News and Features

LESSONS LEARNED - LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER HARRIET COLFAX

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 2:42pm

Ever noticed the word extraordinary contains the word ordinary?  Let me share with you “ordinary” Harriet Colfax.  At the time of her retirement in 1904, she was renowned as our nation’s “oldest and most reliable lighthouse keeper”, having served 43 years, until age 80! 

Though her service was extraordinary Harriet appeared anything but, with recollections of her being petite, frail, and lacking experience for this rugged job.  

Fall pop-up play honors centennial of Armistice Day

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:45pm

The centennial of the end of World War I, the armistice, was celebrated in Fillmore County this fall. Lanesboro hosted this event in the form of the pop-up plays, Lanesboro 1918, presented by History Alive Lanesboro and the Lanesboro American Legion.

The original celebration in 1918 involved Civil War veteran George Dolphin shooting off an old cannon 13 times from the bluff over the town! The celebration in September 2018 avoided the cannon excitement, but provided many other forms of celebration.

MPCA returns to review karst dangers for hog feedlot Commissioner John Linc Stine in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting in Mabel

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:41pm

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) returned to the Mabel Community Center on Tuesday, Dec. 4, for one last chance for the public to weigh in and ask questions about the water quality dangers posed by the proposed Catalpa hog feedlot in Newburg. MPCA Commissioner John Linc Stine was expected to be in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting, to hear first-hand public comment on the facility. The meeting was held after the News Leader went to press, but look in next week’s issue for full coverage of this meeting.

DNR intensifies CWD response efforts in southeastern Minnesota

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:39pm

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is taking additional steps to help limit the spread of chronic wasting disease in wild deer in southeastern Minnesota.

Eleven new cases of wild deer infected with the neurological disease were discovered this fall in or around the CWD disease management zone in Fillmore County.

In response, the DNR will open two special hunts in December; provide shooting permits to landowners; conduct deer culling efforts in January; and will hold a public meeting in Preston on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Preliminary property tax levies in county show significant increases

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:20pm

If local units stick with their preliminary levy proposals, property taxes will likely go up for most residents of Fillmore County.

County residents recently received property tax notices in the mail with proposed levies from local units of government. After input from citizens during Truth-in-Taxation hearings, local governments must set their final 2019 property tax levies by Dec. 28. The final levies can be set lower, but not higher, than preliminary levies.

Secure pork supply workshop for producers set in Rushford

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:19pm

University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health will be hosting a secure pork supply workshop at the Rushford Community Center, 43038 State Highway 30 West, Rushford Village, on Thursday, Dec. 13, from 1 to 4 p.m. Local swine producers are encouraged to attend and complete their own secure pork supply plan during the workshop.

County land rent survey shows costs stabilized at $200 per acre

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:15pm

The 2018 local land rental survey shows rates in Fillmore County averaged between $195.42 and $207.46/acre, which indicates long-term trends in local data have stabilized at about $200 per acre since around 2014, according to Michael Cruse, U of M Extension educator.

Survey responses for 2018 land rent ranged from $20 to $379/acre. The predicted average for 2019 land rental rates is between $191.39 and $203.25/acre, noted Cruse. These values are based on 88 returned surveys.

Commissioners handle several personnel issues during last meeting of November

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 12/06/2018 - 1:14pm

Fillmore County commissioners convened post-turkey for the last meeting of November, on Tuesday, Nov. 27, handling various items of business to prepare for the end of the year and budgeting for 2019.

First, Highway Engineer Ron Gregg presented a resolution to apply for an administrative variance to state aid rules for a part of the road in the city of Wykoff that does not meet the geometric horizontal roadway design. He explained that there is a need to adjust things to make way for a road project this coming summer on County Road 5. 

WreathsForTheFallen continues to grow as new veteran cemeteries are added

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Mon, 12/03/2018 - 1:58pm

WreathsForTheFallen.org will be honoring the nation’s fallen veterans at the Little Falls, Preston and Duluth veteran cemeteries.  The addition of Preston and Duluth will require several hundred additional honor wreaths needed to honor the country’s fallen veterans and their families at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemeteries once again this year.

Because of the additional Minnesota State Veterans Cemeteries in the last year, the challenge for WreathsForTheFallen.org to honor all fallen veterans is greater than ever.

Commissioners handle several personnel issues during last meeting of November

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Mon, 12/03/2018 - 1:56pm

Fillmore County commissioners convened post-turkey for the last meeting of November, on Tuesday, Nov. 27, handling various items of business to prepare for the end of the year and budgeting for 2019.

First, Highway Engineer Ron Gregg presented a resolution to apply for an administrative variance to state aid rules for a part of the road in the city of Wykoff that does not meet the geometric horizontal roadway design. He explained that there is a need to adjust things to make way for a road project this coming summer on County Road 5.