The City of Peterson may be looking at two new family-oriented opportunities within its borders. At the September 8 council meeting, Boy Scout Troop 53 leader Tom Butterfield and scout Gibson Darr were present to discuss Darr’s proposal for a Gaga ball pit in the city’s campground park. “Gibson has worked his way through Boy Scouts and wants to earn Eagle Scout,” explained … [Read more...]
Kirsten Zoellner
Reporter
kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Kirsten has been a reporter for Fillmore County Journal since 2008. No awards to date, but her mother finds her articles riveting. She enjoys shining a light on the great people and events in the county and has aspirations to someday write a novel about them. A native of Rushford, she is a member of Root River Community Church, co-founder of Odyssey Homeschool Association, and was the founder for the Rushford-Peterson Valley Farmers' Market.
When not writing, Kirsten happily spends her time raising a family alongside Joel, her husband of 18 years. She homeschools their six children (Evin, Lauren, Logan, Ada, Kathleen, and Emelia) and does her best to ensure domestic bliss. Kirsten is an advocate for conservation and homesteading and operates Liten Dal Farm, where the family raises dairy goats, pastured poultry and hogs, alpacas, a few steers, and horses. Hobbies other than juggling include the outdoors, reading, vegetable gardening, cheesemaking, fermenting various things in Ball jars, and making everything from scratch despite the fact that it probably costs more.
Kirsten and her family proudly reside in rural Fountain on her great-great-grandfather's farm.
You can follow more about Kirsten on the family's Facebook page, Liten Dal Farm, or their blog: ourprairienest.wordpress.com.
Rushford to see legislative results
Elizabeth Wefel, attorney and lobbyist for Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) presented to the Rushford Council, August 23, an update of legislative progress in a number of areas. CGMC represents 109 municipalities in Minnesota working on Local Government Aid (LGA) and property taxes, economic development, annexation and land use, transportation, environment and … [Read more...]
Village to be site of R-P Special Election polling
At the August 17 Rushford Village Council meeting, it was unanimously decided that the Village Hall be the place of all special elections to be held by Rushford-Peterson School District. The district will be holding a special election this November to fill the seat of former School Board Director Kathy Wade, who resigned her seat in February after moving out of the district. A … [Read more...]
Peterson opts to forgo car charging station
Discussion from the previous month’s meeting continued at the Peterson City Council’s August 11 meeting. At July’s meeting, the Peterson City Council tabled a decision on installation of an electrical vehicle charging station pending further investigation. An offer, provided by Kent Whitcomb, of MiEnergy, was provided, noting Dairyland Power’s desire to build a network of … [Read more...]
Rushford encouraging micro-grant program for community events
“We’ve all heard someone say, ‘I wish there were more things to do downtown!’” This is the header on a new marketing postcard put out by the City of Rushford. The card also encourages applicants to consider utilizing the Rushford Economic Development Authority (EDA) Matching Funds Micro-Grant Program. The program started in 2013 when the EDA saw a need to assist businesses and … [Read more...]
Fountain looks into noise ordinance
The August 3 Fountain City Council meeting was one of the longer meetings in recent months as the city dealt with a number of minor issues and requests. Up first was discussion of a noise ordinance. While the city does not have one, the county does. However, if a city adopts its own ordinances, they can be more restrictive than the county’s, not less. Section 713.01 of the … [Read more...]
Rushford Village reiterates it has taken no action on any trail system
As tensions in the area continue to brew with proposed Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trails, it was made clear at the August 3 Rushford Village Council meeting that the village has not discussed the issue. Rather, the Village approved a Southern Minnesota Initiative Fund grant aimed at funding a trail study being conducted by students from the University of Wisconsin - La … [Read more...]
Rushford puts in final offer on former Farmers Win Coop site
After months of closed session meetings, offers, and counteroffers, the City of Rushford has made its final offer on a key piece of property in the heart of downtown. The site is owned by Farmers Win Coop. It had housed the former Farmers Coop Elevator. Farmers Win took control of the site in 2019 after a March 2018 merger with Farmers Elevator. The decision to stop … [Read more...]
Rushford gets updates on projects
The July 12 Rushford council meeting was unusually brief, but it did contain discussion and updates on various projects and ongoing negotiation of the possible purchase of the former Farmers Win Cooperative site. First up, one of two items of general business, was the approval of appointing election judges for the November General Election. A number of the volunteers are … [Read more...]
Rushford gets updates on projects
The July 12 Rushford council meeting was unusually brief, but it did contain discussion and updates on various projects and ongoing negotiation of the possible purchase of the former Farmers Win Cooperative site. First up, one of two items of general business, was the approval of appointing election judges for the November General Election. A number of the volunteers are … [Read more...]
Rushford nails down airport projects
The Rushford Municipal Airport has seen several projects take shape in the last few years with more than a handful prompted by the devastating fire of a six-unit hangar in October 2019. At the June 28, 2021 council meeting, several issues related to projects saw approvals as well as notes of frustration. First up, the Pavement Improvement Project. This is underway to correct … [Read more...]
Rushford Village discusses Planning and Zoning projects
The June 15 Rushford Village council meeting was in large part, discussion regarding a number of proposed and ongoing developments related to planning and zoning. A hearing was held prior to the meeting regarding the application by Bonnie Norstad for a second solar array on her property, located between Highway 30 and Highway 16. The proposed array is the second on the farm … [Read more...]
Peterson discusses policing
The City of Peterson has debated the need for policing several times over the last six years, each time determining that there isn’t enough public demand or concern for it. At the June 9 council meeting, the issue was discussed once again with Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge in attendance. Within Fillmore County, only Rushford Village, Whalan, and Peterson have no city … [Read more...]
Fountain looking at service providers
At the June 2 Fountain Council meeting, Clerk Mary Tjepkes and Mayor Jim Schott noted the rapidly approaching end of the city contract with Frontier Communications. The contract, which provides phone, fax, and internet, is set to expire July 21. Tjepkes has frequently indicated several problems with the service and now the city is considering other options. Kyle Moorhead, of … [Read more...]
Rushford Village refinances under suggestion of planner
It’s been several years since Rushford Village has had financial planner Mike Bubany, of David Drown Associates, at a meeting. Typically, he’s brought on board to discuss cost impacts for project planning. This time, it was Bubany who approached the city with a cost savings proposal. “We’ve got a possibility of refinancing debt for the sole purpose of lowering payments. We can … [Read more...]