Grand Meadow resident Travis Warmka is a busy guy, but that’s how he likes it. As owner of three local businesses (J & S Repair, JCB, and Featherlite Graphics), Travis never has to worry about sitting idle and bored. He recently took a few minutes to answer some questions about how he stays busy. Travis is the owner of J & S Repair, which operates from locations in … [Read more...]
Preston and Lanesboro team up to sustain ambulance service
At a September 2021 Lanesboro City Council meeting, interim Ambulance Director Dan Jaquith declared, “We are on the verge of closing.” There just aren’t enough volunteers. Preston ambulance director Ryan Throckmorton said a conversation between the Preston and Lanesboro Ambulance Services began a few years back. In 2021 they started working together. Both staff and members of … [Read more...]
2021 Business Persons of the Year Slifkas receive award of excellence from Journal readers
Over the past several years, business owners have faced so many challenges – a pandemic, supply chain issues, and labor shortages, to name a few. In 2020, the staff at the Fillmore County Journal coordinated the first-ever “Business Person of the Year” award in collaboration with nominations from readers. This was an engaging community effort. The first recipient of this … [Read more...]
A father and his son, and hockey skates
This is the story of a Chatfield father who envisioned playing ice hockey as a youth, but because of the costs he could not take part in the sport. So along comes his son, who with his father’s support and enthusiasm started to skate at the age of three and grew up playing youth hockey in Rochester. An opportunity came along for Lyle Mullenbach to own a skating rink. … [Read more...]
Independent feature film shot in Lanesboro
“It’s a love story with a little bit of demonic possession thrown in for good measure,” explains Todd Johnson, COO of Stone Fox, LLC. Johnson is also line producer and one of the executive producers of the film Voice of Shadows. The majority of the film took place at the James A. Thompson House, in Lanesboro, September 13-24, 2021. “Voice of Shadows is a story about cults, … [Read more...]
Preston’s veterans home on track to be completed by March 2023
It has been four months since construction started on Preston’s new veterans home project, and it is already 10% completed. Project Executive Derek O’Connor, Knutson Construction, a 110-year-old company out of Rochester, took time to answer questions and share aerial photos of the work completed at the construction site over the past four months. But first, O’Connor … [Read more...]
A culinary experience awaits at Juniper’s
Already a joyful person, Tyler Shipton has several reasons to be grateful this holiday season. The most important being his fiancé Ame Putman and their 11-month-old daughter Juniper. And, the very exciting aspect of being the executive chef and owner of his own restaurant, Juniper’s, in beautiful downtown Lanesboro. Named after Juniper, Shipton is bringing his love for his … [Read more...]
Team Grady’s Gladiators
There is a new team in SE Minnesota, and over the past month it has grown rapidly. Grady’s Gladiators is comprised of family and friends, local businesses, area schools, non-profit organizations, and strangers that have stepped up to host fundraisers, donate money, support the fundraisers, and assist the family. Seven-year-old Grady Lundgren, known for his full head of blond … [Read more...]
Preston Christmas star has special meaning for Severson family
“They loved spending time with everyone close to them and I think Christmas was just a time that brought that all full circle,” Shelia Marzolf reminisced about her mom Carol Severson and sister Jodi Severson. In June of 1997, both Carol and Jodi tragically lost their lives in a car accident on their way to Rochester to do some shopping. Jodi’s eight month old son Jordan … [Read more...]
Hop & Barrel aims to be “community center with beer”
Jason Pahl calls Hop & Barrel – the new craft brewery in Spring Valley – his playhouse. That’s because he is the head brewer and loves his job. “I’m a research nut,” he says. “I love figuring out how styles were traditionally done, trying to adapt that to modern ingredients and then finding a way to make a style that is true to style, and finding some ways to play with it … [Read more...]