For many families and individuals some of the hardest days are the days and weeks after the funeral. Once everyone has left town and the reality of the loss has started to sink in is when a grieving family or individual needs some support. Support can be as simple as a call, note, or kind gesture and it can really go a long way. There are many things you can do to help … [Read more...]
What’s the best used vehicle to buy?
The question of which used vehicle is the best choice is undoubtedly the most frequent inquiry I receive at Top Gear Auto Sales. In reality, there is no single perfect vehicle. Every manufacturer has produced exceptional models as well as others that are best avoided. When assisting clients with a vehicle purchase, I evaluate several critical factors: the reliability of … [Read more...]
What plumbing maintenance should homeowners do during the summer?
Summer is a good time to take care of a few plumbing jobs before the busy harvest and heating seasons arrive. Walk around your home and check outside faucets for leaks or drips that may have appeared after winter. If you have a sump pump, pour a bucket of water into the pit to make sure it’s working properly. Check your water softener and refill the salt if needed. … [Read more...]
Is a FRIDGE FILTER enough to protect my drinking water?
Fridge filters are great for improving the taste and smell of your water, but they’re not designed to remove many of the contaminants that can be found in drinking water. Most refrigerator filters reduce chlorine and some common impurities, but they typically don’t remove nitrate, pesticides, fertilizers, arsenic, PFAS, and other dissolved contaminants that can be present … [Read more...]
How can I build customer loyalty and engagement with contests?
As a business owner, you’ve probably noticed that the Fillmore County Journal runs a lot of readership contests. We give away prizes to readers presenting a variety of ways they can participate. Some contests are as simple as a registration form, either from the newspaper or from our website. Other contests, like the word search sections we publish, challenge readers to … [Read more...]
Carol Jean (Olstad) Lange
Carol Jean (Olstad) Lange, 86, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, August 3, 2026. Carol was born October 29, 1939, in Lanesboro, Minnesota, to Howard and Gertrude (Lindelien) Olstad. She graduated from Lanesboro High School in 1957. For a short time, Carol worked for an insurance office before she married Manford Lange in 1959. She then dedicated her life to … [Read more...]
Geneva Alma (Berquam) Tweeten
Geneva Alma Berquam Tweeten passed away on August 8, 2026, surrounded by those who loved her. Geneva was born during the height of the Great Depression on November 6, 1932, in a log cabin built by her parents in Black Hammer Township near Spring Grove, Minnesota. She attended a one-room country school before continuing her education at Spring Grove Public School. On July … [Read more...]
Joseph Richard Tollefson
Joseph “Joe” R. Tollefson, age 78, of Caledonia, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Joe was born on December 29, 1947, to Isaac and Florence Tollefson. He graduated from Loretto High School in 1966, where he enjoyed playing both basketball and baseball. Joe proudly served his country in the United States Army, including a deployment to Vietnam, from 1968 … [Read more...]
Ervin “Erv” Ristau
Ervin “Erv” Ristau, 85, of Carimona Township, died Saturday August 8, 2026, at Mayo Clinic Hospital - St. Marys Campus, Rochester, Minnesota. Funeral service will be 1 p.m., Friday, August 14 at Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, Minnesota, with Rev. Kris Kincaid. Visitation 11:30-1 prior to the funeral service at the church. Ervin will be laid to rest at the Carimona … [Read more...]
Richard “Dick” Webster
Richard “Dick” Webster, 90, of Spring Valley, Minnesota, died on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at St. Marys Hospital. Richard Gene Webster was born January 14, 1936, in Spring Valley, Minnesota, to LaVerne and Vermona (Alberts) Webster. He graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1955. Following high school, he went to work for IBM. Dick married Geraldine “Gerrie” Hovey on … [Read more...]