Kathryn Wade was appointed to fill the seat vacancy left by Mitchell Walbridge on the Lanesboro City Council at their November 6 meeting. As the new city administrator, Walbridge administered the oath of office to Wade. Before opening the regular meeting,the council spent time in a budget workshop reviewing and analyzing the 2024 budget for Lanesboro Public Utilities, the … [Read more...]
Houston County Jail to Remain Open
With a roll call vote of three to two, the Houston County Commissioners approved Sheriff Brian Swedberg’s request to “approve budgeting the Houston County Jail for 2024 at the November 7, 2023, regularly scheduled commission meeting. The request includes reviewing the jail’s budget and operations at the July 2024 commission meeting. Both Sheriff Brian Swedberg and Jail … [Read more...]
Mabel Community Thanksgiving Dinner to Benefit Founder
Make your reservations today for Mabel’s annual community Thanksgiving dinner! The annual dinner not only feeds one’s appetite but, for five years, has provided funds to meet the needs of community members. This year, the sixth annual dinner will benefit the event’s founder, LeeAnn Williams Howard. LeeAnn is the daughter of Rollis and Bev Williams of rural Mabel, Minn. She … [Read more...]
Culture and Community: The Irreplaceable Volunteer
I sat down with Sheila Craig at her kitchen table in rural Preston, Minn. Her husband Norm sat in another room, while I conducted the interview. Norm and Sheila, who have been married since 1969, raised two sons, Andy, 45, and Lee, 41. Norm, who is from Everly, Iowa, met Sheila at Iowa State University. Here’s what I learned... Hailing from Decorah, Iowa, Sheila … [Read more...]
Houston School Board Reflects on Referendum
The Houston School Board held their regular meeting on November 2 and then followed that with a study session to discuss future steps after the failed August referendum vote. Superintendent Mary Morem facilitated the study session, asking the board to answer the following questions: What were we asking for in the referendum? What did we learn from the vote? What are we going to … [Read more...]
Lanesboro School Signs Athletic Trainer Agreement
After waiting months, the Lanesboro School Board finally had an agreement with Mayo for Athletic Trainer Services to sign at their November 8 meeting. The three-year agreement carries a fee of $8,736 the first year, $8,998 (a 3% increase) the second year, and $9,268 (another 3% increase) the third year. The agreement was retroactive to August and covered the services received … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Supports Broadband Application
Carter Grupp and Chris Koneche, Finley Engineering Company Inc., and Nicole Schulte, Spring Grove Communications, requested support for their Border-to-Border broadband application at the board’s November 7 meeting. They want to apply for state and federal assistance for an area with low density passings (2.4 per mile), including 216 farms, 29 businesses, and 295 households. … [Read more...]
Redefining Ready Presentation Given to Chatfield School Board
At the November 8, 2023, school board meeting, board members, Jill Harstad, David Sovinski, Mark Johnsrud, Katie Priebe, Josh Thompson and Tom Keefe were present as well as Superintendent Ed Harris, principals, Shane McBroom and Eric Nelson, Rinnea Kreter, administrative assistant and Trista O’Connor, business manager. Student senate members Aspen McBroom and Carly Backen were … [Read more...]
Peterson Water Inspections Nearly Complete
During a Public Works update at the November 7 meeting, the Peterson Council learned that more than 80% of the water connection inspections are complete. The inspections were part of the Lead and Copper Rule regulation. Originally published by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1991, the agency revised the rule, and the state put it into effect in 2021 to support actions to … [Read more...]
Canton City Council Approves Increase to Sewer, Garbage Rates
The Canton City Council approved an increase to the sewer and garbage rates during its meeting on Wednesday evening, November 8. Following a public hearing on the matter, the council voted to implement its recommended option for both rates, which had been discussed over the past several months. Former Councilmember Carl Ernst was the only citizen at the public hearing and … [Read more...]