News Leader

House bill would make volunteer firefighting equipment tax exempt

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Tue, 02/05/2019 - 10:09am

A bill sponsored by state Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, would allow emergency equipment purchases to be tax exempt, a change that would largely benefit volunteer fire departments.

Davids said a city’s purchase of a fire truck or ambulance is currently tax exempt, but most other equipment for those departments are taxed.

Minnesota farmers to lead workshop on farm finances, soil health in Preston

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Tue, 02/05/2019 - 10:07am

A Land Stewardship Project (LSP) workshop called, “Cover Crops, No-Till & Grazing: Evaluating the Economics and First Steps to Improving Soil” will be held Friday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the St. Columban Church in Preston.

County to hold special election to fill seat following Gary Peterson resignation

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 11:00am

Fillmore County commissioners convened one man short last Tuesday, Jan. 22, as the Board accepted the resignation of District 3 Commissioner Gary Peterson, who submitted his resignation to the county coordinator on Thursday, Jan. 17, stating the reason to be “personal.” Board members thanked him for his dedication and wished him well.

Later in the meeting the commissioners discussed how to fill his position on the Board, which would have expired at the end of the year in 2020.

Regulations not killing newspapers, but lack of curiosity could harm them

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 10:36am

A banker asked me recently if my industry had to deal with a lot of government regulations. He noted that even small banks have frequent visits by regulators and several examiners report to work each day in offices located within some of the larger banks.

That close watch hasn’t stopped some bankers from thinking they can beat the examiners as our newspapers have had stories over the years about embezzlement at local banks.

Burro boys nipped late by Knights, fall behind early versus Rockets

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 10:08am

The Lanesboro boys dropped an exciting back-and-forth 54-47 battle at Kingsland on Jan. 24 before falling the next night at the Target Center in Minneapolis to Randolph, 57-41. The game against the Knights went down to the final few seconds, but the Burros fell well behind in the first half against the state-ranked No. 10 Rockets.

Lanesboro finished the week at 5-11 (1-7 SEC).

Kingsland 54, LHS 47

Cougar boys lose 64-38 at Randolph, win 64-38 versus Alden-Conger

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 10:03am

The Mabel-Canton boys basketball team played two games last week, both of which ended with identical scores of 64-38. The first game was an SEC-loss at state-ranked No. 10 Randolph on Monday, Jan. 21. Buoyed by a triple double from Drew Wyffels, the second game was a non-conference home win over Alden-Conger on Friday, Jan. 25. The Cougar boys are 6-10 overall (2-5 SEC).

Lost at Randolph, 64-38

Lanesboro girls fall to Saints, L/P, overtaken late by Rockets

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 9:59am

The Lanesboro girls likely played their best game of the season at the end of a week in which they faced three opponents with winning records. The Burros (3-15, 2-7 SEC) could not quite come up with a win but became more competitive as the week progressed.

The girls were outdistanced early in a 67-42 loss against visiting Class AA St. Charles on Jan. 21. The Burro offense started slowly again at home on Jan. 24 but played better defensively while falling to defending state champion Lyle/Pacelli, 48-24.

FC boys lose to La Crescent-Hokah

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 9:53am

The Fillmore Central boys’ basketball team is still looking for that first win of the season as the Falcons are now 0-16, overall.  The latest loss Friday, Jan. 25, was to La Crescent-Hokah 65-31.

The winter weather has made considerable changes in the schedule. The Jan. 22 game with Plainview-Elgin-Millville has been re-scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1, and the Jan. 29 Rushford-Peterson contest will be played on Tuesday, Feb. 5.

FC gals beat La Crescent-Hokah Weather causing postponements

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 9:46am

For last week’s Fillmore Central girls’ basketball games, one was postponed and one was won.  The win on Jan. 25 was over La Crescent-Hokah 65-59.  The postponement was against Plainview-Elgin-Millville, which has been re-scheduled for Friday, Feb. 1.

Also, this past Tuesday’s game with Rushford-Peterson has been re-scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 5.  Both of the postponed contests were scheduled as home games and will remain home games on their new date.

Caden Anderson second at Century tournament

Published by lniemeyer@bluff... on Fri, 02/01/2019 - 9:44am

The schedule has two wrestling dates left for the FCLMC wrestling team: a triangular at Dover-Eyota (and La Crescent-Hokah) on Friday, Feb. 1, and quadrangular at Wabasha-Kellogg (and Caledonia/Houston and GMLOS) on Friday, Feb. 8. Then Section 1A team competition begins Thursday, Feb. 14.

This past week the team competed in a double-dual (trianglular) at Lake City and took part in the Rochester Century tournament.

The team lost both of its dual matches at Lake City and competed well, for those that wrestled, at Century. 

Triangular at Lake City