State Senator Dan Skogen, DFL District 10, held a town meeting at the Spot Cafe in Staples Jan. 23, to listen to concerns expressed by area residents. Pictured above, Senator Skogen (left) hears from Dave Johnson (center), Director for Kinship of Todd-Wadena Counties and Gail Honek, who serves on the board for Kinship. Johnson and Honek are both concerned about significant cuts to Kinship’s budget. Skogen said he would add these concerns to a list he will bring with him at the start of the session Feb. 4. Other concerns Skogen has heard in town meeting across the district include budget deficits, cuts to education, cuts to health and human services; and senior citizens on fixed incomes worried they will be taxed off their properties. (Staples World photo by Dawn Schimpp Timbs)