A couple of Thursdays ago, Iowa drew a lot of attention when the little town of Dyersville (4,130 pop.) hosted a Major League Baseball game. This was a big deal, considering Iowa doesn’t have any professional sports teams to call their own. The New York Yankees played the long ball against the Chicago White Sox. Dressed like ballplayers from 100 years ago, they walked out … [Read more...]
Real Bites
Elsie’s in Caledonia Each week, I deliver newspapers to La Crescent, Hokah and Brownsville, and I am often fortunate enough to have a passenger to chat with along the way. This past week, our son Landon joined me for the countryside tour of Houston County, delivering fresh copies of the Visit Bluff Country Magazine and Fillmore County Journal. It gives us time to talk … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Working together for our Veterans
Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com Over the past decade, there has been a collaborative vision focused on serving Veterans in our region. On Nov-ember 11, 2015, Veterans Day, the first Veterans were laid to rest in the second Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery located in Preston, Minn. Nearly six years later, on Monday, August 9, 2021, … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Fighting to keep jobs in America
Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com The battle to keep jobs in America has been ongoing for decades. This past week, we learned that Caledonia is contending with the loss of more than 80 jobs as a result of Rawlings Sporting Goods closing the local Miken Sports facility, a manufacturer of Major League Baseball helmets and bats for … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Declining population?
You may have read in the news that the world population is on the decline. According to a July 15, 2020, article on BBC News, “Falling fertility rates mean nearly every country could have shrinking populations by the end of the century. And 23 nations – including Spain and Japan – are expected to see their populations halve by 2100. Countries will also age dramatically, … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… USPS postage increase
Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com Building materials, vehicles, real estate, and gas prices have been on the rise. Inflation, some might say. Add postage to that list. Effective January 24, 2021, the United States Postal Service implemented their regularly scheduled rate increase. That January rate increase happens every year … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Honoring essential workers beyond the pandemic
Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com On August 15, 2020, Bill Funk (owner of Bill Funk Trucking in Chatfield, Minn.) led a convoy of truck from town to town: Canton, Harmony, Preston, Ostrander, Grand Meadow, Spring Valley, Wykoff, Fountain, Chatfield, Eyota, and ended at St. Charles. It was a great success, and even raised over $3,000 … [Read more...]
Spring Valley graduates keep the wheels turning from afar
“A century bike race has originated from Spring Valley for 12 consecutive years,” shared Paul Vogel, one of the current event organizers. For nine of those years, it was known as The Almanzo 100. When the primary event organizer transferred the event to Northfield, Minn., the Spring Valley 100 was born. One year later, The Almanzo bike race name was retired. The SV 100 event … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… The word that best describes the Class of 2021
Adaptable. The Class of 2020 unexpectedly ended their school year apart, with the pandemic crashing the party like a giant wrecking ball in motion. For the Class of 2021, it wasn’t going to get any easier. But, for this group of seniors, it was all about adaptability. They had to learn from home, interacting with their classmates and teachers online. Then there … [Read more...]
Walz, vaccines and COVID-19
On May 6, 2021, Minnesota Governor Walz announced his plans to phase out of all restrictions by May 28. And, this included the elimination of the mask mandate by July 1 as soon as 70% of all Minnesotans 16 and older are vaccinated. Effective May 28, capacity restrictions on indoor events will be lifted for bars and restaurants. Gyms, pools and fitness centers will be … [Read more...]