On Friday, March 4, 2022, three members of the Fillmore County Journal team attended the Midwest Free Community Papers conference hosted in Ames, Iowa. This annual event attracts newspapers from all over the 10-state area throughout the Midwest, offering sessions dedicated to graphic design, sales, marketing, networking, and idea exchanges. At the MFCP conference, the team … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… E-mail scams becoming more common
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com I was recently alerted by a friend that she had been targeted with a scam via her work e-mail. She received an e-mail from her boss that said, “Are you available? I have a request I need you to handle discreetly. No calls, Just reply my e-mail.” The e-mail address said her boss’s name, but … [Read more...]
Journal wins six awards at MNA convention
To kick off 2022, the team at the Fillmore County Journal earned six awards at the Minnesota Newspaper Association annual conference. Daily and weekly newspapers represented throughout all 87 counties in the State of Minnesota competed for top honors in various categories in the 155th annual convention held in Brooklyn Park on January 27 and 28. The Fillmore County Journal … [Read more...]
Counterfeit money discovered in Spring Valley
Back on January 20, 2022, Minnwest Bank in Spring Valley, Minn., made a discovery. They received $1,100 in counterfeit bills from a local business making a daily bank deposit. Little did the employees at Dollar General know at the time, but they were the target of a scam carried out over multiple states by what appears to be a group of traveling professionals out of … [Read more...]
2021 Business Persons of the Year Slifkas receive award of excellence from Journal readers
Over the past several years, business owners have faced so many challenges – a pandemic, supply chain issues, and labor shortages, to name a few. In 2020, the staff at the Fillmore County Journal coordinated the first-ever “Business Person of the Year” award in collaboration with nominations from readers. This was an engaging community effort. The first recipient of this … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… It’s time to pay more, and not complain about it
Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com I know many of our readers have heard me talking about buying local. “Shop local!” You’ve heard it from me plenty of times. But, there’s something more to consider when shopping local for products and services. I have had some conversations with many business owners over the years, and a common theme … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Student writers create their own opportunities in life
At the beginning of this school year, I was asked to speak at a few schools about the annual Journal Student Writing Project, now in it’s 23rd year. The Journal Student Writing Project offers an opportunity for high school students to sharpen their writing skills, pick their topics of interest, and share their ideas and talents with readers of the Fillmore County Journal in … [Read more...]
What will Minnesota do with a $7.7 billion budget surplus?
Right now, Minnesotans are talking about a huge pile of money – a projected $7.7 billion general fund budget surplus. That’s equivalent to $1,350.88 for each man, woman, and child in Minnesota, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimated population of a little over 5.7 million. The money in Minnesota’s state government accounts gives the State Legislature plenty of dough to … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Hobbling to the finish line
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com I’ve been a voluntary victim of the Fillmore County Turkey Day run for 12 consecutive years, since it’s inception as the brainchild of Ross Kiehne, Jim Peters, Craig Britton, Jason Schwarz, and myself. When we started this event, it was pretty much an open invitation to anyone who wanted … [Read more...]
Danielson takes fantasy football to next level
Chatfield resident James Danielson is not just a fan of the NFL. He’s a team owner. And, not just one team, but four fantasy football teams. When he’s not managing Eyota’s Kwik Trip, volunteering for the Chatfield Fire Department, or spending time with his wife and kids, Danielson has been immersed in fantasy football. “I have been playing fantasy football for 17 years, and … [Read more...]