LANESBORO, MN — As a response to and in compliance with state and federal guidelines associated with COVID-19 precautions, the Commonweal Theatre in historic Lanesboro has remained closed since the end of March and will proceed as such for the remainder of the year. During this period, Commonweal leadership along with its professional resident ensemble members, and board of … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Arts Center remains positive despite pandemic challenges
“We’ve been here for 30 odd years, we’re not going away,” Lanesboro Arts Director and Team Executive Director Robbie Brokken said. Brokken shares the title of art director with Kara Maloney who is also the advancement director. Together, with an incredible, hard-working staff and board of directors, they run the Lanesboro Arts Center. Despite the challenges that the center has … [Read more...]
Love Day
What is hobby-volunteerism? GozAround defines hobby-volunteerism as using volunteering as an outlet for one’s talents. For many people, talents refer to a person’s artistic skills. Using artistic gifts, no matter what medium, is the perfect opportunity to give back. The women of Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring Grove may not have been the ones to coin the term … [Read more...]
The Dybings’ “Weekend Musical Messages” filling “virtual” pews
Do you remember the word puzzle about the tree in the forest? If it falls and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Here’s a local twist: If a gifted pianist is playing in a church but there are no people in the pews, is there still music? That dilemma faced Heidi Dybing, that gifted pianist, last March at the beginning of Holy Week. Heidi had prepared … [Read more...]
Sisters, and love, and sharing music… it’s “Sister Luv”
It was a gift, a wish, a promise and a prayer (maybe a bunch of those), that created “Sister Luv.” Add to all that a dose of colorful creativity, dogged determination and some pretty big dreams, and you have a four-sister vocal quartet from Spring Valley that’s entertaining people and touching hearts across southeast Minnesota. The name captures it. Four sisters — Xena (21), … [Read more...]
More than a name…it’s The Rutabaga Brothers!
What’s a rutabaga? It’s a vegetable, kind of like a potato. The name is funny. (It could be funnier. In some countries they’re called “neeps.”) What’s a Rutabaga Brother? That sounds funny, too. It’s actually the name of a band. A local band. A very good band. To learn more about them, how they got started, the music they play, and how they’re faring in the pandemic, I checked … [Read more...]
Matt and Brenda Stier: Sharing life — and the gift of music — together
Steve and Eydie. Sonny and Cher. Johnny and June. Let’s add John and Yoko, too. Who are these people and what do they have in common? Depending on your birthday and generation, you recognize them as married couples who became well-known for singing together. If you’re from Spring Valley, Harmony, Lanesboro, Preston, St. Charles, or Chatfield, anywhere in southeast Minnesota, … [Read more...]
Loving, writing and sharing music fills life of Canton man
Charlie Warner is a long-time resident of Canton, Minn. His wife Karla grew up there. Their daughter Megan is on the staff of the Fillmore County Journal. Charlie has been a member of Canton’s city council for the last dozen years. Those are all important to Charlie. What’s also hugely important to him is music. Charlie Warner loves music. He loves listening to it, playing it … [Read more...]
Ed Asner featured during film festival in Spring Grove
There were 50 films introduced, but at age 90, the main attraction to many was seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner. The acclaimed guest of honor flew halfway across the country for the first annual Spring Grove International Film Festival. The three-day event experienced rain during the mostly indoor showings on Friday and Saturday (September 11 and 12), but on Sunday, a … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past: County commitment, caring couple create home, family for unfortunate
Last of two-part series This farmhouse was a residence to which few aspired. However, many unfortunate citizens were indeed fortunate to find a “home and family for 45 years” with Cyrilla and Valentine Esch at the Houston County Poor Farm. In 1901, the county decided to replace a condemned “poor house” near Hokah with a spacious replacement near Caledonia — built in 1903 with … [Read more...]