The quiet little hamlet of Bratsberg five miles south of Rushford boasts a few houses and a couple old store fronts, but this time of the year there’s an added attraction. Mitch Paulson, who lives at the intersection of Highways 43 and 10, loves to make people smile. For the last 10 years or so Mitch has done this by creating his own Halloween display using a multitude of … [Read more...]
Houston’s Football Brothers
Stepbrothers senior Maddox Rodriguez and sophomore Lee Klunder are having a great time playing football together on the Houston High School team this year. Both boys are running backs/fullbacks for the Houston nine-man team. (The team has two running backs in the backfield.) Maddox and Lee both grew up in Houston and knew each other all along; they both started playing … [Read more...]
Police Officer Trainee Position Created for Houston
After four months of advertising for a second police officer for Houston with no applicants, City Administrator Michelle Quinn and Chief of Police Bret Hurley decided to think outside the box. At the regular city council meeting October 15, Hurley presented a proposed job description for a police officer trainee. The goal of presenting this was to help with retention of an … [Read more...]
New Teachers at Houston Schools
Houston Schools welcomed five new teachers this fall - Ethan Papenfuss, band; Samantha Michaelsen, elementary special education; Hailey Pierazek, MS/HS math; Abigail Allen, HS math; and Anna Dunnum, English and social studies. Ethan Papenfuss, an alumni of Houston High School, got into teaching because he himself had a wonderful experience as a student. He feels so … [Read more...]
The Working Women of Stinson’s Meats
Michelle Stinson and her husband Jamie, current owners of Stinson’s Country Style Meats, started the company with Michelle’s parents, David and Kathy, in 2018 doing deer processing. In 2020, they opened their retail store and began slaughtering animals for others. They had opened the business, knowing there was a demand in the area for it. Ledebuhrs in Winona had closed … [Read more...]
7 New Teachers at Rushford-Peterson
Rushford-Peterson welcomed a total of seven new teachers to its teaching staff this fall. The new teachers are: Lindsey Olson, K-8 counselor and district assessment doordinator; Emily Wahlberg, first grade; Ethan Jacobson, MS/HS business; Sophia Westcott, SPED; Kora Miller, kindergarten; Madlyn Ripka, MS/HS band director; Nathan Whitacre, MS/HS SPED. Here’s your chance to learn … [Read more...]
Frauenkrons Named Hurricane Heroes
The Frauenkron family - Byron, Anna, Ethan and Elliot - were acknowledged as Hurricane Heroes at the October 3 Houston School Board meeting. Superintendent Mary Morem related that Ethan and Elliot helped pour concrete at the school and called her to come see the finished product late one night. The boys were busy power washing the concrete in the dark using headlights so the … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Hosts Small School Teaching Conference Next Week
The Lanesboro School Board heard details of the upcoming Small School Teaching Conference to be held on Wednesday, October 16 at Lanesboro Schools. Two break out sessions will be presented. Subjects such as artificial intelligence in schools, mental health and classroom management will be discussed by presenters. WSU will have an empathy session as one of the choices for … [Read more...]
We’re Not a Box Company
Many people don’t even realize that Preston Specialties is actually located in Lanesboro; in addition, even if they know it’s there, many people don’t know what the company does or makes. A lot of people think it’s a box company, but it is not! Preston Specialties makes packaging. One of the current owners, Tiffany Ask explained, “We’re not a box company - we make packaging … [Read more...]
R-P’s New Nature Walking Trail
The Rushford-Peterson School Board heard details from Superintendent Dr. Ben Bernard about the new nature walking trail located behind the school. Dr. Bernard thanked several people and groups for its creation. The school’s wellness committee planned and organized for the trail. A grant from Southeast Service Co-op funded the project. Jeff Michel completed the initial brush … [Read more...]