At their regular board meeting July 8, the Lanesboro School Board approved a resolution calling for an operating referendum election for Lanesboro Schools. The board set November 3, the same day as the regular election this fall, for this special election. Law firm Kennedy and Graven helped with the wording of the referendum question to be placed on the ballot. The school … [Read more...]
Spring Valley/Ostrander/Wykoff First Responders Equipment Presentation
New lifesaving equipment was presented to the Wykoff First Responders and Ostrander First Responders, made possible through Fillmore County Opioid Settlement funding. This investment reflects Fillmore County’s commitment to strengthening emergency response capabilities and ensuring that rural first responders have the tools they need to provide timely, high-quality care when … [Read more...]
NASS 2025 Yield Estimates for Fillmore and Houston Counties
By Katie Drewitz University of Minnesota Extension National Ag Statistics Service (NASS) crop yield estimates for 2025 have been posted. Looking at this data is an opportunity to assess yield trends in the counties to better understand yield potential. Which in turn, assists in the long term financial management of our farms. Today’s article will focus on corn and soybeans, … [Read more...]
Mary Schieber Performs in State Honors Concert
Fifth grader Mary Schieber of Caledonia performed at the Minneapolis Convention Center on June 6 as one of the 2026 winners of the annual piano contest sponsored by the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA). The 11-year-old was among the nearly 600 students who performed in the concert that consisted of students playing four-hand music in groups of up to 28 at a … [Read more...]
Lizzie Hershberger Receives Gratitude Award
Diann Darnall, president of Women Who Dared, with Lizzie Hershberger, Gratitude Award recipient. The award was presented on June 23, 2026, at the Spring Grove Library. Individuals are nominated, then their story is researched by WWD staff. The Board discusses the information and votes on whether the individual meets this criteria. Women Who Dared is dedicated to … [Read more...]
Rock n’ Roll Comes Alive in Spring Valley
It’s no surprise that Fillmore and Houston counties host numerous car shows each summer, thanks to a large community of car enthusiasts. While every show features an impressive collection of vintage cars and trucks, Spring Valley’s Fins and Films Car Show produces a full-blown rock n’ roll show. If you love the sights, sounds, and spirit of the rock n’ roll era, this two-day … [Read more...]
Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council Announces Recent Project Support Grant Awards For Organizations
On May 12, 2026, the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) Board of Directors awarded $238,495 in Programming and Project Support Grants for Organizations to 28 applicants throughout Southeastern Minnesota. Recipients are listed by county. Dodge County • Mantorville Theatre Company received $7,500 for October Dinner Theatre. Fillmore County • City of Chatfield … [Read more...]
Lanesboro American Legion Post #40 Flag Burning Ceremony
Lanesboro’s American Legion Post #40 conducted its annual flag retirement ceremony on Monday evening, June 15, at the Bass Pond parking area near downtown Lanesboro. The national organization of the Legion adopted its flag code at its National Flag Conference in 1924, and in 1937, formalized its “Ceremony for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags,” intended to be “a dignified tribute … [Read more...]
Community Foundations
By Benya Kraus President and CEO, SMIF June 25, 2026 - In a world that often asks us to be in a hurry, Wendell Berry – a Kentuckian farmer poet – asks us to slow down and to pay attention. “We have the world to live in on the condition that we will take good care of it,” he writes in one of his essays. “But to take good care of it, we have to know it. And to know it and to … [Read more...]
Apple Maggots
By Katie Drewitz University of Minnesota Extension PRESTON and CALEDONIA, MN, June 30, 2026 – As the apples on your trees continue to grow there are numerous factors that we need to consider. The apple maggot (Rhagoletis pomonella) is the most important insect pest to Minnesota grown apples and typically starts to become active in July. Heavily infested apples are … [Read more...]