“I originally joined to further my education and pursue a law degree,” said Army Specialist Mikayla Homola, an infantry soldier assigned to the Minnesota National Guard’s West Saint Paul-based Alpha Company, Second Battalion, 135th Infantry Regiment. As the first female junior enlisted infantry soldier in Minnesota, Homola began her career by paving the way for future junior enlisted women interested […]
Focus On Veterans
From pilot to pageantry
Meet the 1st active-duty Miss America, 2nd Lt. MarshAir Force Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh made big plans for herself when she was young, although she never really factored into becoming Miss America into that equation. However, after a tough competition in January, Marsh became the first active-duty service member to earn the crown. The 22-year-old U.S. Air Force Academy graduate is now learning to navigate life as a […]
Hibbing thrift store gives generous donation to veterans
HIBBING – Minnesota Veterans Home – Silver Bay accepted a generous $10,000 donation from the Veterans Community Thrift Store (VCTS) located in Hibbing. This donation will be used to purchase a van to help transport veterans home residents to events and other social and leisure activities in the community. The dream of a VCTS began in 2016 with three veteran […]
Quilters win award for giving veterans Quilts of Valor
COHASSET – Lake Country Power selected the Lakeside Quilters of Tamarack, as the winner of its annual Touchstone Energy ® Community Award. The co-op chose this organization to recognize a group of 14 individuals who volunteer their time to make quality quilts by hand and donate to deserving individuals within the local communities. As winner of the Touchstone Energy Community […]
History in a Pint returns with…
Retired general’s presentation on Cold War era DuluthDULUTH: Brigadier General Raymond Klosowski, U.S. Air Force (retired) of Duluth, will be presenting the history of military operations in the Duluth area during the Cold War with the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.). The program will be held on Thursday, February 22, at 7 p.m. at the St. Louis County Depot Theatre in Duluth. There will be a 6–7 p.m. social […]
Student wins scholarship with essay on his grandfather
DULUTH – Patrick Douglas of Aurora was awarded the 2023 Mike Colalillo Medal of Honor Scholarship. The presentation ceremony was held in the Veterans Memorial Hall Museum at the St. Louis County Depot on January 22. Douglas, a junior at the University of Wisconsin-Superior, accepted the $1,500 scholarship from Michele Schneeberger, Colalillo’s daughter, and Andrew Meyer, chairman of the Veterans […]
State veterans homes receive large donation from VFW
STATEWIDE – The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) received a donation of $80,000 from the Department of Minnesota Veterans of Foreign Wars, Charles McLaughlin Post 906 in Hutchinson. This is the second year in a row that this donation has been provided to the eight state veterans homes. Each of the eight locations will receive $10,000. VFW State Commander […]
Minnesotan VFW member shares his story on trying to get disability
VFW life member Randolph Freeman, 74, lives in Maplewood, MN, with his wife, Michelle. He joined the Army in 1974 and served for 24 years, with tours in Korea and Germany. He has felt the effects of various service-related conditions, including migraines, back pain and neck and shoulder injuries, for years but struggled to receive benefits. “I tried for about […]
Two Minnesota State Veterans Homes recognized as best for 2024
The Minnesota Veterans Homes in both Fergus Falls and Luverne have been recognized as “Best Nursing Homes” for 2024, according to U.S. News & World Report magazine. U.S. News evaluated over 15,000 nursing homes while completing their research. Only 19 percent of U.S. skilled nursing facilities earned the “Best Nursing Home” designation this year. U.S. News Long-Term Care Ratings reflect […]
Starvation experiment of Dr. Ancel Keys, 1944 – 1945
From November 1944 to late October 1945, Dr. Ancel Keys paid close attention to hunger. He supervised 36 young male volunteers in a “starvation experiment” funded by the U.S. Army. This landmark effort at the University of Minnesota led to a broad new understanding of nutrition and health. Keys was a physiologist, interested in how food and human behavior related […]