News
September is Emergency Preparedness Month: Teach Youth to Prepare
September is Emergency Preparedness month. While many of the emergencies in our area are likely to be weather related, there are countless possible disasters that could happen at any time. Whatever the disaster, it is important that your family has an emergency plan for all its members. Today we want to focus on teaching youth to be prepared. Many of us can recall doing regular fall-out shelter and/or fire drills during school. While they seemed at the time a good excuse to get out of class, they actually taught us where to go and what to do in case of a real emergency. That was emergency preparedness.
M State selected as new host of regional Small Business Development Center
Minnesota State Community and Technical College has been chosen as the new host of the West Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center for a three-year period beginning January 1, 2023. M State was selected for its proven commitment to business development, existing resources, large geographic and demographic footprint, and established partnerships with regional businesses and industry.
More rain and thunderstorms arrive for the weekend
It was so good to see some rain Friday and Saturday across Minnesota. We no doubt needed that rain to help with our moisture deficit, but also to help with wildfire concerns. With the warm temperatures that we have experienced for most of the month of September, and the lack of moisture and breezy conditions at times, have created a dangerous situation for wildfires across the state.
ECHO Charter School Board approves several new staff work agreements
The ECHO Charter School Board met Thursday, Sept. 8 for its regular monthly meeting at the school where it approved of several new staff work agreements. All of the following approvals were unanimous.
Redner joins ECS staff as art teacher
During a year of rebuilding its class offerings and staff, ECHO Charter School has added an art teacher to its staff. Julia Redner joins the staff as the 7-12 art teacher along with being dual-licensed as a special education teacher. Redner was valedictorian of her ECHO Charter graduating class. Redner is a graduate of ECHO Charter school and went on to earn her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Arts from the University of Minnesota Duluth. So, she is returning to her Alma Mater to share her love of the Arts.
Restoring Wellness opens Granite Falls location
Tami Gabrielson, of Restoring Wellness, in Montevideo opened a Granite Falls location in the Lavin Family Chiropractic building this week. Gabrielson begn the business in Montevideo in 2014. “That was when I had my first two certifications, which were Certified Health Coach and Natural Health Professional,” Gabrielson says. In 2017, Gabrielson moved her practice into the Cornerstone Chiropractic building “At that point I had my Naturopath Education, and in 2019 I got my Digestive Health Professional certification. So it’s been a journey,” she says. Gabrielson first became interested in the profession between her second and third pregnancy. “That’s when I kind of made a total life change, and those children are now 29 and 27 so that’s been awhile ago,” she says. “I just started noticing more that I couldn’t eat certain things anymore, because I didn’t feel as good, and it was causing me to gaining weight, and losing energy with little children close together in age, it just wasn’t cutting it anymore.”
Breeding waterfowl counts show numbers at or below long-term averages
Spring waterfowl population counts by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provide data that the DNR uses to produce population estimates. This year, the estimates are average or below-average for several species of waterfowl that nest in Minnesota. The 2022 breeding population estimates are:
Crime Victim Services of New Horizons Crisis Center receives Community Impact Grant
The Crime Victim Services program of New Horizons Crisis Center has been awarded a community impact grant from the United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) in the amount of $32,500. These funds will be used by them to provide advocacy, support and empowerment to those whose lives are impacted by sexual assault and general crime. They will also work to reduce the occurrence and impact of crime and victimization in our communities. This work aligns with UWSWMN’s safety and well-being priority area.
Kristi Link Fernholz to exhibit at upcoming Meander
This year’s Meander Art Crawl (October 1st and 2nd) will see the return of a number of artists who have exhibited for many years, including Kristi Link Fernholz. She first exhibited with the Meander in 2004, making this year her 18th year. Fernholz will be exhibiting in the Old Milan School located on 4th Street in Milan, setting up in the dining room alongside artist Katia Andreeva. In 1990, Fernholz began taking photographs with her mother while in high school. “I continued to learn darkroom techniques and ended up with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of MN Duluth,” she says. “I’ve worked with other artists who have inspired me - my mom, Lucy Tokheim, Deb Connolly and Kerry Kolke Bonk.”