On July 13, the Wykoff City Council met in regular session. Council members in attendance included Lyle Morey, Richard Gleason, Mayor Al Williams, and Mary Sackett. City Clerk Becky Schmidt and Deputy Clerk Luann Hare were also in attendance. Mary Tjepkes was absent. The council discussed whether or not to hold the annual Fall Fest event, in light of coronavirus concerns. … [Read more...]
Western Days controversy
Western Days, Inc. has planned a limited celebration of Chatfield Western Days due to the pandemic. Councilors struggled between caution and the desire for some normalcy while discussing at length the annual celebration at their July 13 city council meeting. Twenty-four emails were sent to the city of Chatfield from residents; most asked that the celebration not be held this … [Read more...]
Whalan foregoes renting of city hall until further notice
Due to concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Whalan City Council has made the decision to not allow any rentals of the city hall building until after December 31, 2020. Present at the Monday, July 13, 2020, regularly scheduled Whalan City Council meeting were Mayor Marlys Tuftin, councilmembers Owen Lewis, Tanya Cook, Thore Everett Johnson and Kim Berekvam, as well as City … [Read more...]
Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Breeders’ Association offer youth scholarships
St. Paul, MN. – The Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Livestock Breeders’ Association are both invested in the educational endeavors of young adults from greater Minnesota. Despite the cancellation of the 2020 Minnesota State Fair, both organizations will continue to offer scholarship opportunities this August. Deserving youth are selected based on their leadership and … [Read more...]
Harmony council reviews CARES Act funds
At the July 14 Harmony City Council meeting, City Administrator Devin Swanberg informed the council that the city had received approximately $77,000 from the State of Minnesota’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act. The money cannot be used to make up lost revenue for businesses or the city, but can be used for other COVID related expenses. Swanberg … [Read more...]
Multimedia storyteller documents culinary resilience in Houston County and nearby communities
Houston, MN – “A table tells a story.” The Crystal Creek Citizen-Artist Residency is excited to announce its 2020 citizen-artist-in-residence (CAIR), food explorer, Elisabeth Fondell. The artist is a recent transplant to Decorah, Iowa, and will be immersing herself in the food and culture of Houston County, Minn., July through September 2020. Elisabeth will be the single CAIR … [Read more...]
Fillmore County begins 2021 budget process
Over the next couple of months Fillmore County department heads will come before the board with their proposed budgets for 2021. This process began at the board’s July 14 meeting with the finance department. Finance Director Lori Affeldt presented the relatively new department’s budget for the first time. There are two staff members in this department. Early budget estimates … [Read more...]
Free online suicide prevention class for agricultural communities
NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) are partnering to provide free online suicide prevention classes tailored to farming communities. This effort aims to change public perceptions in agricultural communities and better equip them to identify and help people who may be having thoughts of … [Read more...]
Financial programs for farmers
You’ve likely seen that both the Minnesota state legislature and the federal legislature passed financial relief laws in response to the COVID-19 situation. But what do they mean financially for farmers and other agricultural small business owners? This article offers a short summary of some of the recent legislation. Federal Programs The Families FIRST Act requires all … [Read more...]
Ask a Trooper
Question: If I sell my vehicle to a private party, what do you recommend I do to protect myself in the event the new owner gets into a crash or is arrested prior to them transferring the title into their name? Answer: If the vehicle you sold is involved in a hit and run or pursuit and the driver flees the scene, law enforcement will contact the registered owner in an attempt … [Read more...]