The December 5 meeting of the Preston City Council began with a Truth in Taxation hearing, during which information about the proposed 2024 budget/levy was presented. City Administrator Ryan Throckmorton reviewed budget details. Local Government Aid (LGA) in 2024 will be $539,116, or $31,737 more than in 2023. This was the first significant increase in LGA in over a decade. In … [Read more...]
Terrance John Pfaff
Terrance John Pfaff, 63, of Preston, Minn., passed away Thursday, November 30, 2023, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn., surrounded by his family, due to complications from trauma during a UTV accident. Funeral services for Terrance will be held 11 a.m. Friday, December 8, 2023, at Grace Lutheran Church, Alma Center, with lunch to follow in the church’s fellowship … [Read more...]
Danny “Buck” Bothun
Danny “Buck” Bothun, age 75, of Preston, Minn., died Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at his home, surrounded by family. A memor-ial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, December 9, 2023, at Preston United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 9:30-11 a.m. before the service at the church. Burial will take place in Pilot Mound Cemetery. Arrangements by Riley Funeral … [Read more...]
Preston Reviews 2024 Budget
City Administrator Ryan Throckmorton reviewed some adjustments to the city’s 2024 budget at the city council’s November 20 meeting. Some changes made since the preliminary budget was approved included a smaller increase for health insurance than estimated, an increase in dental insurance that was greater than expected, a 5.5% increase in salaries (estimated 5%), a lower cost … [Read more...]
Preston Historical Society Historic Campus and Riverfront Plans Discussed
At the November 6 meeting of the Preston City Council, the Historical Society’s Phase II plan for the Historic Campus and Riverfront was discussed. Committee members provided an update on the masterplan for the project. Council members Charles Sparks, Steve Hall and Flossie Schultz are members of the Preston Historical Society (PHS). Sparks noted that during his 13 years on … [Read more...]
Viola M. Gartner
Funeral Mass for Viola M. Gartner will be held at 11 a.m. November 11, 2023, at St. Columban Catholic Church in Preston, Minn., with Father Edward McRath officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place at the MN State Veterans Cemetery at a later date. Viola Gartner, age 94, of Preston, Minn., died Saturday, November … [Read more...]
Donna M. Ibach
Donna M. Ibach, age 100, affectionately known as GG, died on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at Mayo Clinic Hospital - St Marys Campus. Funeral services for Donna will be held 10 a.m., Monday, November 13, 2023, at Preston United Methodist Church with Pastor Mark Woodward officiating. Burial will be at Crown Hill Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m., Monday at the church. … [Read more...]
Preston Plans for POP Demolition
At the October 16 meeting of the Preston City Council, the clean-up of the Preston Oil (POP) site was again addressed. Over several years, steps have been taken to improve the site. In 2018 the property went into tax forfeiture. In 2019 the city had the underground tanks removed. The following year the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) began monitoring the site. A … [Read more...]
James Hahn
James Hahn passed away on October 12, 2023, at Gunderson Harmony Care Center in Harmony, Minn. He was 98 years old. James Darius was born on June 12, 1925, in Preston, Minn., the son of Joseph Godfrey Hahn and Ursa Broadwater Hahn. He was the youngest of 11 children. James attended Preston Public School, and after finishing school, he helped his dad on the farm, which was … [Read more...]
Michael L. Clement
Michael L. Clement, age 87, of Preston, Minn., met his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at the Chosen Valley Care Center in Chatfield, Minn., where he resided since April 2022. Michael was born in Oregon to Ralph and Evelyn Clement, the eldest of four children. He did most of his growing up years in Scappoose, Oreg. In 1952, the family moved to Iowa where … [Read more...]
Cheryl R. Miller
Cheryl R. Miller, 77, of Preston, Minn., died on Thursday, September 21, 2023, at Mayo Clinic- St. Marys Campus in Rochester, Minn. Cheryl Rae Benson was born on September 5, 1946, in Preston, Minn., to Edward and Mary (Henke) Benson. She graduated from Preston-Fountain High School in 1964. After high school, Cheryl worked for the phone company in Preston for 30 years. She … [Read more...]
Preston Approves Paving Projects
At the September 18 meeting, the Preston, Minn., City Council approved two small paving projects that can be completed along with a third utility project. Mayor Kurt Reicks was absent. City Administrator Ryan Throckmorton said there could be savings by doing the projects together. The trail extension to the veterans home will be a city-only cost totaling $9,736.33. Griffin … [Read more...]
Marga M. Moen
Marga M. Moen, 97, of Preston, Minn., met her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, at Mayo Clinic St. Marys Campus in Rochester, Minn. Marga Maria Neef was born February 1, 1926, in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany to Heinrich Neef and Christine Brocker. She grew up fast and tough in war-torn Germany. Marga was 11 years old at the start of WWII, enduring seven … [Read more...]
Preston Welcomes New Chamber Director
Lindsey Reding loved the time she spent living and working in Thailand, but she knew it wasn’t going to be permanent. Her place, she felt, was in Southeast Minnesota. “I have always loved this area and knew I would eventually want to come back,” she explained. While living in Preston and working as an Interpretive Naturalist at Forestville State Park, she heard about the open … [Read more...]
Judy (Hovelson) Hanek
Judy Hanek (Hovelson) passed away May 12, 2023, due to advanced Alzheimer’s. Judy was born in Preston, Minn., November 20, 1941, to Eugene and Carmen Hovelson. Judy went to nursing school and earned her LPN degree. While working as a nurse she met her first husband, Robert D. Hanek, MD. They lived in Denver, Colo., where she gave birth to her daughter Karen in 1963. … [Read more...]