News and Features

Commissioners review several personnel issues, act on pay study recommendations

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Thu, 02/21/2019 - 2:25pm

Fillmore County commissioners waded into the snow to reach the courthouse this past Tuesday morning, Feb. 12, as the sky continued to fall.

 The short agenda found the Board hearing from social services manager Kevin Olson, who asked for the commissioners’ nod for the Adult and Children’s Mobile Crisis Grant cooperative agreement for 2019-2020.

Commissioner Randy Dahl and Commissioner Mitch Lentz made the motions that allowed the Board to unanimously approve the grant agreement, according to draft minutes from the meeting, as Bluff Country News was unable to attend.

Local students preparing showcase of musical talents

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 02/21/2019 - 10:21am

Jessica MacLeod is showin’ off her Gophers.

It’s gonna be quite the performance.

Musicians invited to join ‘jam’ at Chatfield Center for the Arts

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 02/21/2019 - 9:56am

No berries about it — this jam’s always good.

“It was the result of a casual conversation and someone saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun to get a bunch of people together and just jam?’”recalled Lynn Harstad, a Last Sunday Jam musician. “I believe the first one was held in October of 2013, and while I don’t remember, I think we had probably six or seven people.”

Chatfield student spelling her way to the top

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 02/21/2019 - 9:55am

S-T-A-T-E.

That’s how Josie Koenigs spells it.

New Farm Bureau agent leaves his retirement to sell insurance

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 02/21/2019 - 9:53am

Apparently, Craig Bren’s better off keeping people covered than he is being retired.

“I started working here the first of the year — I started in the Rochester office of Farm Bureau after about 14 months of being retired. The first year was very nice after being in sales management for 32 years at Tuohy and working for a Canadian company for five years. The first year of retirement is fun because you don’t owe anybody anything, and you have no schedule,” related Bren, Chatfield’s newest insurance agent who’s got a Farm Bureau Financial Services office on Main Street.

Council approves purchase of solar radar speed signs to slow traffic on Hillside Drive

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Thu, 02/21/2019 - 9:51am

City councilors met last Monday evening, Feb. 11, keeping their hats and mittens close by as they awaited yet another snowstorm’s arrival.

City Maintenance Supervisor Brian Burkholder approached the Council with a request to purchase two radar speed limit signs that will be placed temporarily on Hillside Drive to remind drivers they’re venturing into a school zone and a residential neighborhood.

Bill seeks to develop test for chronic wasting disease

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Mon, 02/18/2019 - 1:16pm

In an effort to battle chronic wasting that has devastated the deer population in southeastern Minnesota, State Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, is sponsoring legislation that would develop a diagnostic test for the disease.

“Fillmore and Houston counties represent the epicenter of chronic wasting disease in this state, so this is a critical need for our district,” Davids said.

Two timely workshops coming up for ag community

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Mon, 02/18/2019 - 1:14pm

University of Minnesota Extension would like to invite area farmers to attend two important workshops on Friday, Feb. 22, at the Mabel Community Center.

From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., Meg Moynihan, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and Cynthie Christensen, Houston County Farm Bureau, will present “Dealing with stress in our ag communities.”

Chatfield hires new ambulance director

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Fri, 02/15/2019 - 9:54am

It’s Rocky Burnett’s lucky day.

“I started with the city as the emergency medical services (EMS) support person and assistant deputy clerk on Feb. 9, 2015, and will start as the new ambulance director on Feb. 9, 2019,” Burnett said, pleased to take over command of Chatfield’s ambulance service as longtime director Sue Kester prepares to retire this April.

The former Tuohy Furniture employee may have joined the city staff four years ago, but he’s been involved with the ambulance service for longer than that.

Semcac program offers ‘wheely’ good food to area senior citizens

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Fri, 02/15/2019 - 9:52am

Do you qualify for some “wheely” good food?

“Currently, we have five people participating on Meals on Wheels, and in 2017, we had 25,” stated Semcac Senior Advocate Marite Olmstead, telling about the decline in Chatfield’s Meals on Wheels participation and the hope that more people choose to take advantage of the service.