District 24A House Candidates

Duane Quam is the incumbent running on the GOP ticket. He has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2010. I have lived in the community for almost 50 years. Duane is married and he and his wife Pat …

State Senate Candidates for District 24

Nels Pierson is the GOP candidate for the Minnesota State senate seat vacated by retiring Carla Nelson, who has held the seat since 2010. I moved to the area back in 1995. I grew up on a dairy …

West Concord Area Foundation Pie Bake-Off

Saturday October 24th the West Concord Area Foundation held their first annual Gala with a Pie Bake-Off contest and fundraiser at the Bell Tower Center. Ten varieties of pies were brought by local …

Get your tickets for "Little Women"!

Our December show is "Little Women" adapted by Marisha Chamberlain, directed by Kami Sim. The show runs December 4-20: Shows will start at 7 pm on Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, & 18. Shows will start at 2 …

Triton's Holiday Market is Back!

Well, "tis the season," so they say! And time again for the community to come together and celebrate the season of good will toward men! On Saturday, December 12th, Triton's Community Education joins …

Information wanted on family farms

Dodge County was settled by farm families beginning in 1854, and the contributions of those families were significant in making our county what it is today. Every year the number of family farms …

Coffee and treats Thursdays are returning to the West Concord Historical Society

Coffee and treats Thursdays are returning to the West Concord Historical Society building beginning Nov. 5 and will continue throughout the winter months. Each day will begin at 9 a.m. The Flame …

More Local News

Sidewalk Pastor

Sometimes during life when we become troubled and start thinking of our past, and having negative thoughts, we need to STOP and gain control of our life again. This happens to many of us during …

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

We took a trip up the North Shore in September to spend a night in Thunder Bay, Canada. The scenic drive was spectacular as the leaves were turning color and the weather was perfect. One of the stops …

Apples and Healthy Weight

You have heard the rhyme, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But what does an apple really do for you? Does any apple work, or only certain kinds? A few answers can be found here. …

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Obituaries

David “Dave” Duane Folkert

David “Dave” Duane Folkert, 60, of Kasson, Minnesota passed away surrounded by his family on Monday, September 28, 2026. David was born on July 24, 1966, in St. Peter, MN and was later adopted …

Daniel Lee Greene

Daniel Lee Greene, 72 of Dodge Center, MN passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife and two daughters on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Daniel was born on December 22, 1953, at Saint Mary's …

Leslie Dale DeRaad Sr.

It is with deep sorrow and loving remembrance that we announce the passing of Leslie Dale DeRaad, who left this world peacefully on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. …

Jacob Andrew “Jake” Buchl

Jacob Andrew “Jake” Buchl, 30, of Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota, passed away on Thursday, October 8, 2026. He was born in Quincy, Illinois to John and Linda (Witschen) Buchl, Jake was a beloved …

Carol Ann Clough

Carol Ann Clough left us on October 15, 2026, at the age of 87. Born on February 11, 1939, in West Concord, Minnesota, Carol was the seventh child of Bernard Matthias Meyer and Irene Emma Van Den …

The Messenger October 2026 Issue 5

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Community

Salt and Light in Election Season

Imagine a single candle lit in a dark room. Its flame does not instantly flood the entire house with brilliance, yet it pushes back the shadows nearest to it. As more candles are kindled nearby, the …

Dodge Center City Council Meeting - September 28, 2026

DODGE CENTER SUMMARY COUNCIL MINUTES Monday, September 28, 2026 This published information is a summary of the full minutes of September 28, 2026, Dodge Center City Council regular meeting. A …

Dodge Center City Candidates

There is only one mayoral candidate, Mindy Hedberg and she didn’t respond to a request for an interview. There are two city council seats open and only two candidates. Alan Denny did not respond to …

Community

Triton School Board Candidates

Triton school board has four openings and seven candidates Wally Bluhm I have lived in the Triton community since 2015. I also have deep roots in Dodge County, having grown up in Kasson from the age …

Claremont City Council Candidates

Claremont city council Tracy Boyum I have lived in the community for almost 4 yrs I have a husband Duane we have been together 34 yrs We have 4 kids 8 grandkids and 3 dogs I work for Viracon for 9 …

Claremont Mayor Candidates

There are four candidates for Claremont Mayor Ethan Johnson I have lived in Claremont for about eight years. I married the love of my life in September 2025, and we plan to start and raise …

Self-Employed and Can’t Get a Mortgage? The Loan Type May Be the Problem

Many self-employed borrowers who are told they do not qualify for a mortgage are not actually unqualified. They are applying through a loan type that measures income in a way that works against them. …

Massachusetts Appraisal Rules Change in November. Buyers Who Wait to Prepare Will Lose Deals.

Most Massachusetts homebuyers will not think about new appraisal rules until those rules delay their closing. By then, according to Colleen Barry of Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, the …

A Seller’s Strongest Negotiating Position in Fairfield County, CT Starts Before the First Showing

The Fairfield County, Connecticut housing market heading into fall 2026 doesn’t fit neatly into a single headline. Some homes are drawing multiple offers above asking. Others, in the same county …

Mortgage-Dependent Buyers Are Being Squeezed Out of the Florida Keys

There is a growing divide in the Florida Keys housing market, and it runs along a single fault line: whether a buyer needs a mortgage. Cash buyers – many of them retirees and business owners from …

Housing Is the Largest Asset Most Americans Own. It’s Also the Only One They Don’t Diversify.

Stock portfolios get diversified. Bond holdings get diversified. Even alternative investments get spread across categories and geographies. But the single largest asset on most American household …