The F & M Community Bank Summit Club was first started over 20 years ago by bank employee Carol Bond and has been going strong ever since. When Bond retired three years ago, Brenda Reicks and Allison Whalen took over running the club for her. They’ve enjoyed building on what Bond started, but are also making it their own. “We put our own spin on it,” Reicks said. Being … [Read more...]
Articles by Hannah Wingert
Reporter
hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Fillmore Central prepares for upcoming school year
“Maintenance is going great at both sites,” Principal Heath Olstad said at the July 25 Fillmore Central School Board meeting. Both the Harmony and Preston Fillmore Central buildings are getting in shape for the 2017-18 school year. He also noted that he’s given tours of the school to new families that will be starting at the district. The district is gearing up for its … [Read more...]
Harmony Historical Society prepares signage to be placed around town
Mary Lou Zombory from the Harmony Historical Society presented the Harmony Historical Signage project to the city council at their July 11 meeting and informed them of the progress made thus far. The project involves placing 11 double post pedestals in various locations around town with historical information on each one. Verbal consent has been received from all owners of … [Read more...]
The Sweet Stop and Sandwich Shoppe in Preston changes ownership
When Brenda Lloyd started working at The Sweet Stop and Sandwich Shoppe in Preston four years ago, she never dreamed that she would one day own it. Lloyd is originally from Iowa, but she now lives outside of Wykoff with her fiance Mike Eickhoff and their three kids, Tiana (18), Zachary (15), and Kirah (8). “I’ve just always been drawn to Minnesota,” she said. “I’m a … [Read more...]
Woodworking hobby keeps Chuck and Brad Sikkink busy
When Chuck Sikkink sold his farm and moved into Harmony in 2005, he joined the Harmony Ambulance Service as an EMT. Being on call meant that he had to stay near home, so he started woodworking as a hobby to occupy his time. At first, his son Brad teased him about his new hobby, but eventually he became interested in it as well. In the summer of 2012, he started woodworking … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central removes extra-curricular fees for student activities
At the June 27 board meeting, Fillmore Central School Board member Sue Sikkink asked the rest of the board to consider lowering fees for extracurricular activities and eliminating fees for activities where students receive a letter grade. Board member Jim Love took it a step further, suggesting that the fees be removed completely. “We have the funding available,” he pointed … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Sheriff’s Academy a big success
“I thought it was eye-opening and interesting,” Spring Valley resident Tyler Schiltz said about the recent Fillmore County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Academy. “I would definitely recommend it to others.” Fillmore County Sheriff Tom Kaase remembered the last Citizens’ Academy taking place in 2009, which was before he took office. Having worked in the Rochester Police … [Read more...]
Lanesboro student moves on to FCCLA Nationals
High school senior Claire Pieper presented her job interview project to the Lanesboro School Board at their June 15 meeting. She competed in the state FCCLA competition in March and will be moving on to the FCCLA National Leadership Conference in Nashville later this summer. Only two students from each state get to attend Nationals, so being selected is an honor. Pieper is … [Read more...]
National Trout Center moves forward with family friendly activities
When you think of the National Trout Center in Preston, you probably think of fly fishing, but there’s so much more to it than that. Program Director Kelsey Hoffman and Office Coordinator Annie Lewis both began working at the center on April 1 and are excited to watch it grow. “I walked into this place not really knowing what it is all about,” Lewis said about her new … [Read more...]
Harmony addresses liquor license renewals
“Each year, it’s a struggle,” Harmony City Administrator Jerome Illg stated at the June 13 city council meeting. The liquor license renewals are due every year by May 1, but for a majority of the applicants, Illg does not receive all of the paperwork until sometime in June. “I still don’t have a certificate of insurance for one of them,” he said. “Another one just turned in … [Read more...]