The Mabel City Council meeting began with the swearing in of new Councilman Gary Morken. After Morken had taken the oath of office, he was welcomed by his fellow council members. City Administrator Karen Larson had spoken with the city attorney, Greg Scheiber about Jeff Engen’s concerns. Engen, a Mabel resident and landlord, attended the December council meeting and … [Read more...]
Articles by Hannah Wingert
Reporter
hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Active PT takes over where Fillmore County Physical Therapy left off
For years, the residents of Preston had to travel out of town for their physical therapy needs. Then, Physical Therapist Lisa Stensrud opened Fillmore County Physical Therapy in downtown Preston and began a thriving business serving the people of Preston and the surrounding towns. When Stensrud decided to move out of state, she knew she couldn’t just leave her patients high … [Read more...]
Lanesboro City Council swears in new mayor and council members
The new Lanesboro City Council consisting of Mayor Autumn Johnson and council members Jason Resseman, Tom Smith, and Bridget Harvey discussed the vacant council seat left by Johnson’s election to Mayor at their January 3 meeting. “We could advertise for interested people from the community,” suggested Smith. He made a motion to do so, which failed for lack of second. Mayor … [Read more...]
The B&B Olympic Bowl: one year later
It’s been a year since that fateful New Year’s Day fire that decimated the B&B Olympic Bowl in Preston. At first, owners Paul and Shelly Hanson weren’t sure they would rebuild, but then they decided to go for it. “The last year has been stressful, but has actually gone pretty good,” Paul said. “Trying to figure this out when we’ve never done it before - that’s been the … [Read more...]
A&W Drive-In in Spring Valley welcomes new owners
Tom Evanoff started off his career in retail at a young age. His parents owned Evans Department Store in Wisconsin, which was started as Evanoff Five & Dime by his grandparents in the 1940s. Evanoff’s dad’s rule was that, as soon as you could tie your shoes, you were old enough to work. Evanoff couldn’t wait to start working so he could earn his own money, at the grand … [Read more...]
Moulton Chinchilla Ranch flourishes outside of Chatfield
It all started when Dan Moulton’s parents purchased six chinchillas for $1,500 in 1966. Ever since then, Moulton has been raising and selling the soft, furry animals. Chinchillas are originally from Peru and Chile. When they’re full-grown, they weigh between one and one-and-a-half pounds. Their fur is extremely soft and full, and they can live up to 20 years. The most … [Read more...]
DNR plans swift actions to tackle Chronic Wasting Disease
Between 700 and 800 local hunters turned out for the DNR’s special meeting in Preston on December 15 to address their Chronic Wasting Disease response plan. The DNR had only expected about 400 people at the meeting, so by the time the meeting began, extra chairs had been brought into the gym as there was standing room only. “We hope to be on the front end of this infection. … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central approves levy
The Fillmore Central School Board opened their December 19 meeting with the annual Truth In Taxation hearing. There were no visitors for the hearing, so the board members reviewed the information given in the presentation by Superintendent Richard Keith before approving the $1,579,429.26 levy. The revenue collected in 2015-16 came to $8,953,871, and $8,855,190 was the amount … [Read more...]
Mabel landlords unhappy with new utility policy
At the Mabel City Council meeting on December 14, Jeff Engen asked the council members for some clarification on a recent policy change concerning utility bills. At their October meeting, the council decided to drop the $200 deposit for new utility customers and make landlords responsible for collecting utility payments from their renters. Unpaid utility bills will be … [Read more...]
Harmony Council renews garbage contract with Waste Management
The council reviewed the bid tabulations for garbage and recycling pickup at their December 13 meeting. Bids were received from five different companies ,with most having options for either bags and bins or carts. It was pointed out that moving to cart service would mean that residents wouldn’t have to buy garbage bags anymore. The different sizes of carts were discussed, … [Read more...]