Fillmore Central’s Community Education offers a variety of programs for families with children age birth to 5. The mission of our early childhood programs is providing children with successful starts through healthy, nurturing, learning environme
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Saturday, May 18th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 5:56:33, May 18th 2013 - modgudur - I guess the child is anti-gun control since Obama went to all that trouble ... [Read More]
- 9:27:41, May 16th 2013 - caal girl - Nice outfit on you. I loved some of the dresses but am holding my breath ... [Read More]
- 2:03:34, May 14th 2013 - - Thanks for sharing the trip with us! ... [Read More]
- 4:12:01, May 9th 2013 - Amanda Ziebell - Wow! Thanks to the Fillmore County Journal for this kind story. For a ... [Read More]
- 11:47:30, May 7th 2013 - EW - ramble.....ramble.....ramble..... ... [Read More]
- 10:25:25, May 7th 2013 - Thunder6 - Great article! I love to see the Youth of Fillmore County receiveing acco ... [Read More]
- 6:52:10, May 6th 2013 - Jason Sethre, Publisher of Fillmore County Journal & Olmsted County Journal - Maryh, ... [Read More]
- 7:29:56, May 5th 2013 - maryh - Where are OCJ's available for pickup...other than at the new office? ... [Read More]
- 2:41:47, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, I just looked up Senate File 796 and in it there are said p ... [Read More]
- 2:22:20, May 3rd 2013 - Remark1976 - Mrs. Buckbee, how do you come up with $1.1 billion that trout fishing bri ... [Read More]
Man vs. silo
Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in Preston Agriculture
Posted in Preston Agriculture
Comments
Ristau Farm Services and Scheevel and Sons worked together to take the silo down. Photo by Jason Sethre
By Jason Sethre
On the morning of Monday, April 1, 2013, a group of farmers and heavy equipment operators from the area assembled to take down a 600,000 pound silo full of silage and standing over 70 feet tall.
Like the days of Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids, these men gathered to use leverage, gravity and momentum to take down a silo that could fall in any direction.
There was a reason they had to take this silo down. As one person said, “It looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.” At Steve Mandelko’s farm, just south of Preston, he had every reason to be concerned. If he tried to empty the silo, it could collapse and literally create a life or death situation. And, if he left it full without pulling it down, it could fall at any time. Essentially, this silo had to go. And, it would be better to try to guide the silo to the ground, instead of rolling the dice and waiting for fate to take hold.
With a crowd of more than 50 farmers gathering to watch the descent of a 25-year-old cement silo filled to the brim, Steve Mandelko could have sold hot dogs and hot chocolate to this crowd. It was cold and the wind was whipping, biting into any visible skin. The collapse was initially anticipated to take place around 9:45 a.m., but there were a few unexpected challenges.
As Ristau Farm Services, from Lanesboro, took their crane with two men in a bucket up to the top of the silo, they wrapped a 5/8 inch cable around the top of the silo. In the distance out in the field, a dozer was waiting to pull the silo to the ground.
A tense yet excited crowd awaited the fall of a 600,000 pounds silo. At the first attempt, the dozer moved forward in the field and within about a minute the cable snapped. Fortunately, while there was recoil from the cable flying in the direction of the dozer, nobody was harmed. Interestingly, a number of onlookers pointed to an area at the top of the silo that started to buckle.
“Looks like we need to go to plan B,” said Steve Mandelko.
At this point, the farmers and neighboring onlookers had waited this long, so they weren’t going anywhere. They wanted to see this silo come crashing down.
For plan B, Scheevel and Sons, and Ristau Farm Services worked together to see what they could do to weaken the foundation of the silo. They removed supporting cables tied to staves on the backside of the silo nearly ten st .....
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On the morning of Monday, April 1, 2013, a group of farmers and heavy equipment operators from the area assembled to take down a 600,000 pound silo full of silage and standing over 70 feet tall.
Like the days of Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids, these men gathered to use leverage, gravity and momentum to take down a silo that could fall in any direction.
There was a reason they had to take this silo down. As one person said, “It looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.” At Steve Mandelko’s farm, just south of Preston, he had every reason to be concerned. If he tried to empty the silo, it could collapse and literally create a life or death situation. And, if he left it full without pulling it down, it could fall at any time. Essentially, this silo had to go. And, it would be better to try to guide the silo to the ground, instead of rolling the dice and waiting for fate to take hold.
With a crowd of more than 50 farmers gathering to watch the descent of a 25-year-old cement silo filled to the brim, Steve Mandelko could have sold hot dogs and hot chocolate to this crowd. It was cold and the wind was whipping, biting into any visible skin. The collapse was initially anticipated to take place around 9:45 a.m., but there were a few unexpected challenges.
As Ristau Farm Services, from Lanesboro, took their crane with two men in a bucket up to the top of the silo, they wrapped a 5/8 inch cable around the top of the silo. In the distance out in the field, a dozer was waiting to pull the silo to the ground.
A tense yet excited crowd awaited the fall of a 600,000 pounds silo. At the first attempt, the dozer moved forward in the field and within about a minute the cable snapped. Fortunately, while there was recoil from the cable flying in the direction of the dozer, nobody was harmed. Interestingly, a number of onlookers pointed to an area at the top of the silo that started to buckle.
“Looks like we need to go to plan B,” said Steve Mandelko.
At this point, the farmers and neighboring onlookers had waited this long, so they weren’t going anywhere. They wanted to see this silo come crashing down.
For plan B, Scheevel and Sons, and Ristau Farm Services worked together to see what they could do to weaken the foundation of the silo. They removed supporting cables tied to staves on the backside of the silo nearly ten st .....
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Fillmore Central Community Education - One Block At A Time
Fri, Apr 5th, 2013
Posted in Preston Features
Posted in Preston Features
Comments
PACF looks to the future
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in Preston Features
Posted in Preston Features
By Jason Sethre
On the eve of Monday, March 25, 2013, the Branding Iron in Preston, Minn., hosted the seventh annual Preston Area Community Foundation (PACF) fundraising dinner and celebration.
With more than 160 in attendance, following an invoc
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National Trout Center celebrates 4th season
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in Preston Features
Posted in Preston Features
The doors of the National Trout Center (NTC) open at 10am on Tuesday, April 2nd as the organization celebrates its fourth season of operation in Preston. This year the center offers expanded hours and additional programming for trout enthusiasts.
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Fillmore Central School Board looking at high school schedule changes
Fri, Mar 29th, 2013
Posted in Preston Education
Posted in Preston Education
By Jade Sexton
Fillmore Central Principal Heath Olstad gave the school board his report during the regular meeting on March 25, and he talked about the possibility of making some changes to the daily schedule at the high school. For a while now, th
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National Trout Center angles for State Bond Funding
Thu, Mar 28th, 2013
Posted in Preston The Great Outdoors
Posted in Preston The Great Outdoors
Minnesota legislators recently heard a proposal request for $4.5 million in state bond funding to establish a permanent home for the National Trout Center organization located in Preston. The non-profit center is currently operating in a temporary s
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Philip J. Lehn
Thu, Mar 28th, 2013
Posted in Preston Obituaries
Posted in Preston Obituaries
Philip J. Lehn, former Preston, MN resident, died suddenly at his home on March 4, 2013.
Philip Jerome Lehn was born November 25, 1946, in Fergus Falls, MN. He graduated from high school in Fergus Falls in 1964. Phil received his degree in auto me
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Arlene C. Serio
Wed, Mar 27th, 2013
Posted in Preston Obituaries
Posted in Preston Obituaries
Arlene C. Serio, 77, of rural Preston, died Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at her home.
Arlene was born on June 13, 1935 in Cicero, Illinois, the daughter of Ed and LaVern (Zola) Kaminsky. She graduated from Morton High School in Cicero in 1953. Afte
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Arnold James “Arnie” Henke
Wed, Mar 27th, 2013
Posted in Preston Obituaries
Posted in Preston Obituaries
Arnold James “Arnie” Henke, 67, passed away Friday, March 15, 2013 at his residence in Thermopolis, Wyoming after a period of declining health.
Born July 8, 1945 in Preston, Minnesota, he was the son of James and Jean (Shaw) Henke. He attende
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