Visitation will take place Friday, May 25 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home in Howard Lake, with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Further visitation will take place one hour prior to the services at the Church Saturday, May 26.

The funeral service will take place Saturday, May 26 at 11 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Howard Lake. Interment will be at the Howard Lake Cemetery. Arrangements are with the Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home of Cokato and Howard Lake.

The area is commonly referred to as “Wolf Swamp.” No detour will be posted.

If you’re like most Americans, the answer is “yes.”

According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, nearly three quarters of Americans (72 percent) report following local news closely “most of the time, whether or not something important is happening.”

Local newspapers were found to be, by far, the source people rely on for necessary information.

The survey included 2,251 adults ages 18 and older, and was conducted in English and Spanish. Of the 16 topics participants were asked about, many preferred newspapers for following crime, local politics, community events, or arts and culture.

About 25 percent favor newspapers for information about local schools, taxes, government activity, local business, and housing issues. A fifth of respondents primarily use newspapers for following restaurants, job openings, or local zoning issues.

Nearly a third of local news followers reported that it would have a major impact on them if their local newspaper no longer existed.

Those age 40 and older were more likely to report a major impact (35 percent), but 26 percent of younger local news enthusiasts also say that losing the local paper would have a major impact on them.

To learn more about the survey, go to www.pewinternet.org.

Cities, schools, and townships in the Herald Journal coverage area are not affected by the Tuesday, Aug. 14 primary.

Therefore, those filing periods will start Tuesday, July 31 and end Tuesday, Aug. 14, with a withdrawal deadline of Thursday, Aug. 16.

Filings and withdrawals are due by 5 p.m.

The filing period for county commissioner seats in McLeod, Carver, and Wright counties began May 22, and will close Tuesday, June 5, with a withdrawal deadline of Thursday, June 7.

Visitation will take place Wednesday, May 23 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Chilson Funeral Home in Winsted. A combined CCW and St. Anne’s Society Rosary will be recited at 4 p.m., and parish prayers will take place at 7:30 p.m. Further visitation will take place Thursday, May 24 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place Thursday, May 24 at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Winsted. Interment in the Holy Trinity Cemetery.  Arrangements are with the Chilson Funeral Home in Winsted.

The public is encouraged to stop by between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. May 25, 26, and 28, as well as June 1 and 2.

“We have a number of new intersectional hybrids, with never seen before colors,” said Keith Swenson, who owns the farm with his wife, Becky.

Located at 10958 70th Street SW in Howard Lake, Swenson Gardens is the largest organic peony farm in the United States.

“We have more than 12,000 plants in Howard Lake – hundreds of thousands of blooms,” Keith said.

The Swensons have been growing peonies for about 15 years, and they are looking forward to sharing their passion with others.

“We are only open during these dates, so be sure and visit us,” Swenson noted.

Experts will be on-hand for all peony related questions, and peony cut flowers will be available for purchase. During the tour, gardeners are also welcome to order bare-root peonies for pickup or shipping in September.

“We don’t care if people buy peonies or not,” Keith said. “We just want them to enjoy the field.”

The Swensons love of peonies began as a hobby, and grew into a family business. Now, people from all over the country purchase their certified disease- and pest-free bare root beauties.

For more information, call (763) 350-2051 or go to www.swensongardens.com.

See the peonies
What: Swenson Gardens Peony Field Days
Where: 10958 70th St SW, Howard Lake, MN 55349
When: May 25, 26, and 28 and June 1 and 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Who: Open to the public

Visitation will take place Thursday, May 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Norwood Young America.

The funeral service will take place Thursday, May 24 at 11:30 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Norwood Young America. Interment to follow in the Mau Cemetery, Norwood Young America. Please designate any memorials to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Norwood Young America.

Ads and copy are due by noon Wednesday, May 23. The paper will be printed early and distributed on the weekend.

The NEWSPAPER office will be closed Friday, May 25 and Monday, May 28.

For more information, call (320) 395-2780. Donations may be dropped at First Community Bank, Lester Prairie or at the church.

Men and women, adults and students age 5 to 105 are welcome to audition including participants from Howard Lake, Waverly, Winsted, and surrounding areas and anyone interested in community theatre.

Actors, musicians (pit), lighting, sound, technical crew, set, costume, marketing, and volunteer help are needed. Rehearsals are planned for Monday-Friday evenings in June and July.

Contact Director Belinda Larson at (320) 286-6665 or Margaret Marketon, Community Education, at (320) 543-3600 for additional information.