kids.

Talk of change always sparks questions. And it should. I encourage anyone who cares about the future of healthcare in Faribault to attend Wednesday’s public forum. This offers an opportunity to listen and to be heard.

More specialty care on the Allina Health Faribault Medical Center campus. This is located across the street from the main clinic and hospital. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

However, there are some guidelines. To even attend, and that includes media, you must register in advance online. It’s not difficult to do. But requiring online registration could easily discourage people, especially those without computer access or skills, from attending. Then, the location of the hearing in Faribault will not be disclosed until 48 hours before the meeting.

If you wish to speak at the forum, you must also register in advance. That requirement seems more reasonable. Still, it’s another obstacle.

No matter, please, if you live in the Faribault area, make attending the community forum on the proposed acquisition of Allina Health by Sutter Health a priority on Wednesday evening. Come. Listen. Learn. Become informed. Be seen. And let your voice be heard if you choose to speak.

FYI: Click here to read the media release from the Minnesota state attorney general’s office on this community forum. The release includes links to register to attend and also a form to complete if you wish to speak.

Click here to read a media release from Allina Health about the “definitive agreement” with Sutter Health.

UPDATE, Sunday, July 26: Please click here to complete a survey by Sam Temple, a Faribault resident, documentary filmmaker, local historian, candidate for Rice County commissioner and more. Temple plans to share concerns and stories at the July 29 forum. You can complete his survey, “Share Your Allina Story,” anonymously if you wish.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A bouquet of kindness July 23, 2026

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Chocolate chip cookies (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

THE OTHER MORNING, after I finished baking a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I stepped outside into an ideal summer day. The temp hovered around 70 degrees with a sky that transitioned from sunny to cloudy and back. Freshly-laundered sheets and towels hung on my backyard clothesline. All was good in my world.

But it was about to become better. Not because anything extraordinary happened. Rather a decision I made to pick a bouquet of flowers flipped my day into a feel-good, generous day.

Phlox (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I grabbed a clippers from the garage, headed to my messy front yard flowerbeds and started cutting phlox. The purple, pink and white flowers run rampant among equally untamed ferns anchored by hydrangea.

As I clipped and gathered, I breathed in the strong perfume scent of these flowers that some may consider weeds—only if they are unwanted—but which I love. They are, simply put, lovely.

Once I had a sizable clutch of phlox, I started back to the house. And then I saw her, the young woman walking down the sidewalk towards me. In that moment, I decided my fresh floral bouquet would be hers. I asked if she was heading home soon. She was.

I extended the flowers to the 20-something, told her I wanted her to have the bouquet. I advised her that the phlox were delicate, might last a few days. She thanked me, smiled the most beautiful smile and said she would put the flowers in water as soon as she got home.

A kindness rock found in Montgomery, MN. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Our interaction, our conversation, was brief. Yet, it was deeply meaningful. To be able to give something to a stranger, to extend kindness, uplifted me. I hope the young woman felt likewise.

I watched my new acquaintance walk away with her flowers, then went back to clipping phlox. I gathered a bouquet for myself, all the while thinking about the importance of kindness, even small, spur-of-the-moment acts of kindness that can flip a day for the giver as much as the recipient.

TELL ME: Please share your kindness stories. I’d like to hear how you’ve either given or received kindness recently.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Up North at the cabin, a Minnesota summer tradition July 22, 2026

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Identifying signage for some of the property owners along Horseshoe Lake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

FOR MANY MINNESOTANS, going Up North to the lake cabin for a week in the summer is a time-honored tradition. They go to the same mom-and-pop, or luxury, resort. Stay at the family cabin. Or camp at a private campground or state park.

Mission Tavern, a local gathering spot just south of the cabin. We have not been here. Yet. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

They fish. Swim. Boat. Hike. They dine out and shop and play hard. It’s all part of the experience.

The northwoods cabin where we stay each summer. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Seven years ago, I finally joined this Minnesota summer-time phenomenon when a sister-in-law and brother-in-law purchased lake property and opened the on-site cabin to family. Every summer since, Randy and I have headed to Horseshoe Lake south of Crosslake in the Brainerd lakes area for a week-long get-away.

A warm welcome banners a business in Garrison, on the way to the cabin. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I’ve grown to know and love this region of north central Minnesota, decidedly different than southern Minnesota. Here woods and pristine lakes define the landscape. Narrow tree-lined gravel roads trail into the woods. Personalized signs identify cabin locations. Boats, bait and beer are common refrains.

The sun rises over Horseshoe Lake in Crow Wing County during a previous visit. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

For those of us who come here to vacation, this place provides a respite from everyday life, a peaceful place to plant ourselves for a bit. Lounging lakeside. Dining lakeside. Drinking coffee as the sun rises over the lake. Reading lakeside.

Loons in Horseshoe Lake south of Crosslake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Here the unique call of loons carries across the water. Here rods bend as weighty fish take bait. Here the sun sets on a campfire complete with s’mores. Here time has no clock.

Grandpa and grandchildren follow the pine-edged driveway in one of my favorite cabin photos. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

And for me, cabin life means, above all, being with family. Our eldest daughter, her husband and their two elementary-aged children join us for several days. I love sleeping under the same roof, the grandkids in a loft, the adults in two bedrooms.

We gather around the campfire for s’mores and stories. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I love gathering around the same table for meals. Grilled pork chops, burgers, hot dogs, veggies and, one evening, take-out pizza. I brought banana bread and chocolate chip cookies from home to share. And this stay we picked up a made-from-scratch-daily Grandma Bettie Jane’s blackberry/peach pie from Schaefer’s Foods in Nisswa to celebrate the son-in-law’s birthday.

Grandpa fishes with the kids. This year they each reeled in sizeable bass, which were released. Another lunker fish snapped the line. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I love playing games. Some numbers game dreamed up by math whiz Isaac, 7, who seemed determined to stump Grandma. Or BUILDZI, a tabletop game challenging players to stack uniquely-shaped blocks into a tower. No bumping the table, please. And when the grandkids left and quiet settled in, Randy and I played Yahtzee.

Copper Cats Escape Games in Brainerd offers three escape rooms rated by level of difficulty. The one available happened to be the easiest of the trio, perfect for newbies. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

But before everyone left, when extreme heat confined us to the indoors, the daughter suggested booking an escape room at Copper Cat Escape Games in Brainerd. I’ve always wanted to try this mystery endeavor. And so we did, looking for, solving and following clues to unlock locks, eventually leading us to Granny’s secret recipe. There was no sitting in a rocking chair for this Grandma. I was in the thick of the action, good at finding, not so good at deciphering. It was a whole lot of fun, earning a top rating from me.

Moonrise over Horseshoe Lake near Crosslake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Not so easy, though, was sifting through sand searching for a small plastic toy dinosaur that Izzy, 10, found in the lake, buried on the beach and then couldn’t find. Our efforts turned up nothing. But this search is now the stuff of family stories.

The Andersons have been making memories on Horseshoe Lake in the Brainerd lakes area since 1968. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Up North at the cabin is about sharing stories, about connecting, about making memories and about understanding that, above all, family matters most.

TELL ME: Do you get away with your family to a special place each year? I’d like to hear. I should note here that I would love to have all of my family—the son and his girlfriend from Boston and the second daughter and her husband and our other grandson from Madison, WI.—together with us at the cabin. Maybe some day…

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

From the fairgrounds, a second look before the Rice County Fair July 21, 2026

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Stacked benches ready to be put in place for the fair. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

THE PREP IS IN THE DETAILS. That’s evident at the Rice County Fairgrounds where the county fair opens on Wednesday for a five-day run in Faribault.

Coneflowers and other flowers are in full bloom in the on-site gardens. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I’m detail-oriented. So when I was at the fairgrounds with my camera several days in advance of the fair, I focused on signage and other evidence of fair prep and readiness.

The smallest of signs in the fairy garden. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

In the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens on the east side of the fairgrounds, among all the plants and flowers, I found the smallest of welcome signs. In the fairy garden. Usually tiny figurines occupy the space along with small-scale plants and stones. But, none were there yet during my Saturday evening walk.

The Pledge of Allegiance on a banner in the sheep barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Over in the sheep barn on the opposite end of the fairgrounds, patriotic and 4-H banners, yet to be hung, draped pens.

The grandstand ticket booth. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The ticket booth was locked tight outside the grandstand, awaiting paying customers.

A cartoonish pig fits The Pork Booth concession stand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Likewise concession stands were shuttered. I’m drawn to signage like that on The Pork Booth, which leaves no question about the food served there. The Rice County Pork Producers sell pork chops on-a-stick, pork burgers and pulled pork.

Barnyard signage honors a long-time fair board member. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

This fair is rooted in agriculture as noted by the line of barns stretching along the south side of the fairgrounds. A sign on the children’s barnyard honors Diane Hohrman. She started the barn for kids. The Northfield woman, who died in 2017, served on the fair board and was as an adult leader of the Big Giants 4-H Club for 33 years. I’d say Hohrman deserved this name-sake barnyard in her honor.

Bench signage. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Small Holstein Club signs label benches outside the barns, a nod to a breed of cattle. My dad raised Holsteins, which I helped care for while growing up. But I wasn’t in any clubs, including 4-H. No time for that, Dad said. He needed his kids on the farm, not going to meetings or working on projects. That may have been short-sighted on his part. But I wasn’t arguing when Dad needed me in the barn or field.

Beautiful potted flowers outside one of the barns. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The fair provides a good opportunity to learn about agriculture for kids and others not connected to rural life. That’s reality, vastly different from my youth when nearly all of my peers lived on small family farms.

A reminder from Rice County Public Health to wash your hands after going in the animal barns to prevent spread of disease. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copy

To celebrate agriculture up close with animals at the fair seems necessary in a time when many are a generation or more removed from the land. So the fair comes and goes each year, reminding us of our, or at least Rice County’s, agrarian roots.

TELL ME: What do you like best about a county fair?

Click here to read my first pre-fair blog post of a fairgrounds walk-about.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Becoming an informed voter in the local election July 20, 2026

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Voting instructions photographed in an historic building in Rice County. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I LIKE TO BE an informed voter. So this evening presents an ideal opportunity to learn more about candidates vying in the August 11 primary for three open seats on the Faribault City Council.

A candidates forum is slated for 7 p.m. today, July 20, at the Washington Rec Center, 117 Shumway Avenue, Faribault.

A banner hangs in Faribault’s downtown historic district. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

THREE QUESTIONS FOR 10 CANDIDATES

All 10 Faribault residents on the ballot—Jack A. Cluck, Thelma A. Estrada, Kameron Gustafson, Natalie Halverson, Katie Howard, Brett Pollard, Jacob Reed, John Rowan, Lexi Temple and Paul Wunderlich—have been invited to answer three pre-written questions and then mingle afterwards with attendees.

Those questions are:

  1. What distinguishes you from the other candidates?
  2. What is one concrete policy you would champion?
  3. What is one thing about Faribault you hope doesn’t change?

A moderator will run the forum with candidates asked the same questions in a randomized order.

I look forward to hearing from these individuals who want a seat on the council. I’ve already met several and certainly know incumbent John Rowan. It’s important to understand their viewpoints, their goals, their plans and more as Faribault grows, changes, evolves.

A message posted on a house in neighboring Dundas during a past election. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo.)

HOT TOPICS

Already I know of topics of concern: a proposed data center in Faribault, property taxes, government spending, inflation, housing, privacy concerns over usage of Flock cameras by local law enforcement, a proposed community center…

It’s heartening to see 10 people running for city council, people willing to give of their time and talents to represent Faribault residents. I just want to know more about them so I can make an informed vote.

THANKS, SAM

I’m grateful to Sam Temple, life-long Faribault resident, local historian, documentary filmmaker, director of advancement for Faribault Community Television, active in local government and now a candidate for Rice County commissioner in the third district, for hosting this evening’s forum. Note that Temple’s sister, Lexi Temple, is on the ballot. But Sam states that he is not endorsing any candidates for city council.

Please plan to attend if you’re a Faribault resident and become informed as early voting is already underway for the August 11 primary in Minnesota.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Touring the Rice County Fairgrounds days before the fair

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A sign advertising the fair banners a fairgrounds building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

IN THE STILL of a Saturday summer evening, I wandered the Rice County Fairgrounds days before the fair opens for a five-day run July 22-26 in Faribault. I took in a scene which will appear and feel decidedly different once this annual “Where the City Meets the Farm” event begins.

Locally-based Schroder Concessions stands sit outside the grandstand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
This vendor sells cheese curds, including in a bucket. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2026)
You can buy 64 ounces of lemonade from the same vendor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

On this evening, with the sky tinged a muted pink by the setting sun, the glowing lights of two mobile concession stands offered a peek at the festive atmosphere soon to come. I could almost see the line of fair-goers waiting for a bucket of cheese curds, a foot long hot dog or an icy cold old-fashioned lemonade.

The food stand run by Bethlehem Academy, home of the Cardinals. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Nearby, permanent structures house long-time food vendors—the Cardinal Cafe since the 1950s, The Pork Booth, the 4-H Food Stand and others.

An inoperable carnival ride made in Faribault splashes color outside a livestock barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Food, fun and friends theme the 2026 fair, according to the fair’s website. That seems fitting as I consider the people who will gather here, some coming primarily for the food; others for the carnival rides; many to see the exhibits; others to show off their animals, talents, creativity and much more; many for the entertainment; and, above all, to connect with family and friends for a whole lot of fun.

Picnic tables stacked and ready to put in place for the fair. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
A sign directs visitors to exhibits. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
An old stock watering tank repurposed as a flower planter sits outside the sheep barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

But on this pre-fair evening, all was quiet. I observed a state of readiness. Benches and picnic tables stacked. Trash bins in place. Signs posted. Flowers blooming in stock tanks and other containers. Ticket booths set up. American flags flying atop the grandstand.

The Beer Garden is now The Stockyard, a place of beer and bands. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

And near the grandstand, I noticed a new sign, a change at the Beer Garden, now renamed The Stockyard. I suppose that’s appropriate given the agricultural roots of the county fair. It’s a catchy and identifiable tag.

A line of barns that will house animals stretches along the south side of the fairgrounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I continued my loop around the fairgrounds, following the row of buildings that will soon house prized animals. Pigs, sheep, poultry, cows, cattle, rabbits and goats. Horses have their separate space across the grounds.

The back entry to the sheep barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Barn doors were locked. But near the end of the row, lights glared in the John Liebenstein Sheep Arena. I stepped inside the open air barn defined by rows of white wooden pens. I followed the clean-swept floor, passed by wheelbarrows. Already, families had claimed their spots with surnames marked on masking tape. Some were there Saturday evening preparing for the arrival of sheep.

Banners defining the purpose of 4-H and the 4-H pledge of head, heart, hands and health draped over a pen, awaiting display.

Brothers Keith, left, and Sam paint gates for the swine barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

And behind the swine building I found three young men—Keith, Sam and Charlie—rolling bright red paint onto metal gates to corral pigs. “Nothing like waiting until the last minute,” I teased, my comment not phasing them a bit.

Cotton candy will be available for purchase. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

In the final days before the fair, much will happen as the carnival sets up, vendors and kids arrive, and everything is put in place. I can only imagine the amount of planning and execution that go into creating an inviting and successful fair.

This shows a small portion of the garden, complete with benches, on the east side of the fairgrounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Over at the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens on the east end of the fairgrounds, the pristine gardens are in full bloom, an oasis of natural beauty, a respite from the busyness of the fair. The next door conservation building has been reshingled and repainted.

The historic Pleasant Valley School and Holy Innocents Episcopal Church will be open during the fair. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The Rice County Historical Society has been lining up volunteers to greet fair visitors inside the old schoolhouse and church. I got a call while on vacation, but couldn’t commit. Churches have been lining up volunteers, too, to staff booths. Likewise, businesses are set with promotional displays.

Looking up at the grandstand, which will feature races, an antique tractor pull, alligator wrestling and more. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Days before the fair opened, I felt a sense of anticipation that comes with any big annual event. Memories will be made here, perhaps while watching juggling, a magic show or alligator wrestling; playing free mini golf, BINGO or Euchre; listening to La Raza de Mexico and other musicians; perusing exhibits of quilts, photos and more; checking out the animals; interacting with Jack Sparrow the Pirate; going on a scavenger hunt; and more, oh so much more.

One of the food vendors already in place when I toured the fairgrounds Saturday evening. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

I haven’t attended the Rice County Fair in years, having been “faired out” decades ago as a young newspaper reporter and photographer covering several county fairs. But my pre-fair tour of the fairgrounds proved motivating. This just may be the year I return to the fair and wait in line for my favorite fair food—mini donuts. Or perhaps I’ll try funnel cakes, order cheese curds, grab an old-fashioned lemonade…

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Escaping the heavy wildfire smoke in north central Minnesota July 16, 2026

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Signage on an escape room business in downtown Brainerd, photo taken Monday afternoon before wildfire smoke rolled in. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

IN THE EXTREME HEAT and humidity of Monday afternoon, my husband and I and our eldest daughter and her family escaped to Copper Cat Escape Games in Brainerd to sleuth for Granny’s hidden secret recipe. It was great fun finding and solving clues, unlocking boxes and finally solving the mystery with five minutes to spare.

Driving into and through wildfire smoke early Wednesday afternoon near Garrison. I took these photos as a passenger. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

On Wednesday afternoon, we escaped, too, but this time from intense wildfire smoke which blew in from the north, enveloping the Brainerd Lakes area cabin where we were vacationing. We’ve experienced smoke on previous visits. This time, though, the smoke was especially thick, intense and oppressive.

After leaving Mission Park and before reaching the cabin, I photographed this sign by the Mission Town Hall. Fire danger was low here Wednesday with the smoke (seen to the left) coming from wildfires up north. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

The smoke rolled in as Randy and I were hiking at Mission Park only a short drive from the Horseshoe Lake cabin south of Crosslake. We emerged from the woods to see dense smoke. Initially, we thought someone was burning, but soon realized the source—wildfires to the north in Canada and northern Minnesota.

Driving through dense smoke along Crow Wing County Road 11 south of Crosslake early Wednesday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Wildfires are raging in areas in and around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area with campers there evacuated earlier in the week and the BWCA closed. Evacuation orders have been issued in parts of St. Louis, Cook and Lake counties in the northeastern part of Minnesota. Camps are closing, kids sent home. And on and on. Resorts, outfitters and other businesses that rely on seasonal income are suffering.

And across nearly all of Minnesota, we are breathing in smoke at levels classified as hazardous, very unhealthy, unhealthy and more by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. That includes right here in my county of Rice in the southern part of the state far from the wildfires.

But the level here in Faribault is nothing compared to what we saw and breathed in yesterday in the Brainerd Lakes area. That smoke smelled of infinite campfires, stung our eyes, made it hard to breathe, reduced visibility.

Our plans to spend the day exploring and enjoying the small towns near the cabin quickly pivoted to packing and heading home a day earlier than intended. Our daughter and her family left a day prior, as scheduled.

Looking across Horseshoe Lake in the thick smoke late Wednesday morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

It was the right decision to leave on Wednesday. Already visibility across Horseshoe Lake was so limited that the opposite shore appeared only an outline of trees. Smoke and the stench of smoke hung in the air. The toxic air felt suffocating.

Northbound toward Crosslake, this shows the heavy smoke in the area at the intersection of Crow Wing County roads 3 and 11 early Wednesday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Once on Crow Wing County Road 3, Randy and I could see the scope of the smoke spreading far and wide, blanketing the landscape.

Driving through the smoke, past charred trees, right, burned in the Flanders Fire in May south of Crosslake. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Onward we drove, turning onto county road 11, passing stands of charred trees and cleared land from a mid-May wildfire in Mission Township. The irony was not lost on me.

Mile after mile, we traveled in smoky conditions. In Crosby, life appeared business as usual with a packed downtown, despite the smoke. Shoppers walking in and out of shops. Bikers biking.

Smoke surrounds the roadside deer statue in Deerwood. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

In Deerwood, a roadside deer statue appeared to leap through the smoke in an attempt to escape.

Wildfire smoke screens the view of Mille Lacs Lake by the roadside walleye statue. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

In Garrison, visitors at the Mille Lacs Lake overlook could see the roadside statue, but not much of the lake.

Wildfire smoke backdrops a docked boat on Mille Lacs Lake Wednesday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Down the road a bit, a guy jogged alongside U.S. Highway 169. Smoke still hung thick. I wondered how his body could tolerate the polluted air. Mine can’t.

Motorists travel through thick wildfire smoke along US Highway 169 south of Mille Lacs Lake early Wednesday afternoon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

We thought we would soon drive out of the wildfire smoke. But we drove past endless towns along highway 169—Onamia, Milaca, Princeton, Zimmerman… Not until we reached Elk River in the northwest metro two hours later did the smoke dissipate and open to blue skies. Then and only then did I feel like I could breathe easier.

I hope Minnesotans living near the 17 uncontrolled wildfires, and firefighters, plus our Canadian neighbors, can soon breathe easier, too. Rain is needed.

Looking across Horseshoe Lake late Wednesday morning, the opposite shoreline is obscured by wildfire smoke. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)

Yet, I know these fires can burn for weeks, ravaging the landscape, polluting the air, impacting businesses and sometimes changing vacation plans. But leaving the lake cabin a day early to escape the smoke is nothing, truly nothing, in the story of wildfires.

TELL ME: Are you being affected by wildfires? If yes, I’d like to hear your story.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Owatonna author collaborates on medical thriller set in Minnesota July 7, 2026

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(Book cover sourced online)

A SINGULAR THOUGHT niggled in my mind the entire time I read The Kill Code Collective, a medical thriller co-authored by five Minnesotans. And that is just how many people I know with implanted cardiac devices (ICD). Like characters in the book, they could be exposed to possible hacking of implant technology. That crime focuses this fictional story.

But the collaborating writers repeatedly emphasize that Kill Code is a work of fiction and that medical device companies are very concerned about security. “And we really mean it,” an authors’ note reinforces. Still…

My strong reaction speaks to the believability of the plot, which evolves around Voyageur Cardiac Systems’ VC-25-4750 implanted defibrillator. When several people with ICDs die, the investigation is underway to determine the cause.

Early on in the story, I struggled with keeping the many characters and the evolving story line straight. But I eventually settled into Kill Code with each turn of the page, each twist in the plot.

Owatonna writer Chris Norbury

From a CEO to an international field operative, a shady deal maker, an attorney, a computer whiz, a musician, a software engineer, an aircraft mechanic and more, an eclectic mix of characters are part of this intriguing story. I was familiar with one, Matt Lanier, a professional musician and amateur detective in a mystery-thriller series by Owatonnan Chris Norbury. I’m a fan of his series set in fictional Straight River in southern Minnesota and Castle Danger, an actual unincorporated community up north.

Kill Code is also set in Minnesota, which is no surprise given the authors—Norbury, Brian Lutterman, John Baird Rogers, Julie Holmes and Rob Jung—are Minnesotans who form the Midwest Mystery Works. This book pulls the main characters from their individual books into Kill Code as an unofficial group determined to get to the bottom of the ICD deaths. That includes several strong and talented women, which I, as a woman, appreciate.

Technology is an integral part of the story line. But it’s basic enough that even someone with minimal understanding of tech can follow that key aspect of the plot. That would be me, although I do have a family member who works in software research and development and I’ve learned a bit from him. He would have been a great addition to the team trying to solve the Voyageur Cardiac Systems’ mystery.

Suspense, blackmail, death threats, greed, secrets, revenge, violence…all are part of Kill Code. So is a distinctly Minnesotan flavor. As a life-long resident of the North Star state, I enjoy books rooted in our culture, our way of life. And our food—like our signature walleye, the typical funeral luncheon menu of ham and cheese sandwiches, coleslaw and bars (a sweet treat, not a place), and our go-to winter comfort food of grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.

Because this story takes place in winter, the writers reference the cold and snow. Minnesotans, even in fiction, take pride in showing their cold weather hardiness.

Kill Code is unlike any mystery I’ve read, because of the technology aspect, but also because five authors collaborated to write this book. As a writer myself, I can only imagine how daunting that task. But the five succeeded in collectively writing a medical mystery that left me wondering, could this really happen?

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling