A Chatfield man is facing two felony animal cruelty charges and two gross misdemeanor property damage charges after allegedly shooting and killing two neighbor dogs, according to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County District Court. Craig Allen Reichel, 67, has been charged with two felony counts of mistreatment of animals resulting in death and two gross misdemeanor … [Read more...]

At the March 10 Harmony City Council meeting, the consent agenda was approved and included the minutes of the February 10 council meeting as well as the February 4 and February 18 planning session minutes, and the amended minutes for the January 13 meeting. It also included the claims and February checks, investment report, cash balances, the year-to-date budget, a facilitation … [Read more...]

At the March 9 meeting, the Rushford Council zipped through the agenda, which included upcoming asbestos testing, the attempted sale of the former ambulance rig, and a permit for The Mill on Rush Creek (the former Hoiland Mill). Added to the agenda was approval of a lease agreement for the historic depot building. First up, the council unanimously approved a proposal for the … [Read more...]

The conversation regarding a cannabis ordinance in Mabel, rather than following Fillmore County’s ordinance, was once again a topic of discussion at the March 11 Mabel City Council meeting. The city received a letter from Steve Wijatyk from Palm Springs, Calif who is in support the city adopting a “clear and thoughtful cannabis ordinance.” He noted in his letter that his … [Read more...]

On March 10 during the regular city council meeting, the Eitzen City Council signed the paperwork transferring the Wiegrefe Senior Housing facility including the building and all assets from the Willard and Alpha Wiegrefe Foundation to the city. The council also approved a new board to oversee the property. Board members include Jeff Adamson, Ethan Lapham, and Mitch … [Read more...]

Caledonia Police Chief Kurt Zehnder shared an in-depth picture of his department’s activities in 2025 during the March 9 regular meeting of the Caledonia City Council. The Caledonia Police Department has five full-time officers with a combined total of just over 100 years in law enforcement. In 2025, the department responded to 2,011 total calls for service, down from … [Read more...]

At the March 9 meeting of the Chatfield City Council. Cathy French provided an informational update on Age Friendly Fillmore County. Age Friendly is a nationwide program involving age friendly communities and their volunteers. French has lived in Chatfield for 47 years; her husband has been a resident of Chatfield his whole life. Nearly 21% of the population is 65 or … [Read more...]