Articles written by Jeff Olsen
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Fly Your New Flags Proudly This Memorial Day
by Jeff Olsen Patriotism isn't dead yet. Flying the colors is still very much alive. Roseau County Veterans Service Officer Martin "Marty" Howes wants everyone to be proud of America. Credit Mr....
This is our world so enjoy it
On Saturday morning, I rolled out of bed with Scott Simon's marvelous voice in my ears. He is NPR's Weekend Edition broadcaster and was mentioning that the national reporters who fly along on Air...
Colonel Wittrock Gets Around the World
by Jeff Olsen Her name is Anna, and she is the youngest of 14 siblings and grew up on a farm in Salol, about 12 miles from Roseau. "I'm the baby," she laughed. She is a Grafstrom, the daughter of the...
It ain't likely I'm going to Heaven
Darn! I neglected to buy one of Trump's nifty Bibles. It's a possibility that any number of Roseau County folks paid the $59.99 plus shipping for this unique keepsake. Why don't they list it at 60...
Museum Curator Needs a moving company of volunteers
by Jeff Olsen If you write successfully, good things will happen! That should be the motto of Roseau County Museum Curator Britt Dahl, who hit the jackpot this past January. She didn't win the Lotto,...
With this week's wacky wonderful world of surprises
On Saturday evening, some pals and I were watching the NCAA D1 wrestling championships on TV. We swore at times when one of our picks went into the tank, and there went somebody's money. The money mea...
Roseau and Warroad players are among hockey elite
by Jeff Olsen Marty Mjelleli, the chairman of the Mr. Hockey Award and a member of the Minnesota All Sports Alliance, is as reliable as a Timex watch. He keeps on ticking year-round on high school...
Logan Kvien had a great NCAA D-II Tournament
by Jeff Olsen Les Kvien, Roseau High School's first state wrestling champion in 1984, was right where he wanted to be on March 15-16 at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kansas. Mr. Kvien, a businessman and...
Davidson Achieves Snowmobile Racing's Highest Honor
by Jeff Olsen Randy Larson, who nominated Corey Davidson for the Snowmobile Hall of Fame, recently explained what stands out about the man from little Holt, Minnesota, who was inducted into the...
The Big Guy brightens up a special day
It's hard to believe that Richard Mattson and I were born on the same exact date. It's just a coincidence. Richard is one of the good guys in this game of life. I stand in awe of his outstanding... Full story
Wrestlers Sprabary and Cossentine Go the Extra Mile
by Jeff Olsen So, you want to wrestle? Nothing to it. Just jump in the car and drive for 16 hours with a few gas and potty breaks from Roseau to Tulsa, Oklahoma, last Thursday. It was the National...
Heaven can wait until I'm good and ready!
Occasionally, I wake up in the middle of the night. It's always the same dream and I'm in Heaven. Let's stop for a moment since many of the Holy Rollers up here are grinding their teeth and...
Classy Lady Pulls the Retirement Pin
by Jeff Olsen Diane Roseen, whose age is not important here, was usually the first person you met inside the Roseau County Attorney's Office entry. She always had a smile to greet you and that was...
Donald Trump Trumps The Field In PNP Vote
by Jeff Olsen Late on Tuesday evening close to 11 p.m., the staff and others walked out of the Roseau County Auditor's Office having experienced a meager voter turnout. It was the November PNP and if...
With Hult and other amazing characters
I run into so many characters that I can sit back and stay relatively sober while wondering, "Who is this stumblebum?" On Monday evening, here came a text from a world traveler who had flown down to...
Grapplers Make Good Copy On and Off the Mat
by Jeff Olsen His nickname should be T-Rex. A week ago Friday just before noon, a report arrived from the Xcel Energy Center from Gary Przekwas, who was covering the State Wrestling Tournament for... Full story
The Bus Ride Home from State with The Lady Rams
by Jeff Olsen Jasmine Hovda was sitting towards the back of the bus this past Sunday afternoon. She'd had a great tournament and was selected to the Class AA All-Tournament Team. She is a sophomore... Full story
Seth Cossentine Advances to State Wrestling Tournament
by Jeff Olsen On Saturday afternoon, eighth grader Seth Cossentine would shortly ascend the podium at the Section 8AA Individual Wrestling Tournament in Glyndon, Minnesota. He had won the 145 pound...
With a number of characters who made license plates
Last Saturday morning, I came charging out of bed with a smile since I know life is all about chumps, scamps, reprobates, and scoundrels. Right away, I thought of Tallahassee Slim, a Canadian import...
She was dressed perfectly for the job interview
by Jeff Olsen Robyn (née Boroos) Wiskow, a 1978 Roseau High School graduate, knows how to make an impression, then and now. In early February, Stuart McFarlane, the president of Citizens State Bank... Full story
Don't Hesitate Because Time Is Running Out
At first, I coveted a pair of Trump's newest business venture. His tennis shoes are selling for a mere $399 a pair, and I wanted some local MAGA supporter to buy me a pair as a demonstration of his...
Turkeys No Longer Come First With This State Representative
by Jeff Olsen A week ago Wednesday, Rep. John Burkel (R-1A) was just days away from the kickoff of the 2024 Minnesota State Legislative session. The Republican, in his fourth year, succeeded fellow... Full story
LifeCare Salutes an amazing Caregiver Award Winner
by Jeff Olsen LifeCare Roseau Manor's Robert Honstrom, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who is a combination of "On the Road With Charles Kuralt", Mr. Rogers at his patients' beck and call and St....
Jesus covered my Super Bowl Bets
I looked up towards the ceiling in the first quarter on Sunday as I greedily anticipated that the Chiefs would soon take the lead. But then the KC halfback fumbled the ball maybe at the 10-yard line...
Lady Ram wrestler falls just short of State Tournament
by Jeff Olsen What a future 8th grader Morgan Skoien, a first-year competitor, has in girls wrestling. Last Saturday in Bemidji, Morgan, a couple of inches shy of six feet, reached the True Second Mat...