Spring Grove City Council members met Tuesday, September 17 at 168 West Main Street in room #100. Mayor Saundra Solum called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Council members present included Mayor Solum, Mike Hagen and Karen Folstad; Heather Edgington who joined the meeting at 6:13 p.m. Councilor Trent Turner was absent. City Clerk/Administrator Jana Elton was also … [Read more...]
Helicopter to Arrive at Houston Park
Lyle Ellis from the American Legion visited the regular Houston City Council meeting September 9 to discuss the Legion’s plan to bring a helicopter to display in the city park. Ellis asked for the blessings of the council in the form of a letter or an official copy of council minutes since the park belongs to the city. In addition to the ok of the council, he needed the … [Read more...]
LeRoy-Ostrander Schools Welcomes Two New Teachers
Two enthusiastic teachers have joined the team at LeRoy-Ostrander Schools this year. Katie Bakke is the new second-grade teacher, and Ian Thomason is the district’s middle and high school special education teacher. Both teachers, who are commuting from Stewartville, bring unique backgrounds and teaching philosophies to their classrooms. Katie Bakke Katie Bakke’s journey to … [Read more...]
Fravel trial set to begin October 7
The trial charging Adam Fravel with murder is set to begin October 7, marking 16 months since Madeline Kingsbury’s body was discovered along Highway 43 between Mabel and Rushford, Minn. In June 2024, Zachary Bauer, the attorney representing Adam Fravel, sought a change of venue, citing the pre-trial publicity and community involvement as reasons for moving the trial out of … [Read more...]
Chatfield to Advertise for an EDA Director and Zoning Administrator
At the September 9 city council meeting, approval was given to advertise for both an EDA director and a zoning administrator. Councilor Josh Broadwater was absent. Both positions are for 30 hours per week. Both will report to the city administrator. The EDA director will primarily oversee economic development and related activities and projects. The zoning administrator will … [Read more...]
Taher Reports to Lanesboro School Board
At their regular September 11 meeting, the Lanesboro School Board heard a report from Taher Food Services, the new vendor for the school’s lunch program. Taher’s district manager Brett Bauer and local food service director Emily Kiehne not only presented a report on the first few weeks of food service, but also set an attractive table and offered everyone treats of pumpkin … [Read more...]
Custodial Staff Named Hurricane Heroes in Houston
At the September 5 Houston School Board meeting, Superintendent Mary Morem declared the custodial staff the Hurricane Heroes for September. With lots of extra summer projects, the entire custodial staff put in extra duty and time; all of the projects were completed in-house with no outside hires. Morem shared that she and all the custodians met weekly about the projects’ … [Read more...]
Chatfield Board Looks at Five-year Plan
Special Meeting A special board meeting was held at 6 p.m., before the regular meeting of the Chatfield School Board on September 11. All board members were present with the exception of Tom Keefe. Other interested patrons were also present. The purpose of the special meeting was for Superintendent Harris to present information on two issues. One issue was the budget … [Read more...]
Peterson Starts Ordinance Reviews
At the September 11 meeting, the Peterson council began its review of city ordinances. Up first were those covering nuisance vehicles and junk/clutter. The council first adopted its ordinance regulating public vehicle nuisances in November 2018 after property owners struggled with city requests regarding safety concerns and some refused any communication with the city. In … [Read more...]
Fillmore County Commissioners Discuss 2025 Budget
County Administrator Bobbie Hillery presented the current draft of the 2025 budget at the September 10 board meeting. She detailed added cuts that have been agreed to by department heads. Hillery said, “Department heads did a great job.” The latest numbers show an increase in the levy of $4.48%, or $588,238, over 2024. Sheriff John DeGeorge and Chief Deputy Lance Boyum were … [Read more...]