A public hearing was held at the August 10 county board meeting regarding a developer’s (G-Cubed Development, Inc.) request for a property tax abatement related to a housing project in Lanesboro. The developer is proposing a single family subdivision within the city of Lanesboro. The developer has requested that the city of Lanesboro and the county provide abatement assistance … [Read more...]

Chris Giesen, representing the Harmony Economic Development Authority (EDA), attended the August 10 Harmony City Council meeting to present several matters to the council. The first matter was a commercial building rehabilitation grant for a core area in the city’s downtown business district and the second had to deal with the sale of a lot in the north industrial park. First, … [Read more...]

The Canton City Council heard from city resident David Terbeest during its regular meeting on Wednesday, August 11. Terbeest requested the city consider establishing a rural service taxing district that would reduce the tax burden from agriculturally-zoned land within the city limits. Currently, there are approximately 468 acres of agriculturally-zoned land in Canton, making … [Read more...]

“We’ve all heard someone say, ‘I wish there were more things to do downtown!’” This is the header on a new marketing postcard put out by the City of Rushford. The card also encourages applicants to consider utilizing the Rushford Economic Development Authority (EDA) Matching Funds Micro-Grant Program. The program started in 2013 when the EDA saw a need to assist businesses and … [Read more...]

On Thursday, August 5, 2021, at approximately 1:10 p.m., the Houston County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a Court Administration employee that he had received a call from an agitated male that stated he was going to come and shoot a member of the Houston County Attorney’s Office and blow up the courthouse. Sheriff’s Office staff were able to identify a suspect … [Read more...]

The August 2 Lanesboro City Council meeting opened with a public hearing for a video franchise agreement ordinance. No one from the public was present with questions or comments and the hearing was closed. A second public hearing was then opened to discuss the tax abatement request for G-Cubed Development’s proposed housing project. There were no questions or comments from the … [Read more...]

The August 3 Fountain City Council meeting was one of the longer meetings in recent months as the city dealt with a number of minor issues and requests. Up first was discussion of a noise ordinance. While the city does not have one, the county does. However, if a city adopts its own ordinances, they can be more restrictive than the county’s, not less. Section 713.01 of the … [Read more...]

After the August 3, 2021, Houston County Commission meeting, the commissioners called an emergency meeting, for Friday, August 6, 2021, at 9 a.m. Houston County Public Health will update the commission on the status of COVID-19, and the commissioners will discuss a mask mandate. Commissioners Dewey Severson, Eric Johnson, Robert Burns, Teresa Walter, and Greg Myhre were all … [Read more...]

On July 15, Keith Allen Butler, 38 of Stewartville, appeared before District Court Judge Carol M. Hanks.  Butler is charged with Domestic Abuse - Violates Two or More Orders For Protection Within Ten Years of Previous Conviction/Adjudication of Delinquency.  It is a felony that carries a maximum criminal penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.  On or about … [Read more...]

  The Minnesota Historical Society is pleased to announce 52 Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants ($10,000 and less), totaling $432,940 to organizations in 24 counties. Small grants are awarded quarterly to help nonprofits, educational organizations, government units and federally recognized tribes to preserve and share Minnesota history. This cycle of … [Read more...]