At their November 12 meeting, the Houston City Council decided to retain Steve Skifton for two more years as fire chief. Skifton had previously notified the council he wished to retire. The position was posted, and one person applied. At the interview, the applicant honestly shared that he had only applied to provide an option, but this had not been part of his plan for himself … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Land Use Department Responsibilities
Land Use department responsibilities were expanded at the November 12 meeting of the county board. Land Use Director Blake Lea explained there are people in-house who have completed the necessary training in water management. Both Lea and Dallas Dornink have met the requirements for certification as a Minnesota Wetlands Professional In-Training. The Minnesota Wetland … [Read more...]
New Educators in Caledonia
Caledonia Community Schools welcomes Angela Tamke, Grace Mikula, David Lind and Paul Nickelotti to its nationally recognized educational team. After interviewing these four remarkable individuals, it was clear that their personalities and teaching philosophy aligns with the schools’ mission statement: “Inspire in every student a love of learning by igniting curiosity, nurturing … [Read more...]
Peterson Addresses Water Line Issues
As part of the Minnesota Lead and Copper Rule, the city of Peterson diligently completed its required mapping ahead of the October 16 deadline. The federal regulation passed in 2021 in effort to support actions to reduce lead in drinking water. Now, the city is looking ahead to the next deadline. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, “All public water systems with … [Read more...]
Kingsland Public Schools Welcomes New Teachers
Amanda Thauwald, the newest addition to Kingsland’s faculty, brings a wealth of experience and a passion for education to her role as the Early Childhood Special Education Teacher. Originally hailing from Rochester, Minn., Amanda has deep roots in the local community and continues to find joy in living there. Amanda’s educational journey began at John Marshall High School, … [Read more...]
Chatfield Hires Part-time EMT
Ambulance Director Rocky Burnett recommended the hire of Edin Lopez Sifontes as a part-time EMT at the city council’s November 12 meeting. Councilor Josh Broadwater was absent. Burnett said there had only been one applicant; he was interviewed and qualified for the part-time position. His start date has yet to be determined. Sifontes was hired as recommended. Burnett … [Read more...]
Lisa Schultz Joins the Houston School Board
At their November 7 meeting, the Houston School Board acknowledged the unofficial results of the recent board elections. At this time, they know that Lisa Schultz will be joining the board to fill out the remaining two years of the position formerly held by Marissa Grams. Both Mimi Carlson and Josh Norlien were re-elected as well for four year positions. A third four-year … [Read more...]
Wykoff Council Tackles Fire Truck Woes, Vacating Alleys, and Museum Repairs
By Zech Sindt The Wykoff City Council meeting convened on September 12 at 7 p.m., with all council members and city officials in attendance, including Mayor Ryan Breckenridge, City Administrator Becky Schmidt, Administrative Assistant Luann Hare, and city council members Kaleb Himli, Lyle Morey, Barbara Fate and Jeffrey Hare. Mike Lund, representing the fire … [Read more...]
Spring Valley Council to Continue Moving Forward with Broadway Project
The Broadway Project brought a packed house at the Spring Valley City Council’s November 13 meeting as news of a potential grant opportunity was presented. It has been a year since the consideration of the Downtown Project began, which included a community survey to hear residents’ thoughts on improving the downtown, a formation of a committee who dedicated themselves to a … [Read more...]
Electric Buses Coming in July to Lanesboro
The Lanesboro School Board heard at their regular November 13 meeting that the long-awaited new electric school buses will be delivered in July. The buses will come at zero expense to the school. Using a rebate program, the school will purchase the two buses and receive a $690,000 rebate on them and the chargers. The school was responsible for the installation of the … [Read more...]