“I’ve always been obsessed with cows,” Cody Burroughs said. He and his wife Laura have a small farm just outside of Greenleafton where they raise mini Highlands with their three children, Nora, Waylon and Stetson. They also have chickens, a dairy cow, a retired horse, and a sheep. Highland cattle which were originally from Scotland, are gaining popularity around the world. They … [Read more...]
Articles by Hannah Wingert
Reporter
hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Area High School Senior Pursues Career in Musical Theatre
Greta Kunene’s initial reaction to acting was a negative one. The Missoula Children’s Theatre company was in southeastern Minnesota and was holding auditions for a show. When her mom Brenda Kunene asked if she wanted to audition, Greta said no. Thankfully, her mom made her do it anyway, and Greta found out that she loved it. At that first show, she was chosen to play Wendy in … [Read more...]
Harmony Moves Forward with UV Project
Harmony resident Salle Crutairi spoke during the public forum portion of the Harmony city council meeting on May 13. She felt that the library was being threatened by government cuts which could result in the library having to rely solely on community support. She also believed that the suspension of the library’s volunteer and intern program was a threat to the library as … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central Holds High School Job Fair
At the April 22 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad reported that 28 businesses were represented at the recent job fair at the high school. He thanked everyone who was involved in the fair, noting that it was a successful event. There are quite a few concerts coming up at the elementary and high school in May. The dates for those are available on … [Read more...]
Harmony Library Temporarily Suspends Volunteer and Intern Program
Several community members spoke at the April 8 Harmony city council meeting against the library board’s recent decision to temporarily discontinue the volunteer and intern program. “When there’s very few people who work at the library, having a trained volunteer is a gift,” Julie Little said. Pam Brink brought it to the attention of the council that the “Welcome to Harmony” … [Read more...]
Extended School Year Program Planned for Fillmore Central
At the March 25 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad reported that the elementary school is in the middle of conducting the annual MCA testing. The 19 high school juniors who chose to take the ACT took it earlier that day. Parent teacher conferences were held on March 6 and the end of the 3rd quarter is on March 27. Congratulations were extended to … [Read more...]
Harmony’s Bike Trail Expansion Underway
At the March 11 Harmony City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the February 11 meeting, the claims and February checks, the cash in CD, and the cash balances. A letter stating that the city had taken the actions required by an earlier letter sent by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency or MPCA in February was approved as well as the … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Approves Comprehensive Plan Proposal
By Hannah Wingert Several residents of Lanesboro spoke at the March 3 Lanesboro city council meeting regarding the library board. Peter Torkelson noted that that evening’s proposed resolution regarding the appointment of a new library board member had language that was not consistent with the ordinance. Bonita Underbakke felt that the library board had been weakened by … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central SAC Kids’ Artwork Published
At the February 26 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Harmony resident Aaron Bishop asked if the board had any thoughts or plans in case the Department of Education is limited, altered, or discontinued. Superintendent Heath Olstad responded that there are many unknowns and no details to share currently. “I am confident at this time that the State of Minnesota has always … [Read more...]
Harmony Moves Forward with UV Disinfection Project
The February 11 Harmony City Council meeting opened with the consent agenda. It was approved and included the minutes of the January 14 meeting, the claims and January checks, the cash in CD, cash balances, and the MPCA compliance evaluation inspection report. The council reviewed an agreement with the property owner of 160 2nd Ave SE. The home needs to be repaired or … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Council Hears Complaints About Civil Siren
At the opening of the February 3 Lanesboro City Council meeting, Mayor Alicia Pearson asked for input from the rest of the council on the addition of a number of items to the agenda. She recommended that a positive news report, updates on the Highway 250 project, and updates on the search for an EDA director be added as standing agenda items. The rest of the council did not … [Read more...]
Harmony Council Sworn In
The January 14 Harmony City Council meeting opened with the swearing in of returning council member Jesse Grabau, new council member Tara Morem, and returning mayor Steve Donney. The consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the regular December 10 meeting and the November 19 special meeting, the claims and December checks, the cash in CD, and cash balances as … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Welcomes New Mayor, Council Members
The January 6 Lanesboro City Council meeting opened with newly elected mayor Alicia Pearson, returning council member Kathryn Wade, and new council member Joe Cullen all taking the oath of office. A handout was available for the public explaining what the open meeting laws are and why the council uses Robert’s Rules of Order. Lanesboro resident Phil Dybing welcomed the new … [Read more...]
Walsh/Gatzke Family Wraps Up Christmas Dinner Tradition
It all started with Ellen Scheevel, Jo Fitzgerald, and Lois Barlow. The three friends talked about the idea of hosting a community Christmas dinner for a few years before deciding to go for it in 1998. That first year, they held it in the basement of St. Columban’s Catholic Church in Preston with an attendance of between 30 and 40 people. Over the next few years, the numbers … [Read more...]
Local Food Shelves Busy During Holiday Season
It’s the biggest time of year for many charities and other helping organizations as the holiday spirit encourages giving and an outward focus. That holds true for the Semcac food shelves in Preston, Caledonia and Rushford, as well as for other area food shelves. The holiday season is the biggest time of year for donations. Local businesses, churches, and even schools across … [Read more...]