David Phillips

David Phillips lives in Spring Valley. He is a writer, photographer and editor who worked with various newspapers for 45 years until retiring as publisher of the Bluff Country Newspaper Group in southeastern Minnesota in 2020.

Author's Archive

A young woman with light skin smiles while standing outdoors in front of a historic red brick building decorated with patriotic bunting. She wears dark sunglasses and a light blue button-up shirt, with her hair pulled back. The background shows green grass, white fencing, and the restored building, suggesting a historic site setting.

Area Woman Brings Stories from the Past to Life

Laney Smith of Spring Valley uses genealogy, storytelling and her podcast “Roots & Riddles” to uncover forgotten families, ghost towns and local history in Fillmore County.

An octagonal room with windows stretching all the way around and large screens hanging above them. At a desk in the middle with another array of screens sits a man in a sheriff's uniform.

Fillmore County Law Enforcement Settles Into Upgraded Facility

Fillmore County law enforcement has moved into a new jail and sheriff’s office in Preston, replacing an aging facility and adding updated technology, training space, and improved inmate supervision.

A man with graying hair wearing a white short sleeve shirt with brown pocket flaps, a flag emblem, and a sheriff's star sits at a clean desk and smiles at the camera.

Federal Immigration Enforcement Surge Bypasses Fillmore County

Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge sits down with reporter David Phillips to discuss regional immigration enforcement activities.

A close-up of an older woman with short, curly gray hair and glasses sitting at a table. She carefully pours seeds from a small packet into one of several small metal cups lined up in front of her. She wears a gray cardigan over a patterned blouse and focuses intently on her task. Papers, seed packets, and a plate sit on the table nearby.

Seed Library Aims to Grow Community in Spring Valley

Spring Valley Public Library launches a free seed library March 14, offering vegetable and flower seeds to grow community, health and food security.

Grand Meadow Artisan Creates Handmade, Permanent Leather Goods

Grand Meadow artisan Zech Sindt of Bluffland Leather Co. creates hand-stitched leather goods built to last a lifetime using traditional, sustainable methods.

Wildlife rescuer wearing a brown jacket and yellow gloves carefully holds a large adult bald eagle inside a cluttered workshop, with shelves of tools, containers and equipment in the background. The eagle is looking back at the man.

Area Family Rescues Animals Year-Round

An injured juvenile bald eagle rescued near Spring Valley during a snowstorm sheds light on the work of The Rescue Connection, a family-run wildlife rescue serving southern Minnesota.

A large Channel One Regional Food Bank truck is parked beside a red brick building with boarded windows. A worker in a gray hoodie unloads boxes on a lift gate, while two people stand near the open door labeled “Food Shelf.”

Local Food Shelves Stepping Up to Meet Record Demand

David Phillips reports on food shelves across southeastern Minnesota facing record demand in 2025 as inflation, high costs and reduced SNAP benefits strain family budgets.

From left to right: two women and a man hold shovels in a grassy area in front of a wooden deck attached to a metal building wall.

New Court will Brighten Up Downtown Spring Valley

David Phillips reports on the newest Spring Valley project to create a gathering space in the hole left in the business district by the 2017 fire.

A woman carrying a tall pole with a banner on it is followed by a large crowd of people through a path mown through tall grass.

Flourish at DreamAcres: 20 Years of Youth, Arts and Agriculture in Rural Minnesota

David Phillips reports on Flourish at DreamAcres, the unique summer camp in Wykoff that has blended arts and agriculture for 20 years.

An old women with gray hair is shown on a large jumbotron screen waving at the crowd.

Grand Meadow Maintains its Place in History

David Phillips tells the nearly forgotten story of the 1930s-era Grand Meadow girls’ basketball team that still holds the state record for straight wins.

Students in black graduation gowns stand in front of an orange brick building and throw their black caps into the air.

Community Backs Students’ Educational Journey

David Phillips reports on the outpouring of support from Kingsland area donors to help support continuing education of graduating seniors.

Four students hold long metal poles with an x-shaped end that is placed on the gravel ground.

Chert Quarry Near Grand Meadow Was Historic Social Center

A historic Grand Meadow-area site was both a quarry and a seasonal crossroads for neighboring Indigenous people. Check out part II of David Phillips’ reporting.