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This weekend is the kick-off of Taylors Falls annual Leaf Spectacular. The leaves around the area have just begun to turn some really amazing colors and if there was ever a town to enjoy the colors it has to be Taylors Falls. Like year’s past, the good people of Taylors Falls have planned all kinds of events for you and your family to partake in.

For all 16 days of the celebration you can step back in time and tour the wonderful Folsom House Museum. As always, you can take one of the great Wild Mountain boat cruise down the St. Croix River (try the dinner cruise, you’ll love it). Taylors Falls is also offering maps to the public to take walking tours around the village. There is something happening almost everywhere around Taylors Falls.

We often take for granted the amazing beauty we have right here in our own backyard, and this is your chance to get out and enjoy it.

Now that fall has officially started, we will start to fire up our furnaces anticipating a long cold winter. If I could recommend one thing for you to add to your home this fall, it would be a carbon monoxide detector. Each year over 200 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. It is an odorless gas that is undetectable by the human nose that causes drowsiness and ultimately death. Please change your batteries in your CO detector, and if you do not have one, please spend the money to get one. They range from $20 to $60 and are worth every penny.

The jury finally reached a verdict in the Alfonso Rodriguez trial. In case you forgot, Rodriguez was convicted of abducting and ultimately killing Dru Sjodin, of Pequot Lakes. The jury cast its vote to execute Rodriguez for his despicable act. For the longest time, I have thought I was against the death penalty, but the more I watch and read about this case, I think my opinion is changing. Can you imagine a complete stranger taking away your child forever. And all for what ––a quick cheap thrill? I would hate to be on a jury that would have to decide the fate of a human being, but I think this jury did the right thing.

Is it just me or does there seem to be less negative political ads polluting our televisions this year? Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining, but this is not what we are used to on an election year. There are some minor cat fights going on with the governor and his opponent, and the Klobuchar, Kennedy race, but other than that it has been pretty docile so far. I think the upcoming political mudslinging is a lot like a thunderstorm –– you can see it coming on the horizon, you just don’t know how severe it is going to be.

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