By Sally Ryman Rushford Historical Society Native American mounds in the Driftless region are generally massive earthen effigy mounds that are concentrated on high bluffs and ridge crests overlooking rivers. If you’ve been lucky enough to watch “Decoding the Driftless,” you’ve seen them photographed from the air. Created by various Native Americans hundreds to … [Read more...]
Lanesboro Schools Hires Own Business Manager
At their regular meeting February 12, the Lanesboro School Board approved the hiring of Garrett Stadsvold as its full-time business manager beginning February 16. Stadsvold will work four days a week on site and remotely the remaining day. This approval came immediately after the board cancelled a contract for such services with School Management Services (SMS) which originally … [Read more...]
Chatfield School Board Approved Revised FY 2025 Budget
At the February 12, 2025, meeting school board meeting, board members David Sovinski, Josh Thompson, Tom Keefe, Jill Harstad and Mark Johnsrud were present. Katie Priebe was not present. Also present were Superintendent Ed Harris, high school principal, Eric Nelson, elementary principal, Shane McBroom and student senate representatives Ella Lane and Kyla … [Read more...]
Houston School Board Considers Changes
As the Houston School Board considered the proposed calendar for next school year at their regular meeting February 6, the often mundane item led to good discussion. Superintendent Mary Morem suggested moving advisory to the end of the school day and altering the beginning of the day to 8:15 a.m. and the end to 3 p.m.. Students often need to leave early at the end of the day … [Read more...]
Bus Drivers Who Care
After Phil Burkholder retired from working for Fillmore County for 28 years, he ran into Mark Scheevel at the post office one day. At that time, Scheevel was the owner of Harmony Transit; he approached Burkholder and suggested that he come and drive bus for him. Phil figured he already knew where people lived and it would get him out of the house. Burkholder started driving … [Read more...]
Kingsland School Board Hears SMEC Audit Report
On January 22, Dan Armagost and John Mark Dundas, of the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium (SMEC), presented the Kingsland School Board with the fiscal year 2024 audit. SMEC is a multi-purpose cooperative of school districts that work together to provide support for special education students. Currently, there are seven member districts within SMEC including … [Read more...]
Caledonia School Board Says Goodbye to Member Tim Gunn
Caledonia Area Public School board members met Tuesday, January 21 at Caledonia Elementary School in room #162. Board member Mike Peterson called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m., led with the Pledge of Allegiance, then conducted roll call. Board members present included Derek Adamson, Julie Augedahl, Tim Gunn, Leigh King, Melissa Marschall and Spencer Yohe. School district … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Flashback Peterson’s Blind School Teacher
By Cheryl Boyum Eaton Fillmore County Historical Society Roy Maynard Johnson was born January 11, 1935, to Jens and Hazel Johnson at Moorhead, Iowa. He had two older brothers and a younger sister. His father was a farmer and the family moved to Belmond, Iowa, when Roy was in eighth grade. He took part in band, choir, and FFA. As a young child, he was diagnosed with … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton School Board Elects Officers
On January 21, 2025, during the regularly scheduled board meeting, Mabel-Canton Superintendent Gary Kuphal led the newly elected and re-elected board members in the Oath of Office, followed by the election of officers. The district’s new officers are: Chairman Chris Miller, Vice Chair Dustin Tollefsrud, Clerk Jason Marquardt, and Treasurer Diane Wilder. The meeting was … [Read more...]
New Board Chairman for Houston School
After seating new board members Steve Walters and Lisa Schultz, the Houston School Board quickly took care of the organizational part of their January 9, 2025, meeting. In a twist from most years, there were actually two nominations for board chair, Josh Norlien and Mimi Carlson. After a vote, Norlien was chosen as chairman and Carlson was then voted in as vice chair. Mark … [Read more...]