The Montgomery Messenger is charging for the publication of letters to the editor that relate to candidates for office, are a political endorsement, or relate to an upcoming election.
    These letters will be considered political paid ads and are subject to a $25 charge for local candidates (i.e. Mayor, city council, school board). Outside of the community such as representatives, senators, sheriffs will be charged $45 and be paid before publication.

Guidelines for letters to the editor for the election season are:

To the editor,

I’m supporting Marisa Ulmen for Minnesota State Senate District 22 because she understands what it takes to build and sustain a strong rural community.

Marisa knows rural Minnesota because she has lived it. She is a fifth-generation farmer from Madelia, and she understands both the challenges and opportunities facing our farm families and rural communities.

Her campaign is focused on four priorities: affordable, accessible healthcare; support for rural families and communities; a strong future for our farm families; and stronger rural towns.

    Nearly three of four educators in Education Minnesota said in a new poll they were directly or indirectly affected by Operation Metro Surge, suggesting a massive disruption in learning for tens of thousands of Minnesota students in the middle of the 2025-26 school year. 

    Another Kolacky Days weekend is in the history books. It was indeed a hot one. It’s possible this year’s offering of Kolackys was simply baked by leaving them out in the sun for a few minutes.
    As an outsider, I’m always impressed by how smoothly the festival goes. There are so many unique things that this festival offers – from prune spitting to the Bohemian tractor pull – I find it to be the festival I talk about the most with my friends and fellow outsiders.

To the editor and Montgomery,
    There are moments in life when "thank you" simply doesn't seem like enough. As our family reflects on Neysa's journey, from serving as Montgomery's Kolacky Queen Ambassador to now having the incredible honor of representing our community as a 2026 Aquatennial Ambassador, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the people who have supported her every step of the way.

Hello again everyone:
    I could not help but to rebuttal Danny O’Keefe’s reason for running. 
    He says he is level-headed. So why did you make a motion and vote yes to double the outlet ditch to drain Lexington Lake faster and way earlier than ever!? 
    He says he is very knowledgeable of county ditches. What you did to Lexington Lake is the reason for a potential and pending lawsuit against Le Sueur County. 
    He says he uses common sense approach. Is that why three other people are running against you?

    Every year since about 2018, a few of us friends have gotten together at Belle Plaine BBQ Days to cook a gigantic burger. It originated with my friends Zachery Schoenecker (also my nephew), Josh Mosbeck, and Alex McCarty. According to my nephew, the first burger was made in 2017 but it didn’t move to its current state of affairs until at least 2018.
    McCarty’s father and he both lived in a house along the BBQ Days parade route, which made for a convenient place to have a cookout and then watch the parade on Saturday of the event. As each year went on, the burger grew.

    Welcome, everyone. Thank you for being here today as veterans, as family, and as a community to observe Memorial Day 2026.
    To many across the country, this weekend is often marked by backyard barbecues, the opening of neighborhood pools, and the unofficial start of summer. But for those of us gathered here right now, we know that today is not a holiday of celebration, but a day of solemn remembrance. We are here to pause, reflect, and honor the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States.

    Traveling back into the district for Easter break, it was clear folks are fed up with St. Paul and the lack of movement on bills. That frustration is warranted, and I agree with it.
    Right now, nothing is really happening beyond stopping bad legislation. That
may not sound like progress, but it may end up being the best thing for Minnesotans. There’s an old saying, if government isn’t doing anything, it also isn’t spending money.

To the editor:

    I am writing in response to the article regarding the fire and ambulance services in the January 22 issue. My aunt, Frannie Kohout, always said it is never too late to say thank you, and I would like to offer mine.

(Feb. 23, 2026)

    At a recent meeting, our city officials described a tentative agreement that would allow a for-profit developer to construct a 56-unit apartment building on 7th Street East. This site is located on a dead-end road that is accessible only from Elm Avenue East—also a dead-end road. The proposal includes substantial property-tax subsidies for the developer, along with the city selling the acreage for just one dollar.

    For over twenty years, the Roadless Rule has helped protect more than 58 million acres of our national forests from harmful road building and big industrial projects. At the same time, these public lands have stayed open for everyone to enjoy.
    My family has fought wildfires in northern Minnesota for generations, so I have seen firsthand how these protections help keep our forests healthy and support our communities’ way of life.

To the Editor,
    This letter is written in response to Rep. Terry Stier’s article on federal immigration enforcement published in the Feb. 5, 2026, edition of The New Prague Times (and Montgomery Messenger). Rep. Stier outlines his law enforcement background and his preference for behind-the-scenes engagement with federal agencies rather than public confrontation, a perspective shaped by his years as a police chief and legislator.