The Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce (LACC) Annual Meeting is an event that many area residents and businesses look forward to each year. Not only to look back at the past year and point out highlights and recognize where there could be improvements, but also to look ahead to the coming year with renewed enthusiasm. The meeting was held on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, in … [Read more...]
A 70-Year Marriage Built on Love, Laughter and Compromise
Love, laughter, and compromise are the cornerstones of the marriage shared by Mabel residents Bud and Ellen (Nordheim) Aasum. The couple was married on August 28, 1955, at Decorah Methodist Church. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends last summer at the Mabel Steam Engine Park. After an anniversary announcement in the Fillmore County … [Read more...]
Kylie Stinson Plays in International Softball Tournament
Kylie Stinson just returned from playing in The Cup, an international fast pitch softball tournament held in the Netherlands January 16-18. At the tournament she played on the Minnesota Frost team against teams from countries such as Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Kylie, a freshman at Houston High School, was one of the youngest … [Read more...]
Liz Collin Keynote Speaker at GOP Event in Mabel
Roughly 300 people filled the Mabel Community Center on the evening of January 13 for an event organized by the Fillmore and Houston County GOP groups, coming from communities in Fillmore and Houston Counties along with Decorah, Rochester, Winona and communities in the Twin Cities area. After attendees participated in the Pledge of Allegiance and prayed during an invocation, … [Read more...]
DFL-Led Protesters Voice Their Concerns in Chatfield
On a typical blustery Minnesota winter January day with windchill bringing the temperature down to the normal zero degrees for this time of the year, a group of nearly 25 protestors gathered at the only stoplight in Fillmore County, Minn. Chatfield, Minn., known as the gateway to Bluff Country, presents a golden opportunity for protestors to take a stance from the park every … [Read more...]
Fillmore County’s New Year Business
County Administrator Bobbie Hillery opened the board’s first 2026 meeting held on January 6. Randy Dahl was elected as board chairman and Mitch Lentz was elected as board vice-chair. Citizens Input will be held at 9:05 a.m. from now on. Commissioner Duane Bakke suggested citizens shouldn’t be giving their opinion on an item that is on the day’s agenda, because it is not … [Read more...]
Minnesota Department of Health Honors Mary Zaffke
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recognized Houston County Public Health nurse Mary Zaffke on December 12 with the Betty Hubbard Maternal and Child Health Leadership Award. Presented annually since 1990, the award honors the legacy of Betty Hubbard, a founding member of the Maternal and Child Health Advisory Committee and a lifelong advocate for the health of mothers … [Read more...]
CodeRED Cyberattack
Fillmore County, along with many local governments/public safety agencies nationwide, learned that the Onsolve CodeRED notification service had suffered a cyberattack in November 2025. This notification service allowed public safety agencies to send out public safety announcements to protect their communities. The cyberattack has led to data breaches and forced the system … [Read more...]
The Lights Shine Brightly in Harmony
On Sunday, December 14, all were invited to Harmony’s Cancer Memorial Park to remember those who have lost their battle with cancer and those who are fighting the fight. The 20-foot spruce tree in the park will shine brightly every evening throughout December in remembrance of those who have lost their lives and to honor those who are battling cancer. The group explains the … [Read more...]
The Adventures of Sweet Strawberry and Salty Peanut Fresh Off the Press
Local authors Mason and Nicole Howard have been busy writing books the past year featuring the interactions of two friends aptly named Sweet Strawberry and Salty Peanut. Sweet Strawberry is a sweet character while Salty Peanut is a grouchy, salty character. The mother and son duo came up with the idea of writing a book last winter, wrote it in the spring and self-published it … [Read more...]