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...]
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...]
Miken – capitalism hits home
Hokah, MN Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a small, local company does good work, employs local workers, and is a great asset for a small community. Soon enough, the good little company does well enough to draw the attention of the big corporation, who offers to buy the good little company. Now, the people at the good little company know they have two choices: take … [Read more...]
Houston County Commissioners schedule emergency meeting
After the August 3, 2021, Houston County Commission meeting, the commissioners called an emergency meeting, for Friday, August 6, 2021, at 9 a.m. Houston County Public Health will update the commission on the status of COVID-19, and the commissioners will discuss a mask mandate. Commissioners Dewey Severson, Eric Johnson, Robert Burns, Teresa Walter, and Greg Myhre were all … [Read more...]
F & M Community Bank celebrates 110 years in business
It’s been 110 years since F & M Community Bank first opened its doors in Preston, and its been serving and giving back to the community ever since. Originally named Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Preston, it first operated out of a building on Main Street which still bears its name carved in the stone above its columns. The bank was started by a group of 31 local … [Read more...]
Sugar Creek Vineyard & Meadery: Quality over quantity
A pair of brothers, Bryan and Kevin Logue, have embarked on a new business venture in rural Fountain, and they recently gave an interview to introduce their business to the community. Sugar Creek Vineyard and Meadery has been open since the spring of this year, and the brothers say that it’s a case of “so far, so good.” As a small family-owned business, the Logue brothers … [Read more...]