By Janette Dragvold The week of July 10, 2023, Kingsland Schools in Spring Valley, Minn., served as the scene for active shooter training for the Fillmore County Sheriff’s department. The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training know as ALERRT, is an FBI sponsored training program out of Texas that is available for law enforcement departments. The program was … [Read more...]
Janyce Elayne Freiheit
Janyce Elayne Freiheit, of Spring Valley, Minn., passed away on July 15, 2023, at her home. She was 64 years old. Janyce was born on October 25, 1958, in Leroy, Minn., to parents Earl and Geraldine Sawdey. Janyce married her life-long partner and best friend, John Freiheit, in 1977, who preceded her in death in 2022. Janyce and John had four children together and she … [Read more...]
Percy Hendrickson
Percy D. Hendrickson, 85, of Spring Valley, Minn., passed away peacefully at the Spring Valley Care Center on July 14, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. Percy Dale Hendrickson was born September 24, 1937, in Wykoff, Minn., to Cardnal and Mildred (Berning) Hendrickson. He attended country schools in the Cherry Grove area, Wykoff High School until the 10th grade, and … [Read more...]
Chevrolet of Spring Valley leaps into the future with new facility
Two years after Rochester-based Penz Automotive Group spread its roots to Spring Valley by purchasing the Buick Chevrolet store, owner Todd Penz and his team are now taking the dealership to the next level and a new location. June 26 marked the first day of business at Chevrolet of Spring Valley’s new facility at 1100 North Broadway Avenue on the west side of town. New … [Read more...]
Spring Valley battles noise with new ordinance
On July 10, the Spring Valley City Council held a public hearing prior to their regular meeting to discuss the proposed noise ordinance. The ordinance states “it is unlawful for any person to make, continue or cause to be made or continued any excessive, unnecessary or unusually loud noise or any noise which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, … [Read more...]
Nordeen Groth
Nordeen Allen Groth, 71, of Spring Valley, Minn., passed away peacefully at Mayo Clinic- St. Marys Campus surrounded by family, on Thursday, July 6, 2023. Nordeen was born in Wykoff, Minn., on September 13, 1951, to Arnold and Mary Cathern (Smith) Groth. He lived and grew up on the family farm near Spring Valley, where he attended school. On October 5, 1973, Nordeen married … [Read more...]
Joseph Walsh
Joseph Leonard Walsh was born on February 13, 1934, in Fillmore Township, the son of Richard and Elsie Walsh. He married Marian Walsh (Kellogg) on his birthday in 1965, a union that lasted 58 years. Together, Joe and Marian had five children, Timothy (Pam), Kellie, Jody (Toby), James (Nichole), and Joseph (Brooke). He was surrounded by the love of his wife and children as he … [Read more...]
Kenneth Leibfried
Kenneth Leibfried, age 78, of Spring Valley, Minn., passed away on June 25, 2023, peacefully at his home, surrounded by his family. Kenny was born September 25, 1944, in Sherburne, Minn., to Joseph and Florence (Studer) Leibfried. He lived and grew up on the family farm in Ostrander with his nine brothers and sisters. He attended and graduated from Leroy High … [Read more...]
Ruth Carolyn (Hintze) Lemke
Ruth Carolyn (Hintze) Lemke passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at Olmsted Medical Center. She was 86 years old. Ruth was born in Spring Valley, Minn., on January 13, 1937, to Ruben and Lenora (Grabau) Hintze. Ruth attended school in Spring Valley, graduating from Spring Valley High School in 1955, where she had been active in both band and chorus. … [Read more...]
Broadway Project moves into design phase
Discussions continue for the proposed Broadway Project during the June 12 Spring Valley City Council meeting. During the council’s previous meeting, Spring Valley Business Alliance representative Dan Freeman approached the council to propose the creation of temporary seating areas throughout the downtown area in order to restrict the flow of traffic, making the area safer for … [Read more...]
Joyce Miland
Joyce A. Miland, 79, of Spring Valley, Minn., went to be with her Lord on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at Mayo Clinic- St. Marys Campus in Rochester, Minn. Joyce Ann Miller was born July 13, 1943, at St. Marys Hospital. She was the oldest child of Murley and Mary (Naylor) Miller of Sleepy Eye, Minn. Joyce was employed at Rochester Methodist Hospital as a dietician’s aide for 46 … [Read more...]
Minnwest Bank deepens roots in Spring Valley, opens combined facility
It was a bit like musical chairs among business properties in Spring Valley. When damage from an ice dam prompted Minnwest Bank officials to explore combining their separate drive-up and walk-in facilities last fall, Kwik Trip had already re-located to the former BP site on North Section Avenue. That made the old Kwik Trip building on Broadway available, and it was the perfect … [Read more...]
Raymond Lloyd Lemke
Raymond Lloyd “Ray” Lemke passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at the Spring Valley Care Center. He was 93 years old. Ray was born on March 12, 1930, in Yale, S. Dak., to Emil and Emilie (Musolf) Lemke. The family moved to Spring Valley in 1933, where Ray attended school, graduating from Spring Valley High School in 1948. He worked in the laundry service at the … [Read more...]
Jean Malizia
Jean Malizia, 93, of Los Osos, Calif., (formerly of Spring Valley), passed away on May 15, 2023. Jean was born on June 8, 1929, to Henry and Grace Olson, and spent her childhood in Ostrander before moving to Spring Valley, where she graduated high school in 1946. She attended Luther College and later graduated from Winona State and became a remedial reading teacher in Spring … [Read more...]
Sandra Ptacek
A Mass of Christian Burial for Sandra “Sandy” Ptacek, 84, a longtime Stewartville, Minn., resident, will take place at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 19, 2023, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Stewartville, with Rev. Kevin Connolly officiating. Mrs. Ptacek died on Saturday, May 13, while surrounded by her loving family, at Seasons Hospice House in Rochester. Sandra Kae (Kendall) … [Read more...]