At approximately 2:15 p.m. on October 7, 2024, Houston County Dispatch received an emergency call of a residence on fire at 512 2nd Ave. NW, Spring Grove, Minn. Houston County Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators and Spring Grove Fire Department were dispatched. Spring Grove Ambulance, Caledonia Fire Department, Eitzen Fire Department and the Mabel Fire Department were also … [Read more...]
Meet The Candidates 2024
Gregory Davids Candidate for State Representative 26B Tell us about yourself. I’ve lived in Fillmore County nearly my entire life. I’m a financial planner and my wife Bonnie and I own the family farm. We also have three grown daughters. As your state representative, I’ve fought tirelessly to protect conservative values in southeastern Minnesota. I’ve served as … [Read more...]
Journal Writing Project – The Buzz About Honeybees
By Ruby Ramaker Honeybees are critical to our environment and us. Their population is fading. Honey bees pollinate flowers, fruit, seeds and vegetables. If they go extinct, then these plants will go extinct, and so on. Our world needs them to function. For example, we plant a seed that grows and turns into an apple tree. The apple tree starts to flower and the honeybees come … [Read more...]
Fillmore and Houston County Police Reports
Caledonia Police Department Chris James DeFlorian, 41, Caledonia, Minn., 8/19/2024, Operate Vehicle With Expired Registration, Fine $30, Total Fees $105. Cameron James Melde, 23, Caledonia, Minn., 9/21/2024, Uninsured Vehicle - Driver Violation, Fine $200, Total Fees $275 Sabrina Starr Schreiber, 31, Caledonia, Minn., 7/21/2024, Driving After Revocation, Fine $200, … [Read more...]
Melissa Ploetz
In loving memory of Melissa Ploetz, a woman whose vibrant spirit and loving heart touched the lives of all who knew her. She passed away on October 4, 2024, at the age of 49. On the sixth day of the 6th month of 1975, a tiny dynamo, weighing in at 6 lbs 6 oz, named Melissa Lynn Ploetz came into the world. She joined her dad Wendell, mom Dixie, brother Jeremy, and sister … [Read more...]
Bernard (Butch) W. Kohnen Jr.
Sheldon, Minn.: Bernard (Butch) W. Kohnen Jr., 80, of Sheldon, Minn., passed away peacefully on October 6, 2024, at Valley View Health Care Rehab-ilitation in Houston, Minn. Butch W. Kohnen Jr. was born June 10, 1944, to Bernard Sr. and Marie Kohnen in Spring Grove, Minn. Butch attended Caledonia Schools and on March 23, 1965, he enlisted in the United States Army and … [Read more...]
Diane Marie (Lange) Culbertson
Diane Marie (Lange) Culbertson, of Rochester, passed away on October 5, 2024, after an eight-week battle with pancreatic cancer. She donated her body to the Mayo Clinic. Diane was born on November 16, 1946, to Annabelle (Lange) Kvam in Harmony, Minn. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran church in Harmony. She attended country school until seventh grade … [Read more...]
Lorraine Emily Kraling
March 2, 1931 - October 6, 2024 Rochester, Minn. - Lorraine Emily Kraling, 93, Rochester, Minn., died Sunday, October 6, 2024, in Rochester. Graveside service at 2 p.m. Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Frankford Cemetery located at 795th Avenue, Spring Valley, Minn. There will be a gathering at her daughter Denise’s home following the burial. Arrangements by Macken … [Read more...]
Roger Paul Heimgartner
Roger Heimgartner, 77, of Rushford, died Friday, October 4, 2024. Roger Paul Heimgartner was born to Robert and Lillian (McAfee) August 23, 1947, in Springfield Ill. He attended Altamont High School in Illinois, and Concordia Teachers University River Forest, Chicago, Ill. In 1970, he took his first divine call to Holy Cross Lutheran School and St John’s Lutheran Church in … [Read more...]
James “Jim” Owen Jensson
James “Jim” Owen Jensson, 72, of La Porte City, passed away Saturday, October 5, 2024, at his home. He was born June 25, 1952, in Preston, Minn, the son of Orville and J. Ione Iverson Jensson. Jim spent his childhood in rural Minnesota and the family moved to La Porte City when Jim was a teenager. He was a 1971 graduate of La Porte City High School. Jim married Kyle Ann … [Read more...]
Richard John Johnson
Richard John Johnson, 94, of Preston, passed away September 29, 2024, at Gundersen Harmony Care Center in Harmony. Richard was born June 12, 1930, in rural Peterson, Minn., to Richard A. and Ella (Hoff) Johnson. Richard graduated from Peterson High School. He met his wife Florence in Houston, Minn., and they became engaged on Valentine’s Day 1951, marrying on June 17, … [Read more...]
James (Jim) George Johnson
James (Jim) George Johnson was born in Stony Run Township in Yellow Medicine County, Minn., on June 20, 1940, to Arthur and Leona Johnson. He graduated High School in Clarkfield, Minn. Jim met Mary Agnes Lunderville when area churches gathered for a revival meeting at his church. They were married on April 4, 1962, in Milbank, SD. Jim enlisted in the army at this same time. … [Read more...]
John Omdahl
December 27, 1944 - September 30, 2024 Bloomington — John Omdahl, 79, of Bloomington, formerly of Northfield, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 30, 2024, at Founder’s Ridge in Bloomington, after a 17 year battle with Parkinson’s disease and a recent stroke. He was born in Decorah, Iowa, on December 27, 1944, to Aage and Muriel (Bye) Omdahl and grew up in Mabel, … [Read more...]
Reverend Deanna Marie Woodward
Reverend Deanna Marie Woodward, 66, of Preston, Minn., passed away unexpect-edly on Wednesday October 2, 2024. Deanna Marie Sigrist was born on September 30th, 1958 in Zumbrota, Minn., to Kenneth and Lennis (Rauenhorst) Sigrist of rural Pine Island, Minnesota. She grew up on a dairy farm with her younger brother Bryan, attended Pine Island Schools, and graduated … [Read more...]
Pigs are More Than Just an Animal, They are a Learning Tool
By Janee Kale The title of this article are words spoken by a young man who has spent a significant amount of time in his life breeding, raising and showing pigs. Jacob Welch of Spring Valley owns and operates JW Show Pigs with his fiancée Olivia. Together they run a 10 head show pig sow operation, consisting of Durocs, Spots, and Crossbreds. They farrow two times a … [Read more...]