At the county board’s July 28 meeting, Bretta Grabau, director of the Fillmore County Historical Society, updated the board on the society’s programming. Commissioner Larry Hindt was absent. The History Center shares history with tourists, school classes, and local veteran groups. Students can now participate in scavenger hunts. A program designed for children ages 6-12 has … [Read more...]
Linda Marzolf’s Many Years of Community Service
Linda Marzolf’s name is well known by people throughout Fillmore County. The 85-year-old has served on a multitude of committees and organizations to make life better for all. In the 1960s, Linda was one of the incorporators of the Carimona Township Community Chest along with Marge Wissing and June Maust. Before the group was organized, charitable funds were collected from … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton Board Approves Maintenance Bonds, Prepares for School Year
The Mabel-Canton School Board unanimously approved moving forward with issuing $280,000 in facilities maintenance bonds with a two-year payback during its July 21 meeting. Superintendent Mike Harvey explained that the board first needed to approve Resolution #26-06, adopting the district’s long-term facilities maintenance (LTFM) 10-year plan, before considering Resolution … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past – Pork, Bread, Potatoes for Breakfast, Supper, Dinner
In 1853 at age 21, when he first arrived in what became Houston County, Minnesota, there were only two dwellings within seven miles, and they were small 12 by 16 feet shanties, barely meeting the needs of their residents. Therefore, newcomers had to do whatever they could. There was a just-arrived family from Wisconsin living in their wagon. Massachusetts-born Eugene Marshall … [Read more...]
Caledonia School Board Approves Confidential Resolution and Putting $12.7M Bond to Voters for Facility Upgrades
The bulk of the July 20, 2026, school board meeting in Caledonia was spent in two closed sessions with all board members present, except for the student who is off for the summer. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, conducting roll call and approving the agenda, the board heard from Caledonia resident Mark Augedahl during public comments. Augedahl talked about what … [Read more...]
Preston Approves Candidate for PPU General Manager/Public Works Director
At the Preston City Council’s July 20 meeting, candidate Nels Rasmussen received unanimous approval to fill the PPU General Manager/Public Works Director position as recommended by the Preston Public Utilities Commission. Interim City Administrator Michelle Marotzke said there had been 12 applicants for the position. Rasmussen is from this area and has 20 years’ experience in … [Read more...]
Buffalo Bill Days Brings a Weekend of Fun to Lanesboro
Lanesboro is ready for a weekend of fun as Buffalo Bill Days returns July 30 through August 2 with sports tournaments, live entertainment, family activities, local cultural events, fireworks, food, and the ever-popular Grand Parade. Buffalo Bill Days is more than just a weekend of events,” explained Kristen Asleson, Buffalo Bill Days committee chair. “To the committee and … [Read more...]
Spring Grove Residents May Be Eligible for Flood Damage State Aid
On July 2, 2026, there was catastrophic flooding in parts of Houston County, including Spring Grove. The Houston County Board of Commissioners declared a state of emergency. City Clerk/Administrator Jana Elton told the Spring Grove City Council at its July 22 meeting that the city received 11 inches of rain on July 2, which “overloaded the system and bypassed the storm … [Read more...]
Auxiliary Challenge Met
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit #4114 challenged members to work with their community to celebrate 250 years of independence. The goal was to incorporate the number 250 in a way that benefits veterans. Spring Valley American Legion Unit #68 along with the VFW Auxiliary challenged the Spring Valley community to collect 250 cans of soup to donate to the food shelf. Many … [Read more...]
The Answer Book: New Publications Coming January 2027
The team at the Fillmore County Journal has been working diligently on two publications that will debut in January 2027. Both publications will be titled “The Answer Book” -- one for Fillmore County and one for Houston County. Both the Fillmore County Answer Book and Houston County Answer Book will have a total of 12,000 copies printed for each for a total of 24,000 copies. … [Read more...]