In late January 2025, the Minnesota Newspaper Association released the results of the annual Better Newspaper Contest. There are 227 daily and weekly newspapers spanning the 87 counties that make up the State of Minnesota. Out of the 912 entries from all newspapers in the state, the Fillmore County Journal earned eight awards in the categories of advertising, editorial, and … [Read more...]
2024 Business Persons of the Year Ninnemans Receive Award of Excellence From Journal Readers
As a newspaper, we have an opportunity to bring people together for a common good. To inspire and foster positive news presented by our readers that lifts people up in the communities we serve. Starting in 2020, the staff at the Fillmore County Journal coordinated the first-ever recognition for the Business Person of the Year. The newspaper publishes a form to fill out … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Iowa Buying up Minnesota Counties?
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com At first I thought it was an April Fools’ joke, but then I checked the calendar and it was still mid-January. Over the past week, there’s been a buzz hitting mainstream media about the idea of Iowa buying all nine southern-most Minnesota counties bordering the Hawkeye … [Read more...]
Getting a Jump on College with PSEO
As students enter their final years of high school, they make plans for the future. For those wishing to attend college, they may be looking at an average cost of between $50,000 and $150,000 to complete a four-year program. But, what if they can cut that cost in half? More and more students are taking advantage of the opportunity to earn college credits with the Post … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Paying for College
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com On the front page of this week’s newspaper is a story about high school students taking advantage of the Post Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) that’s been around for decades. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, with more students and schools adapting to the online learning … [Read more...]
Trump Wins Again – What About the Local Races?
The Presidential race was another one for the history books. In 2016, when Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, Trump prevailed with 304 electoral college votes compared to Clinton’s 227. In that race, Trump won the electoral college but had fewer popular votes than Clinton – a point of contention among some voters. Trump had 62,984,828 compared to Clinton’s 65,853,514 … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… Publishers Arguing Politics and Free Speech
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com The Fillmore County Journal is a member of the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors, which includes newspaper industry professionals from all over the world. This often includes university professors of journalism, as well. So, quite a cross section of thoughts. As a … [Read more...]
One Moment, Please… History Repeats Itself for Auto Industry
By Jason Sethre Publisher Fillmore County Journal jason@fillmorecountyjournal.com It’s been 50 years since the oil embargo of 1973, that carried on into 1974. “During the Arab-Israeli War, Arab members of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) imposed an embargo against the United States in retaliation of the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli … [Read more...]
Absentee, Mail-in Ballots; Anticipating Voter Turnout
Are people voting earlier with the option of mail-in and absentee balloting? Houston County Auditor/Treasurer Polly Heberlein shared, “At this point, I can tell you that absentee voting is becoming more popular. I do not have any definite numbers relating to vote-in-advance versus Election Day. When trying to compare, scenarios are so different now than there were in … [Read more...]
Tasty Temptations Cookbook Deadline is October 25
It’s that time of year again. It’s time to start pulling out your favorite holiday family recipes for gatherings. In 2010, the Fillmore County Journal started publishing the first-ever “Tasty Temptations Cookbook,” full of recipes from the best cooks of Bluff Country throughout our coverage area. This year, 2024, marks our 15th annual cookbook, and we’re excited to share … [Read more...]