ST. PAUL – Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained steady at 4.0% in June and the state’s labor force participation rate also remained level at 67.9%, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Nationally, the unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point in June to 5.9% with labor … [Read more...]

The July 12 Rushford council meeting was unusually brief, but it did contain discussion and updates on various projects and ongoing negotiation of the possible purchase of the former Farmers Win Cooperative site. First up, one of two items of general business, was the approval of appointing election judges for the November General Election. A number of the volunteers are … [Read more...]

During a July 13 gathering at the Preston Servicemen’s Club, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) officials, the project planner and construction manager updated a group of veterans and local officials on project plans and the timeline for construction of the State Veterans Home.  The hour on August 19 for the ground breaking event is yet to be determined. The … [Read more...]

The blood drive held in Harmony on July 6, 2021, succeeded in collecting 47 units of blood.  There were 46 donors that presented, of which eight donated Power Reds (two units). Congratulations to these four donors who reached the following milestones: Marilyn Bratager – 3 gallons, Tom Burke - 1 gallon, Andrew Ollendieck - 8 gallons, Alvin Joe Schorr – 3 gallons The … [Read more...]

The July 12 Rushford council meeting was unusually brief, but it did contain discussion and updates on various projects and ongoing negotiation of the possible purchase of the former Farmers Win Cooperative site. First up, one of two items of general business, was the approval of appointing election judges for the November General Election. A number of the volunteers are … [Read more...]

Kent Whitcomb of MiEnergy visited the regular Peterson City Council meeting July 14 to offer a level two car charging station to the city. The level two charger would be able to charge two cars at a time at a rate of 30 to 50 miles range per hour. The charger valued at $5,139 would need to be installed by the city at a location of their choosing. Installation costs would range … [Read more...]

For over two decades, Mark Scheevel has driven Fillmore Central students to school, but now he’s hanging up his bus keys and moving on to retirement. “It’s been 25 years to the day,” he said, explaining that the day he started Harmony Transit and the day he sold it were exactly 25 years apart. Scheevel plans to stick around through the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year to … [Read more...]

By Mary L. Allen At the July 14, 2021, Chatfield School Board meeting, board members present were: Josh Thompson, Matt McMahon (virtually), Jill Harstad, Tom Keefe, and Lanny Isensee, as well as Principals Shane McBroom, and Eric Nelson, Superintendent Ed Harris, and Trista O’Connor, business manager. Board member Katie Priebe was absent. Under the consent agenda the June … [Read more...]

Norwegian emigration, part 6 Many of the Norwegian immigrants, which would settle in Houston and Fillmore Counties as early as 1851, had their ocean voyage end at the port cities of Quebec or New York. Then after another voyage across the Great Lakes and/or a train ride or two, they reached Chicago or Milwaukee.  Some, like the families of Thore Elemoen in 1853 and Knud … [Read more...]

It’s been an interesting and rough year for many businesses and that definitely rings true for the Old Barn Resort outside of Preston. Last summer, its opening was delayed by several months until June, and the day-to-day operations had to change and adapt to the pandemic. Overall though, owners and brothers-in-law Travis Dundore and Eric Brenna feel that most of the changes … [Read more...]