On August 11, 2026, the votes were collected and tallied for the Primary Election to determine who will have their name on the ballot for Election Day on November 3. History will be made in Minnesota, as two women will face-off for the governor’s race for the first time. Lisa Demuth (GOP) drew 43.44% of the votes from her constituents, beating out the Trump-favored “My … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Conditions of the Root River State Bike Trail
On Thursday, August 6, I published a video on the Fillmore County Journal Facebook page addressing the conditions of trail maintenance for the Root River State Bike Trail. I presented this as a public service announcement relating to the overgrown noxious weeds, specifically wild parsnip that can be dangerous to those who may not realize they should avoid making contact. … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… National Night Out Successes
On Tuesday, August 4, I had the pleasure of working alongside my fellow Fountain Fire Department firefighters serving burgers, hot dogs, chips, brownies and water to anyone who showed up to chat. This being the first time we had coordinated an event like this, we didn’t know what to expect for participants. We were fortunate to have an officer from Preston Police and two … [Read more...]
The Answer Book: New Publications Coming January 2027
The team at the Fillmore County Journal has been working diligently on two publications that will debut in January 2027. Both publications will be titled “The Answer Book” -- one for Fillmore County and one for Houston County. Both the Fillmore County Answer Book and Houston County Answer Book will have a total of 12,000 copies printed for each for a total of 24,000 copies. … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Did the World Cup Bring Us Together?
While the bracket of World Cup games were underway, a good friend of mine said, “I think the World Cup brings people together more than any politician ever could.” This is so true, and I appreciated hearing this from him. My friend, who grew up in Rushford and now lives in Fountain, didn’t grow up playing soccer, but he enjoys any sporting events or competition. I know there … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Continued USPS Delays Will Lose Customers
In recent months, we’ve noticed significant mail delays and lost mail. As one example, we’ve had customers mail our newspaper a payment dated May 29 and not arrive until June 30. It literally took more than 30 days to go from Lanesboro to Preston. We’ve mailed payments to our vendors and noticed it takes up to 30 days. This has been an ongoing issue since about March … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Scammers Using Google Searches
Just when you think the scammers can’t get any worse, they raise the bar. And, artificial intelligence will only make their methods more deceptive for all of us. About a year ago, I was locked out of my personal Facebook account. The funny thing is that I prompted the lockout because I received a suspicious e-mail from Meta. I questioned whether it was legit with Facebook, … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Wanting a Better Life
As I look at the content of this week’s newspaper, I recognize that we all play a significant role in what makes America unique compared to many other countries. Our ancestors came to this country because they were leaving a situation in which they felt oppressed. It would have been easier to stay in their comfort zone; stay where their family had established roots, even if … [Read more...]
Maggie Makes the Cover of Visit Bluff Country Magazine
For Luke and Ashley Bibby, of Elgin, Minn., they found their family hiking partner back in 2014 at Camp Companion in Rochester, Minn. They day they met, Luke thought they were heading to Home Depot to run some errands. His wife Ashley had a surprise in store. She had applied to adopt numerous dogs, and finally connected with the one they would end up taking home. Maggie, a … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Celebrating 250 Years
Starting in late 2025, we started seeing more conversation at city council meetings regarding plans for communities to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. When planning for these types of events, there is no playbook. This hasn’t been done before. The last time I recall a significant anniversary for our country was in 1976 – our 200-year … [Read more...]