On Thursday, November 23, 2017, the Fillmore County Turkey Day Run will celebrate nine years of gobblin’ on the gravy train. The 10.3-mile event takes runners, bikers, walkers, and dog-walkers along the scenic stretch of the Root River State Bike Trail from the starting point of Riverside on the Root in Lanesboro, Minn., all the way to Trailhead Inn & Suites in Preston, … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Recognizing the importance of volunteerism
On Wednesday, September 6, I had the opportunity to be a part of something pretty special. Tonya Keim was going to be recognized as the KTTC AmaZing Woman, and I was asked to come and say a few words about Tonya’s contributions to our community and how she has impacted the lives of others. The KTTC TV crew was slated to arrive at Harmony Kids Learning Center, where Tonya … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Our blank front page?
I know what you’re thinking. We screwed up the front page this week! No, trust me, we didn’t. We intentionally published nothing on the front page to make a statement. This statement was originally fostered by a committee at the Minnesota Newspaper Association. To be quite frank, at first I wasn’t keen on this idea. All newspapers in 87 counties in the State of … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… A child’s knife at the Fillmore County Fair
My how times have changed. As often happens between parents and their children, remnants of their past are passed along from one generation to the next. When I was in my early teen years, my father gave me a number of items he accumulated in his younger years. Among the items was a leather handkerchief box. I’m sure you’d be hard pressed to find one of these in any store … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Adopt-a-Sidewalk?
A couple of weeks ago, I was standing in Root River State Bank in Chatfield, preparing for a meeting with soon-to-be-retired Diane Meeker and recently hired Teresa Narveson. President and CEO Chuck Johnson, Jr., had requested my help with recognizing both of these individuals in upcoming issues of the Fillmore County Journal. As with most community banks, while you stand … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Birthdays, anniversaries, and memoriams
Throughout each year, at the Fillmore County Journal, our team evaluates what we publish and discusses how we can make improvements in print and online. Our team takes great pride in producing things that may not be so common in our industry. Back in February of 2016, we presented a hardcover book titled Boots & Badges: Honoring Fillmore County Veterans - a two-year … [Read more...]
Bathke involved in another escape
Just before 11 a.m. on Friday, May 26, 2017, a van full of nine inmates from the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud was hijacked by the inmates in the Lino Lakes area — just 66 miles from St. Cloud. The inmates were being escorted to other facilities such as the prison at Lino Lakes. All escapees were apprehended in various communities throughout the Twin Cities … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Shifting gears
As we take to the road on these beautiful sun-filled days, we see hot rods and motorcycles revving engines up and down the highways. The increased torque and horsepower of these beastly machines would lead one to believe we have entered a new muscle car era that rivals the 1960s. The 2017 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat boasts 707 hp with 650 lb-ft of torque, claiming … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Rumors
Over the past month, I have heard a rumor repeated to me by several individuals in various communities throughout Fillmore County. It has come to my attention that there is a concern that the Fillmore County Journal will only be delivered to white boxes in each community instead of mailboxes via the United States Postal Service. Apparently, with our requests for … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… More good than bad
Routinely, every morning I turn on the news while running on the treadmill, and inevitably I hear bad news. There are drive-by shootings in Rochester, robberies, drug abuse, child abuse, sex trafficking, threats of war, violent protests -- constant negativity. It’s enough to make a person think there is more wrong in the world than there is right. But, that’s … [Read more...]