“I was very surprised, but excited,” Fillmore Central senior Kiera Olson said about finding out that she had been named a state finalist for the Wendy’s High School Heisman Scholarship. Communications teacher Mrs. Mehus encouraged Kiera to apply for the scholarship because of her academic and athletic accomplishments. So Kiera filled out the application, wrote her essays, … [Read more...]
Articles by Hannah Wingert
Reporter
hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Lanesboro closes online school
Superintendent Matt Schultz recommended that the Lanesboro School Board close the online school that the district currently offers. Last year, only one student was enrolled in the program, and this year, enrollment is sitting at zero. “To continue it as a viable option, we would need to get it staffed,” Schultz pointed out as an alternative to closing. His thought was that … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton seeks new music teacher
The Mabel-Canton school board accepted the resignation of music teacher Connor Jones, effective immediately at their October 18 meeting. So far, they have only one applicant for the job and are actively seeking more. Calls have been made to local colleges to notify music students of the opening. “We’re doing what we can do,” Dean of Students and Interim Administrator … [Read more...]
Mabel council approves ambulance purchase
The Mabel City Council reviewed two bids for a new ambulance for the Mabel Ambulance Service. One was from Mccoy Miller and the other from Lifeline. Mayor Jim Westby noted that there were significant discrepancies between the two bids, such as different chassis, gas versus diesel, and warranty lengths. The ambulance from Mccoy Miller was priced at $169,893.75 with a 15-year … [Read more...]
Residential rehab program in Harmony needs one more applicant
Michelle Vrieze from Community and Economic Development Associates led a public hearing at the Harmony City Council meeting to discuss the Small Cities Development Program in which Harmony is participating. After applying for the program three times, Harmony was accepted for a nine block radius in town. It allows homeowners within that area a loan to fix up their house. The … [Read more...]
Root River Vet Clinic enjoys benefits of a family business
Dr. LeAnne Froese already owned the Pet Medical Center in Winona with Dr. Deb Finnegan, but when they saw that the Root River Veterinary Clinic in Preston was for sale, they saw an opportunity for expansion. The two purchased it from Dr. Linda Sifford and took ownership in September 2014. Dr. Finnegan works full-time at the Winona vet clinic while Dr. Froese works full-time … [Read more...]
Brenda Ristau enjoys rewarding job at Fillmore Central
It’s been 23 years since Brenda Ristau started working at Fillmore Central. She started out as a special education paraprofessional in 1994. Three years later, she moved into working with the hot lunch accounts and stayed in that job for four years. Finally, she accepted a position as an administrative assistant and has doing that for 16 years now. Brenda’s ability to know … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton and Spring Grove rally around one of their own
When Paula Snell was diagnosed with breast cancer, several communities rallied around her and her family in support. Snell was formerly a teacher at Mabel-Canton and currently teaches at Spring Grove. Her daughter, Hannah Snell, attends Mabel-Canton and plays varsity volleyball there. Her teammates wanted to help so they and their parents put their heads together and came … [Read more...]
Fillmore Central trials ergonomic standing desks
When Fillmore Central High School English teacher Gerri Nielson decided that it was time for a change in her classroom, she started researching flexible seating options for her students. She began her search online, but wasn’t impressed with what she saw. “They all looked like they would break easily,” Nielson said. So she decided to take her search local. Her first step … [Read more...]
Bluff Country Harvest addresses world hunger
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. That statement defines the Food Resource Bank, an organization with which locals, Gary Broadwater and Jim Keune, recently began working. If you’ve driven down Highway 16 between Spring Valley and Preston lately, you’ve probably noticed the Food Resource Bank/Bluff Country … [Read more...]