The June 5 Lanesboro City Council meeting opened with a public hearing discussing ordinance 35.02 regarding Rural Service District and ordinance 150.06 regarding Historic Preservation. One Lanesboro resident addressed the council about her thoughts on the proposed change to the rural service district ordinance. She felt that it wasn’t fair that residents who own more land … [Read more...]
Articles by Hannah Wingert
Reporter
hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Fillmore Central wrapping up school year
By Hannah Wingert At the May 23 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad reported that $60,000 in local scholarships had been awarded to seniors this year. He lauded the support that was shown to the graduating class during the recent senior awards ceremony. “The family support, community support, business support, right down the line is … [Read more...]
Harmony council approves asphalt removal in two alleys
At the May 9 Harmony City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the April 11 regular meeting and the April 25 special meeting, the claims and April checks, two grants for the Harmony Chamber from the Harmony Area Community Foundation, and the cash balances. The alley from Center Street East to 1st Street East is in very poor shape and in … [Read more...]
Lanesboro residents address bridge closure
Several Little Norway residents spoke at the May 2 Lanesboro City Council meeting about the recent closure of the Little Norway walking bridge due to safety concerns. “We use the bridge everyday,” Melissa Johnson stated. “I understand if it needs to be closed to the general public, but for us, we don’t have any other option.” As long as the bridge is closed, Little Norway … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central considers new levy
At the April 25 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad informed the board that he, along with the budget committee and several other individuals, had met with representatives from the district’s consulting firm, Baker Tilly, to discuss a potential building bond/levy. Due to rising costs across the board, operating costs have increased for the … [Read more...]
Lanesboro council approves engineering fee amendments
At the April 4 Lanesboro city council meeting, City Engineer Brian Malm presented more details on the fee amendment requests for the wastewater treatment facility and the 2022 street and utility improvements projects. A list of the services the engineering firm Bolten & Menk are providing to the City of Lanesboro for each project was reviewed. Both are running longer than … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central students create online school newspaper
When Coy Pederson started his new job teaching English Language Arts at Fillmore Central last September, he noticed something. “There was no student newspaper,” he said. At one time there had been one that had been published under the guidance of teacher Gerri Nielson, but unfortunately, that had been discontinued. “So then I thought, there’s a need for some kind of outlet for … [Read more...]
Two Fillmore Central wrestlers make it to state tournament
At the March 28 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, Superintendent Heath Olstad updated the board on the winter and spring sports seasons. Winter sports have wrapped up and spring sports have started. Congratulations were extended to wrestlers Orion Sass and Katie Whelan for qualifying for the state individual wrestling tournament, with Whelan taking fifth in state. Parent … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central student second in nation with Voice of Democracy essay
“I never thought it would one day be heard by national judges instead of just my English teacher,” Fillmore Central junior Siri Corson said about her essay for the Voice of Democracy audio essay program held by the VFW each year. Thinking that not much would come of it, she didn’t even bother telling her parents that she had entered. They found out when they received a call in … [Read more...]
Harmony’s Small Cities Grant is underway
An update on the Small Cities Grant from Semcac Housing Rehab Coordinator Cindy Vitse was reviewed by the Harmony City Council at their March 14 meeting. Vitse has started to send letters to the first 15 applicants for the homeowner rehab portion of the project. The consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the February 14 meeting, the claims and February … [Read more...]
Lanesboro closes walking bridge until further notice
The Lanesboro Council discussed the repairs needed on the walking bridge to Little Norway at their March 6 meeting. At the last meeting, it was agreed that letters would be sent to the residents of Little Norway to get their thoughts on the bridge. The responses were reviewed by the council and were overwhelmingly in support of keeping the walking bridge. Mayor Jason Resseman … [Read more...]
Flex learning going well at Fillmore Central
At the February 21 Fillmore Central School Board meeting, board member Sue Sikkink asked how many days of flex learning the students have had during this school year and how they have been going. Superintendent Olstad said that there have been three days of flex learning so far and they have gone well. The elementary students complete “bingo” sheets with flex learning … [Read more...]
Harmony considers new ice rink
Harmony Area Chamber of Commerce Director Allison Whalen addressed the Harmony Council at their February 14 meeting. She has been working on coming up with winter activities and would like to start up an ice rink next winter. She asked the council for their permission to go ahead with figuring out the cost and where to put the rink. She also noted that she is researching what … [Read more...]
Lanesboro to host Filthy 50 Bike Race again in 2023
Filthy 50 event coordinator Trenton Raygor was present at the February 6 Lanesboro City Council meeting via Zoom to ask the council’s approval to host the event in Lanesboro again this year. The date of the bike race will be October 14, with the same street closures and plans as previous years. Council member Chase Bakke noted that he had received complaints from farmers that … [Read more...]
Fillmore County welcomes new judge
When Jeremy Clinefelter graduated Hamline University School of Law in 2002, he didn’t foresee being appointed as a judge someday. “I don’t think you ever see yourself becoming a judge because the spots themselves are limited,” he said. Twenty years after beginning his career in law, though, he did just that. Clinefelter worked as a volunteer law clerk for several months after … [Read more...]