A large crowd gathered on August 9 for the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future state veterans home in Preston. This was the first of three groundbreaking ceremonies for the new veterans homes to be built in Minnesota. Ceremonies will be held in Montevideo and Bemidji later this month. Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Homes Healthcare Douglas Hughes said the … [Read more...]
Threats of violence at Houston County Courthouse and local businesses
On Thursday, August 5, 2021, at approximately 1:10 p.m., the Houston County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a Court Administration employee that he had received a call from an agitated male that stated he was going to come and shoot a member of the Houston County Attorney’s Office and blow up the courthouse. Sheriff’s Office staff were able to identify a suspect … [Read more...]
Lanesboro council considers tax abatement for proposed housing development
The August 2 Lanesboro City Council meeting opened with a public hearing for a video franchise agreement ordinance. No one from the public was present with questions or comments and the hearing was closed. A second public hearing was then opened to discuss the tax abatement request for G-Cubed Development’s proposed housing project. There were no questions or comments from the … [Read more...]
Jail study committee recommends constructing a 365-day Class III facility
After 18 months of study, the Jail Committee announced their conclusions and recommendations at the Fillmore County Board’s August 3 meeting. Sheriff John DeGeorge and committee member John Zanmiller, Bristol Township, reported on the committee’s findings. The more than 50-year-old jail has not been able to meet Department of Corrections (DOC) requirements for some time. It … [Read more...]
Chatfield community theatre celebrates its 50th production, with Wits’ End’s The Addams Family
For 51 years, the Wits’ End Theatre, known as Western Days Musical Productions until 2004, has regaled spellbound audiences with its shows at the Chatfield Center for the Arts. This year marks their 50th production and, once again, it is going to be a good one. It’s a classic comedy, known for it’s “snappy” theme song, disembodied hand, and a dark sense of humor. The Addams … [Read more...]
Preston transfers veterans home site to state of Minnesota
At the August 2 Preston City Council meeting, the council formally approved the transfer of 16.6 acres for the veterans home site including the Anderson triangle to the State of Minnesota. City Administrator Joe Hoffman explained the veterans home donation escrow fund will be released to the state as requested by the state. This fund is approximately $1.4 million and … [Read more...]
Fountain looks into noise ordinance
The August 3 Fountain City Council meeting was one of the longer meetings in recent months as the city dealt with a number of minor issues and requests. Up first was discussion of a noise ordinance. While the city does not have one, the county does. However, if a city adopts its own ordinances, they can be more restrictive than the county’s, not less. Section 713.01 of the … [Read more...]
Singalong… in Harmony!
Come sing along to a delightful set of songs sure to appeal to all ages at Estelle’s Eatery and Bar in Harmony on Tuesday evening, August 17, from 6-8 p.m. The City of Harmony Arts Board is hosting this event to celebrate raising our voices together in Harmony. Matthew Patterson of Harmony will serve as song leader and Reagan Bieber, Greenfield Lutheran Church pianist, will … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past His horse wore snowshoes; hundreds of deer couldn’t move
Norwegian emigration, part 9 “The new generation lacks both the knowledge and imagination to grasp the actual conditions of life as it was lived by the pioneers,” wrote Hjalmar Holand in 1920 about Norwegian pioneers in southeast Minnesota. Hard work was a given, but these pioneers were at the mercy of weather, insects and specifically for that era – epidemics. Chinch … [Read more...]
Rushford Village reiterates it has taken no action on any trail system
As tensions in the area continue to brew with proposed Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) trails, it was made clear at the August 3 Rushford Village Council meeting that the village has not discussed the issue. Rather, the Village approved a Southern Minnesota Initiative Fund grant aimed at funding a trail study being conducted by students from the University of Wisconsin - La … [Read more...]