Augedahl Construction & Cabinetry, located at 219 N. Decorah St. in Caledonia, turns plans, ideas and raw materials into works of art. Owner Chad Augedahl, a lifelong resident of Caledonia and a graduate of Caledonia High School, knew while he was still in high school that he wanted a career working with his hands and wood. He credits his high school shop teacher, Kenny … [Read more...]
Truck Drivers Deliver the Goods
Truck driver Val Gudmundson delivered the goods across the U.S. and locally off and on for about 50 years. Val’s first experiences in trucking came when, as a boy, he joined his father in the cab as his dad hauled milk in Rushford. From then on, Val wanted to be a truck driver. Val mostly drove regionally in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, but he also did long haul stints … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department’s New Vehicle Design
When Chief Deputy Lance Boyum who takes care of the Fillmore County Sheriff’s fleet, first approached Sheriff John DeGeorge about the possibility of changing the Sheriff’s Department vehicles’ color and design, DeGeorge quickly agreed. He remembered that the same color and basic graphic design with just a few small tweaks had been used for over 20 years and the vehicle color … [Read more...]
Meet Me in the Water Revival Attracts Nearly 3,000 to Peterson
A small southeastern Minnesota town became the gathering place for thousands of people August 29-30 as the Kayla Gabbard Ministry brought its Meet Me in the Water Revival to Peterson. Nearly 3,000 people attended the two-day event with 1,021 attendees baptized in the Root River by Founder Kayla Gabbard, Pastor Elwood Patrick, and a team of baptizers. Local resident Nikki … [Read more...]
Chatfield Man Recounts Memories of 9/11 at the Pentagon
At Fort Myer, located next to the Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon, and now named Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, it was a beautiful day as Carey Welder and his unit spent their morning training. Welder, who grew up outside of Blue Earth, Minnesota, had enlisted in the Army right out of high school in 1999. “I knew I wanted to do my duty to the country,” Welder … [Read more...]
Youth Baseball Academy Hits a Home Run
The Eitzen Lions/Caledonia Haulers Youth Baseball Academy is a summer baseball program that captures the spirit of small-town America. The Academy serves children ages 4 to 10, with players coming from New Albin, Spring Grove, Caledonia, Eitzen, Houston and Rushford. Caledonia preschool teacher and high school varsity baseball coach Shawn Bauer founded the Academy in 2018. … [Read more...]
Remembering Mike Zimmer
Mike Zimmer touched generations of people, leaving countless memories that reached far beyond Fillmore County. Born January 29, 1960, to Edward Zimmer and Rita Heusinkveld, He graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1980. Mike married his sweetheart, Debbie Marr, and together they raised Logan, Morgan and Regan, centering their life on family, service and their … [Read more...]
Houston County Fair Board Praised by Caledonia Council
The Houston County Fair Board received numerous accolades during the August 24 Caledonia City Council meeting. Council members Bob Klug, Amanda Ninneman, David Fitzpatrick and John Rauk were present, along with Mayor Leis. During the opening public comment period, Caledonia business owner and resident Bryan Spier praised the fair, saying he attended the rodeo, demolition … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Gathers in Grief and Support
It was officially termed, Community Gathering for Grief and Support, In Memory of Isaac Vick. A large assemblage of family, friends, community members and high school teammates and students gathered at the Fest Building in Spring Grove on August 19, 2026, to share their grief and memories after the shocking loss of Isaac Vick, beloved son of Tim and DeeDee Vick. His … [Read more...]
Nathaniel Drees’ Prayer Service – Matthew 18:20
Hundreds gathered at Saint Ignatius Catholic Church, August 18, 2026, to give and receive support after the tragic death of Nathaniel Drees, son of Joe and Santi Drees of Spring Valley. In his 17 years, Nathaniel touched countless lives through church, school, work, sports, and music. The candlelight service filled the church, grounds and parking area. Father Gregory Parrott … [Read more...]