Columns/Opinion

Keeping faith through the sounds in darkness

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Mon, 12/31/2018 - 9:11am

As I was nearing the end of a leisurely run on a dark, damp Thursday evening, I ran past a figure getting out of a car near a funeral home who yelled out “nice editorial this week.” I looked back to make out someone I recognized from a neighboring town, replied “thanks” and continued into the darkness.

Such are the joys, and peculiarities, of small town journalism.

Of course, the personal feedback isn’t always positive. I’ve had people confront me — not on a dark street in the middle of winter, fortunately — about a column they didn’t particularly like.

Broom factory once located in Spring Valley

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Mon, 12/31/2018 - 9:01am

About 1896 the accompanying photo shows the unusual operation being carried out here in Spring Valley.  The men in the picture are threshing out broom corn so that the seedless stalks can be dried and used to make brooms.

Area’s water quality issue bigger than Catalpa project

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/27/2018 - 10:42am

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner John Linc Stine admitted at a news conference that the denial of a permit for Catalpa LLC’s proposed 4,890-sow facility in Newburg Township was an unusual action. He noted that typically these permits are granted as thousands of feedlots now operate across the state.

The reason he gave for the denial of the operation, which would have generated more than 7.3 million gallons of manure annually to be spread on farm fields for fertilizer, is due to the threat to public health.

Memories of businesses that have come and gone

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/27/2018 - 10:32am

Where the Subway sandwich shop now stands, was once the imposing home of B.W. Huntley, local druggist from 1880 to 1934.  In April of 1966, this house was where Don and Muriel Cummings lived for many years.  He was the postmaster at the post office you saw in last week's column.  The house was eventually moved to its new location at the corner of Tracy Road and North Park Drive and converted to an apartment house.

Modern post office erected in 1940

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Tue, 12/18/2018 - 2:18pm

The accompanying photo was taken in April 1940 when the post office building was being constructed on North Broadway.  Structures were being taken down — the two buildings across the street from the post office are being demolished.   At extreme left we see the brick dwelling, removed in 1957 when Dr. E.L.

Community has role in developing entrepreneurs

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Tue, 12/18/2018 - 12:49pm

During one of the community meetings evaluating the first year of the Rural Entrepreneurial Venture (REV) program, of which Lanesboro, Spring Grove and Spring Valley are taking part in, the subject of community came up. The discussion touched on dozens of wide ranging topics, but it was interesting that the social aspect of community would be such a key issue in a program that focuses on business.

Spring Valley tree shines bright with love

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/13/2018 - 2:17pm

A very special thank you to the Spring Valley Public Utilities workers who put the many strings of lights on the large evergreen in our community. It is lighted the first time during the "Love Lights a Tree" ceremony to honor/memorialize individuals with cancer. The tree continues to shine during the holiday season and is a beautiful site as you drive through town.

Thank you to all of the people who contributed to the "Love Lights a Tree" luminaries and participated in the ceremony on a cold, blustery evening.

Gratefully,

Another successful Christmas on Broadway

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/13/2018 - 2:16pm

Congratulations, Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce and Brave Community Theatre for another successful Christmas on Historic Broadway! Bravo to the volunteers needed to pull this off!

The large cast, director and tech people worked hard to bring a great BCT show to the large and much appreciated audiences! The bake sale, cookie decorating, face painting, soup supper, tree and wreath creations and, of course, Santa made for a lively holiday adventure.  The addition this year of other events makes the day.

Predictions of pain, despair, misery and death unrelenting

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/13/2018 - 1:59pm

It is amazing what we can convince people to believe once we eliminate faith in God; once we stop considering Him in every aspect of life. Somehow, some way we have been convinced that the creator is ignorant of the really important things in life! Then we convince the majority what things are the really important things in life, and off we go!

Flexibility that predominates in small cities often benefits residents

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/13/2018 - 1:58pm

As I was watching kids slide down South Broadway Avenue in Spring Valley Saturday afternoon, a guy next to me commented, “You’d never see that in Rochester.”