Commissioners Dewey Severson, Eric Johnson, Robert Burns, Teresa Walter, and Greg Myhre were all in attendance at the September 7 meeting of the Houston County Commission. Chairman Burns called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. and led board members and attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Commissioners approved the meeting agenda, minutes from the August 24 regular meeting, the … [Read more...]
Stellar 181 Taphouse a confluence of passions in Spring Valley
By Axel Gumbel Stellar 181 Taphouse - Spring Valley’s newest eatery - was buzzing last weekend. Locals and visitors are catching on quickly to the many offerings owner Alex Slifka and his team are serving up. That includes 20 beers on tap, a full liquor lineup and a quarterly menu that Slifka describes as a “step up from regular bar food” with a focus on house made and not a … [Read more...]
Minimum wage increases January 1, 2022
Minnesota’s minimum-wage rates will be adjusted for inflation January 1, 2022, to $10.33 an hour for large employers and $8.42 an hour for other state minimum wages. The current large-employer minimum wage, $10.08, will increase by 25 cents to $10.33. Other state minimum wages, including the small-employer, youth and training wages, as well as the summer work travel exchange … [Read more...]
Announcing – Whalan Auto Body, LLC
As of September 1, 2021, Whalan’s number one auto body shop, Doc’s Auto Body and Repair, will have a new name: Whalan Auto Body, LLC. New owner Jon VanMinsel will officially take over the shop from former owner Dale Peterson. Peterson owned the shop for almost 19 years; VanMinsel worked for Peterson for over 11 of those years. The transition had been in the works for several … [Read more...]
Preston Veterans Home groundbreaking scheduled for Monday, August 9
The groundbreaking event for the new Minnesota Veterans Home in Preston will be held on Monday, August 9. This is a change from the Thursday, August 19 date announced at the meeting last week when MDVA officials visited with Preston stakeholders to provide an update on the new veterans home. More details on the groundbreaking event will be shared soon. We look forward to … [Read more...]
Geneva’s Hideaway — same name; new owners
As of May 1, Geneva’s Hideaway in Peterson has been under new ownership. May was already a busy month for new owners, Matt and Jenny Helgemoe; it was planting time for farmer Matt, while Jenny was busy wrapping up her 19th school year at Rushford-Peterson as a counselor. When the couple learned that previous owner Terry Highum was ready to sell Geneva’s, however, they decided … [Read more...]
Auctioneer Frickson honored by Lanesboro Sales Commission
“You gotta like it, if you don’t like it, don’t do it,” states Freddy Frickson, who has been auctioneering at the Lanesboro Sales Commission for 64 years and loves to do the job just as much today as the day he started. The Lanesboro Sales Commission held an Appreciation Dinner in honor of Frickson on July 12, 2021, at the Lanesboro Golf Course, with many friends and family … [Read more...]
Farm Charm, Harmony’s newest store
In June, Amanda Heibel and Becky Jones opened Farm Charm, their own store stocked with a wide variety of gifts and home items, at 35 1st Street NW in Harmony’s downtown area. The store was aptly named Farm Charm because both of the women live on hobby farms. The duo create and offer custom t-shirts, tumblers, charcuterie boards, jewelry, totes, and aprons along with a wide … [Read more...]
Rock it at West Main & Co.
Mobile boutique owner Marsha Von Arx of Hokah came to a screeching halt in Spring Grove earlier this spring. After running an in-home daycare in Hokah for 30 years and working as a pre-school assistant at St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Caledonia, Von Arx can be found hosting events and helping customers select the perfect outfit at Spring Grove’s only women’s boutique. Von … [Read more...]
Harmony Telephone to apply for broadband grant with City of Harmony
A public hearing to discuss the application of a grant from the Small Cities Coronavirus Community Development Block Grant Program was held at the beginning of the May 11 Harmony City Council meeting. Harmony Telephone would like to apply for it in conjunction with the City of Harmony so that the every home in town would have access to broadband internet. The grant would pay … [Read more...]