At their April 28 meeting, the Rushford-Peterson School Board unanimously voted to proceed with exploring the possibility of a future building project. The staff has already had input on future needs at the school; now it’s time for the public to share their input. Superintendent Dr. Ben Bernard has already reached out on Facebook asking for people willing and interested to … [Read more...]
Gateway Cafe Fire in Wykoff
At approximately 11 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, the Wykoff Fire Department was alerted to a structure fire at the Gateway Cafe in downtown Wykoff, Minn. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the restaurant will be closed for the foreseeable future. Spring Valley Fire Department provided mutual aid with Spring Valley EMR and the Fillmore County Sheriff’s … [Read more...]
Farm Family – Spring is in Full Bloom at Heartland Blooms-n-Berry Farm
A familiar phrase this time of year is “April showers bring May flowers,” and nowhere is that more true than at Heartland Blooms-n-Berry Farm. On Friday, May 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Schuldt family invites the public to visit their farm during the second annual Tulip Festival, held on their scenic farm conveniently located on Highway 76 between Caledonia and … [Read more...]
Kingsland is Going Solar
On Monday, April 21, Brock Johnson, of Solar Connections, spoke to the Kingsland School Board about the proposed solar installation contract. “It is a 203.4 kilowatts DC ground mount solar array. Total project is $392,562, the important thing is the payback period, which is between four and five years. It’s really good in the solar world if you can get payback within five … [Read more...]
Spring Grove School Moves Forward with New Leadership
On Monday, April 21, the Spring Grove School Board unanimously approved a 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) contract with Gina Morken, the school’s new superintendent. The board unanimously approved hiring Morken at a special board meeting on April 14. The board also unanimously approved a 0.1 FTE contract with former superintendent Rachel Udstuen. Udstuen will be responsible … [Read more...]
Rep. Davids Announces Historical Society Grants for Preston and Hokah
ST. PAUL – State Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston) announces that two local projects have received history grants from Minnesota Legacy appropriations from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. “I’d like to congratulate the local leaders who worked closely with state officials to secure this funding,” Davids said. Davids said the Preston Historical Society will … [Read more...]
2025 Volunteer of the Year Lisa Skifton
In 2024, Rushford’s long-time emergency responder Paul Corcoran was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year. This year, residing in the city of Houston, we have another worthy recipient. Lisa Skifton. Selfless, generous and kind. That’s how her nominator described her in just a few words. Previously, Lisa was a school psychologist in Winona for 21 years. In … [Read more...]
FCJ Tours County Jail
The Fillmore County Journal (Publisher Jason Sethre, Assistant Editor Ellen Whalen, and this reporter) toured the jail in part on April 3, which was interrupted by an emergency (car chase), and later on April 16. Sheriff John DeGeorge led us through the office portion of the old building and through the new jail which will eventually house the county’s inmates. Jail … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Fund Balances Approved
At the April 22 meeting of the county board County Administrator Bobbie Hillery reviewed the various fund balances for fiscal year 2024. Committed Funds include funds that were set aside for building maintenance, law enforcement remodel, grant projects, new county projects, interoperable communications, highway equipment, and solid waste building remodel/replacement. These … [Read more...]
Section Realignment Affects Area Teams
The Minnesota State High School League has issued its new section alignment for the 2025-2026 season, based off new enrollments for the involved schools. There are quite a few changes. Rushford-Peterson and Lewiston-Altura are two schools seeing nearly across the board realignments. For football, Section 1A undergoes an overhaul. Lewiston-Altura moves in from 1AA. Southland … [Read more...]