News Leader

Lanesboro School Board updated on upcoming school construction project

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 4:00pm

Superintendent Matt Schultz and board member Steve Storhoff brought to the Lanesboro School Board updated information on the $8.35 million construction project during the Thursday, March 21, board meeting. While the final plans are still being “tweaked,” Schultz had new drawings for board members to review and discussed some changes in the original plans.

“We’re closing in on the final concept design,” Schultz noted.

Local support key to making dream come true for new owners of Branding Iron in Preston

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:54pm

“It’s impossible to really state just how appreciative we are,” said Dale Koch last Saturday morning. “This whole thing has been overwhelming, we were really in shock.”

“We still have a hard time believing this. It is so flattering that people would have such faith in us to provide this support,” Becky Koch added.

What the husband and wife team were talking about was the groundswell financial support a group of Preston-area residents has provided to the Kochs, enabling them to purchase the Branding Iron Restaurant in Preston.

Local couple receives appreciation award for continuous support of Harmony Ambulance Service

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:50pm

“We received an ambulance call not too long ago and all three people on call were working at Harmony Enterprises. It struck me right then that Harmony Enterprises was really supporting our service and this community by allowing three employees to drop whatever they were doing and answer the emergency call,” said Harmony Volunteer Ambulance Service Director Eileen Schansberg. “This was really something and I felt we needed to somehow acknowledge this. Our group discussed it and agreed that they needed to be recognized for all their support.”

MnDOT seeking Lanesboro-area landowners for blowing snow research project

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:48pm

Nowhere are winter driving conditions worse than on rural highways surrounded by open landscapes, where winds create white out conditions and form drifts that make travel difficult.

To combat these hazardous conditions, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is exploring the use of snow fencing in an upcoming road project on Highway 250 near Lanesboro to be constructed in 2022.

Mabel-Canton School Board determines future secure entrance location

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:46pm

The ongoing discussion regarding the location of a secure entrance to the Mabel-Canton School was again an item of discussion and eventual action item at the Tuesday, March 19, School Board meeting.

The district was one of the recipients of a Minnesota state grant to meet the security needs of the building.

Superintendent Gary Kuphal presented two options: utilizing the current east entrance or relocating and remodeling the current gym entrance. There were two examples of the building modifications presented at the meeting.

Local volunteers collecting funds to purchase needed items for Nebraska flooding victims

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:45pm

Seeing images of animals struggling in mud and deep water and hearing stories about farms being flooded in Nebraska has inspired several Mabel-area residents to collaborate on a supply drive that will help these Midwest neighbors recover from recent devastation.

Heather Kleiboer noted, “I can’t hardly stand to look at the flooding pictures of dead livestock. It makes me just sob.”

She said she contemplated the problems farmers and residents of Nebraska were dealing with and began trying to find a way to help.

Commissioners discuss options for nuisance properties

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:42pm

The Fillmore County Board of Commissioners rounded out the month of March with a variety of agenda items, ranging from cleaning up nuisance properties to feeding babies at work.

County Attorney Brett Corson appeared with news regarding the Preston Oil Products building and lot the city of Preston has sought to clean up but needs state funding to carry out the work. Corson noted the process requires the county administer some of the paperwork.

Dorothy Himli, 91, of Lanesboro

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:39pm

Dorothy Jean (Kuyath) Himli, 91, died on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

She was born on June 21, 1927, in Amherst in rural Canton to Harry and Laura (Stensgard) Kuyath.

When she was a child her family moved to Lanesboro where she graduated in 1945. She continued her education at Winona State University.

She married Raymond Clifford Himli on Dec. 12, 1946, at the Lanesboro Bethlehem Lutheran parsonage.

Elizabeth Williams, 80, mother of Fountain man

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 3:38pm

Elizabeth Jane Williams, 80, of Rochester, died on March 22, 2019.

She was born on Dec. 31, 1938, in Rochester to Ambrose and Bertha (Kendell) Blake.

She graduated from St. Louis Park High School in 1956.

On Aug. 22, 1964, she married Merlin L. Williams at North Prairie Lutheran Church in Lanesboro.

She worked at Northwestern Bell, Sears and later for Steve Yaggy Trucking and for Bea Behr. She loved working on her home, spending time with her grandchildren and traveling.

Melvin Ruehmann, 94, formerly of Mabel

Published by tlittle@bluffco... on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 9:55am

Melvin “Mel” Ruehmann, 94, of Spring Grove and formerly of Mabel and Decorah, died on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at Tweeten-Lutheran Care Center.

He was born on April 25, 1924, in Winona to Henry and Cleora (Knoll) Ruehmann. 

He started his music career at age 7 when he took up playing an instrument. He continued playing trumpet throughout high school, playing in the Winona Municipal Band and later on, several dance bands.

He graduated from Winona High School.