Donald James Besse, age 68, passed away peacefully at his home November 8, 2020, a very warm, beautiful day. He had undergone extensive cancer treatments for the past 2 1/2 years. He was born May 21, 1952, to Russell and Lorraine Besse in Caledonia, Minn. Don graduated from Caledonia High School and went on to attend Winona Technical College to become an auto body technician. … [Read more...]
Kids fishing event options
At the October 19 Preston City Council meeting, the future location of the Trout Days Kids Fishing contest was discussed. The DNR in past years has stocked rainbow trout in Camp Creek before the annual fishing event. The DNR has determined that the native brown trout population is well established and naturally reproducing. They no longer want to stock rainbow trout in Camp … [Read more...]
Historic memories of Fillmore County: The Lazy Dazy Bait Company in Preston
The Lazy Dazy Bait Company was a thriving Preston, Minnesota business in the 1950s and ‘60s! The fishing lure entrepreneurship was located upstairs over the businesses on Fillmore Street on Preston’s downtown square. The late Richard Hovelson who was a virtual “walking history book” for most of the small towns in Fillmore County, told me that the founders of the business … [Read more...]
Historic memories of Fillmore County: Harvest for Fillmore County farmers is easier these days than 120 years ago
The picture this week is a good one. Found in Aaron L. Sleyster’s book of poetry, it accompanies a poem that simply “sings” with the excitement of harvest time long, long ago. And if you are wondering just where the picture was snapped, look at the tree covered hill in the top left corner of the photo. As you leave Preston on Highway 52 and look to your right, beyond “Corn … [Read more...]
Donate blood with the Red Cross to help those fighting breast cancer
During Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to band together to provide hope and healing to patients fighting cancer by giving blood or platelets. In appreciation, those who come to give October 15 - November 11 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card* via email, courtesy of Suburban Propane. Donors are asked to make … [Read more...]
Feasibility study for housing development
Preston City Council members approved the use of $6,297 from the EDA fund for an engineering feasibility study for the Park Lane housing development as recommended by the EDA at the council’s October 6 meeting. At the council’s August 3 meeting, the purchase of option agreements for land east of Park Lane for a possible future multi-family and/or single family housing … [Read more...]
Traditions of Preston opens memory care unit
When Traditions of Preston first opened in 2009, it started out as an assisted living center with a memory care unit, but at that time, none of its residents were in need of a memory care facility and there wasn’t much interest in it. Rather than let the rooms sit empty, the space was changed to a regular unlocked assisted living unit instead. Eleven years later, things have … [Read more...]
Sally’s Hair to Dye For still going strong after 20 years
Sally Gibson has known that she wanted to be a hairdresser since she was in eighth grade. After high school, she attended a beauty school in Rochester and then worked in Rochester at a hair salon for the next 20 years. Things changed though when her family moved to Preston into a house that already had a salon built into the basement. She had planned to retire from hair … [Read more...]
Three days and 40 miles on the Root River
When travelers residing in Southeast Minnesota or Northeast Iowa want to go on an adventure, they don’t have to travel far. Within Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Region), one element of nature brings so many communities together. The Root River. Throughout the summer months, locals and tourists will navigate the waterways with canoes, kayaks, and tubes. The … [Read more...]
Robert A. Wilson
Robert A. Wilson, age 72, of Preston, Minn., died Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at home. A graveside service will be held at Crown Hill Cemetery at 11 a.m., Saturday, October 17, 2020. Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home Preston is assisting the family. Robert Alan Wilson was born on February 18, 1948, son of Kenneth Woodrow and Clara (Hahn) Wilson at the Preston Hospital. He … [Read more...]