The Ma Cal Grove Country Club clubhouse rose from the ashes after the fire on February 2, 2019, destroyed it. The new clubhouse opened last year during the second year of the pandemic. Guests to the new clubhouse will first notice that the new clubhouse is set farther back from the road than the former building was. As a result, there is plentiful parking in front of the … [Read more...]
21st Annual Bluff Country Studio Art Tour – where art is made!
From April 22-24, 2022, artists in SE Minnesota’s Bluff Country will open the doors to their creative spaces for a behind-the-scenes studio view not usually offered to the general public. During this annual self-guided event, these accomplished artists will be displaying their work, demonstrating their processes and selling pottery, paintings, turned wood items, jewelry, fiber … [Read more...]
Preston City Council has two open seats
Councilman Robert Maust submitted his resignation, due his health and age, effective April 30. At the April 4 meeting two resolutions each declaring a vacancy on the city council were approved, one for councilman David Collett who passed on March 14 and the other for Maust. City hall is accepting letters of application from city residents who are interested in serving as a … [Read more...]
Investigating whether soil health systems improve field workability and quality of life
By Katie Drewitz Extension Educator University of Minnesota Extension Fillmore and Houston Counties Timing is everything for farmers working in Minnesota’s short growing season. Getting into the field during a window of good weather to plant, spray, or harvest can make the difference between profitability and loss. It can also mean the difference between a frantic, … [Read more...]
Hawkins spoke of future for region at PACF event
On Monday, March 28, 2022, with a crowd of more than 100 attendees at the Branding Iron in Preston, Minn., the (PACF) Preston Area Community Foundation celebrated 25 years of making a difference in the county seat. The evening started out with casual conversations, bids on the silent auction items, and then a first class dinner was served for a first class event. PACF … [Read more...]
Rushford Village approves insurance option
In January, Rushford Village received a report following the League of Minnesota Cities’ appraisal of all city property. Upon review, there were wide discrepancies in valuations between the league’s and the city’s estimations. The city’s insurance agent, Butch Johnson Insurance, began checking into whether or not errors were made on the figures. At the March council meeting, … [Read more...]
Unemployment falls to lowest level in 20+ years as more people return to work Minnesota gained 5,200 jobs in February as labor force participation rises again
Minnesota’s unemployment rate ticked down two tenths of percentage point to 2.7% in February, according to numbers released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). That’s the lowest unemployment rate in the state since 1999. The decline in Minnesota’s unemployment rate was entirely due to people moving from unemployment to employment, as … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Jail process moves forward
At the county board’s April 5 meeting, a pre-design contract with BKV Group, for the county jail, was unanimously approved. After some clarifications and a few changes, the board took another step forward. Bruce Schwartzman, BKV Group, had met with engineers and some county staff last week to take a critical look at the existing jail building. They determined it can definitely … [Read more...]
Fountain gets property tax update
Fillmore County Assessor Jason McCaslin was present at the April 6 Fountain Council meeting to discuss changes to the city’s tax values. Like many other municipalities in the county, Fountain will see an increase to its building values, largely driven by the spike in housing market sales. The county is required by state statute to value property every year and conduct an … [Read more...]
Rushford approves private bond placement for Highway 30 project
At the March 28 meeting, the Rushford City Council received an update from financial consultant Mike Bubany, of David Drown Associates, regarding the bond for the rapidly upcoming Highway 30 project. The street and utility project is being coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and is set to kick off as early as late April. Being a state-run project, … [Read more...]