Minnesota Valley Community Concert Series 2025-26

The Minnesota Valley Community Concert Association (MVCCA) has worked for over sixty years to bring music and cultural experiences to West Central Minnesota. This exposure to quality performances supports, promotes and enriches music learning and appreciation. MVCCA Board and membership wishes to share with the community their passion for a variety of entertainment ranging from classical to choral to tribute acts to comedy and much more.

Beyond Reason: Dear You-Know-Who…

I believe it was Justin Bieber who once asked: Is it too late now to say sorry? I can’t tell you his conclusion because I have not listened to the whole song. I mean, I’ve started the song and it’s come to an end, but the mind wanders. That said, after a quick search, it seems like J.B. left the issue vaguely unresolved. To me, that sounds unsatisfying and dumb. So I kept searching and those on the internet that say they know assure me: it is generally never too late to say sorry. This teaches us the answer you’re looking for is out there if you’re just willing to look.

Letter to the Editor

It’s no secret that the best days of school are the first and the last day of school, while every day in-between depends on how much homework your teachers assign, or the difficulty of the tests given. While it’s been years since I’ve experienced the first day of school, the excitement of gathering my freshly sharpened pencils and shiny notebooks remains as clear in my mind as the route to my high school locker.

News from WRAP: Prioritize your well-being…

August is National Wellness Month, a time to focus on self-care, stress management, and building healthy habits that support overall well-being. In our busy lives, it’s easy to put ourselves last, but caring for our physical, mental, and emotional health is essential—not a luxury. Even small, intentional steps toward wellness can boost energy, improve resilience, and help us show up as our best selves for the people and commitments that matter most. This month invites us to pause, reflect, and invest in ourselves.

Car show held at Rice Park

Despite the rainy weather, the 11th annual Cruizerz Car Show was held at Rice Park on Sunday, August 17th. The car show featured anything with wheels - from cars to rat rods to tractors, and was sponsored by a number of area businesses and organizations.

Live Well, Age Wisely: A Purple Ribbon Experience…

When I was five years old, my family moved from Tracy to Brookings, South Dakota. We often attended rodeos at SDSU, but I don’t remember ever going to a county fair and wasn’t in 4H. Thinking back on my younger adult years, I remember going to a county fair once or twice but, if I’m being honest, I was there for entertainment and good-looking men, not exhibits! Last year, I took the Friday afternoon of the Swift County Fair off work to listen to the polka band performing there and see what all the county fair hype was about.