PRSRT STD ECR WSS US. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 70 MADELIA, MN 56062
Peterson Photography studio thrives
Canton Pub has new owners
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Adourn will “funk your junk”
R & J Amish Furniture turns 20 page
2012-2013 Community Progress Edition
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Gehling celebrates 40 years page
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Business Anniversaries
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Commonweal hits 25th page
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Celebrating a history of service pages
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the Wolf’s Den Hammell Equipment, a success story Step into four wheelers are purchased twelve acres of land from the like about equal numbers by the By K aren r eisner school district. This is where the in people and farmers. Chatfield store is now located town’s kreisner@fillmorecountyjournal.com Business has been good and 52 just north of Linus and Bernie Hammell along Highwayof Chatfield. Linus is optimistic that it will limits took a leap of faith and decided to the city the years the broth- continue to be good over the Over establish a business in Chatfield in to next couple years. They recently business their expanded ers up 1976. The two brothers grew a large new building at the stores in Rushford, Harmony, built which is used on a farm Linus explained that Chatfield locationequipment and Eitzen. and in New set up of new part of the reasoning behind the for Albin, maintenance. The four stores expansion to four stores is the for Iowa, and 30 to 40 people, includshrinking number of farmers. employ four brothers. were two their Because of the reduction in the ing of eight Linus expects the high land number of farmers, the growth children, to have an effect on machininto other communities allows rents lease equipthey if six boys Asked sales. ery into people them to bring more and two he said they mainly sell their stores. He estimated that ment, He recalled that durgirls. Linus Hammell there is only one farm customer equipment. Having the early 1980s when interest today where there had been ten in ing very high it was a tough worked Over this period there has rates were in construction out west for about 1976. many farmers. They were a dramatic change in the size time for repossess a number of ten years, Linus recalled receiving been number of acres forced to the and farms of asking day one a call from Bernie combines and it was a tough time by one operator. him if he would be interested in worked acknowledged that the for their business as well. Linus starting the business. Bernie was He expects they will expand and equipment available living in the area and had gone to brands of the other stores in the comin one store may not be available one school to be a mechanic. their stores. The dealership ing year. The brothers started the dealer- at all of Linus wanted to thank all the and services Case IH, Kinze, ship where the Chatfield Body sells people that they have done busiMeyer, Artic Cat, Stihl, over the years. Their Shop is now located. Linus AGCO, Cadet, Simplicity, and many ness with appreciated, as “that is remarked, “It has worked out Cub is support sell also They names. brand us going.” well so far.” About four years later more and clothing. Equipment what keeps the brothers purchased around toys
Napa in Preston to relocate
ed Mike. The Steiens hope By BarB Jeffers to have the move completed by the end of summer 2013. bjeffers@fillmorecountyjournal.com is ready and The Napa Store in Preston, Once the building store of Preston Minn. which is currently locat- filled the Napa accessible and ed at 108 Mill Street, will soon will be easily plenty of space for be revving up its engine for a will have and customers to walk the aisles big move. Owners Mike is needed. Sylvia Steien recently expand- and find what Sylvia own and Mike began and ed the business Napa as well as Presselling hardware items in the Chatfield River HardPreston store and say, “We are ton Napa/Root“Preston is our say, fast outgrowing our current ware and location,” and location with the addition of main hardwarewhere we receive is Root River Hardware.” They explain, “it store freight will be moving to a more vis- all of our hardware is another reaible location which will offer weekly,” which is needed. room the expanded room the busi- son more back and shipped Items are ness desperately needs. the two stores The new location will be forth between times daily, plus the old BP One Stop building two or three that “we go to located at 613 Spring Avenue Mike states in Owawarehouse NAPA will our move The NW in Preston. days a week so if we not be immediate as “there tonna five something we can have to don’t do to work of lot a still is See PRESTON NAPA Page 5 get the building ready,” stat-
employs twelve people. By BarB Jeffers The Wolf’s Den has a large appetizer selection to start your meal bjeffers@fillmorecountyjournal.com Other selections on the The Wolf’s Den of Ostrander, off right. include hamburgers, shrimp, Minn. gives customers a large vari- menu chops. A Children’s Menu pork ety of choices as a combination and is available with all Saloon/Restaurant/ of the kids favorites WhethPizza Place. to be sure to keep er you choose a beer them happy and and burger, or pizza full, which is part and root beer, your of the reason the mouth will be waterWolf’s Den has been ing. voted “Best place to Opened in 2004, eat with kids” in by Royal and Lynne Bluff Country. CusDempewolf, the tomers enjoy the Wolf ’s Den has weekly specials such become a favorite as burger night on of many locals and Wednesdays, Taco proof of that is the Thursdays, and Frifact that the Wolf’s day nights all-youDen added on a Royal Dempewolf can-eat battered or room dining large broiled cod fish dinwhich was opened in There is also an all-you-can-eat October 2012 and seats 80 people. ner. dinner available any night According to Royal, this room can steak week. All dinners include the also be rented on Sundays for pri- of of potato, salad, and soup. vate parties. Mr. Dempewolf also choice If pizza is more to your liking stated that the business has had Dens’ famous Wolf’s the try great support from the community then which explains the need for expanSee WOLF’S DEN Page 12 sion. The Wolf’s Den currently
True Value to re-open in Spring Valley By BarB Jeffers bjeffers@fillmorecountyjournal.com
A year and a half after a fire destroyed the basement and did major damage to the main floor of the True Value Hardware store building in Spring Valley, Minn., work has begun on a new True Value Hardware store that is being built in a different location in Spring Valley. The contractor for the new building is Ken Baker Building Company of Fillmore, Minn. and is going up quickly. The new building is being built right next to Kwik Trip in Spring Valley which will be a very convenient location not only for customers but delivery drivers and workers as well. Todd Jones, owner of True Value in Spring Valley, is excited to have the build underway. Recently Todd has been work-
store in Spring Valley. Todd Jones at the site of his new hardware Photo by Barb Jeffers Stier and is located at 1333 ing at Tracker Industries in Spring Matt 63 N. in Spring Valley. Valley building garage door Highway tracks, and says that Tracker is See TRUE VALUE Page 12 a great place to work, and adds be that “Spring Valley should Comment on this article at proud to have Tracker in town.” www.fillmorecountyjournal.com Tracker Industries is owned by
See the Community Progress Edition insert in today’s Journal!
POSTAL PATRON
“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
How smart are you? page
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Monday, January 28, 2013
Farmland prices
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Volume 28 Issue 19
Florida: Oh so nice! page
Social Scenes
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Canton l Chatfield l Fountain l Harmony l Lanesboro l Mabel l Ostrander l Peterson l Preston l Rushford l Rushford Village l Spring Valley l Whalan l Wykoff
Harmony native writes about love in anthology By Jade Sexton
Auditor/Treasurer Department expansion By K aren R eisner kreisner@fillmorecountyjournal.com
jsexton@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Amy Hahn of Rochester started writing stories when she was a child growing up in Harmony. Throughout school she always had several notebooks with her and was always reading or writing something. She knew that was what she wanted to do with her life. So far, Hahn has had five books published, and is working on a few more. She lives in Rochester with her husband Chris, and works at Mayo Clinic as a writer/editor in Patient Education. She and her husband both grew up in Harmony and graduated from Harmony High School. Hahn’s first published book was Mr. Jack Frost, which came out in late 2008. Since then she has released Courting his Royal Highness, Dr. Anderson’s Nanny, and Knight of the Amulet. She has also had The Ice Carousel published as an e-book only. These books were all pub- Amy Hahn will have a short story included in a romance anlished with the Wild Rose Press thology coming out in February. Photo by Jade Sexton except for Knight of the Amulet, which was published by Willow Moon. They are all available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble two pages long,” shared Hahn. or editor does not mean it’s websites as well. “They gave me ideas to improve. time to give up. Hahn belongs to the Romance It was a good rejection letter; I The next project that Hahn Writers of America, which is saved that one.” will be a part of is an anthology a national organization. She Hahn took their suggestions of short romance stories titled receives a monthly magazine and polished up her work and Love in the Land of Lakes, which from them that lets her know eventually it was accepted. will be coming out around Valwhat is going on in the publish- There are many more oppor- entine’s Day. Hahn explained ing world and updates on what tunities for writers today than that she received an email askpublishers are looking for. ever before, and Hahn encour- ing her to be a part of this Entering contests and sub- ages writers to get out there and anthology. The story had to be mitting manuscripts for pub- seek out their niche. With the a maximum of 5,000 words, lication have helped Hahn to many different genres, there is a and had to have a lake in it. become a better writer. place for almost anything. And “My first rejection letter was being rejected by one publisher See AMY HAHN Page 5
Open Every Day!
A new leg of redesign was discussed at length at the January 22 meeting of the county board. Fillmore County is taking a first step toward centralizing finance in the Auditor/Treasurer Department. Financing functions of Social Services including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and reporting will be the first to move under the umbrella of the Auditor/Treasurer office. Kristina Kohn, Human Resources, explained that the discussion began with the upcoming retirement of long time Social Service Fiscal Officer Danette Steinmetz, effective February 28. The intention is to hire an Account Tech who would have lower salary requirements. The Account Tech would work under Auditor/Treasurer Shirl Boelter. Kohn said the county would have a significant savings on salary and there would be a second layer available in Boelter’s department for backup
in the event the Account Tech would be unable to work for some reason. Boelter noted that Clay County has been doing centralized financing since 1999. Commissioner Chuck Amunrud suggested Boelter would have added responsibilities and asked if additional compensation had been considered. Boelter maintained that there are unknowns, including how the process will work and how easy it will be to implement the changes. The discussion also included moving Public Health toward central financing. Commissioner Randy Dahl asked how much Boelter’s office could absorb at one time. Boelter insisted the changes shouldn’t make it harder for the public. Centralization should coincide with a convenience for the tax payer. She said that eventually Highway (accounts receivable and backup for payroll) could be included in the redesign of financSee EXPANSION Page 3
Lanesboro School Board hears about Ag in Motion to ear a half Ag credit. Bue went on a trip to northjsexton@fillmorecountyjournal.com ern Minnesota camping, so they Ashley Bue, a senior at did not have laptops, but they Lanesboro High School, gave a had assignments they worked on. presentation to the school board Their trip was four days, and she about the Ag in Motion trip she went with other kids in FFA from went on with other local high local schools. The first day they school students this past summer. went to the Como Zoo in St. Ag teacher Tim Willette said Paul, then drove to Duluth. this was the third year for Ag in According to Bue, they walked Motion. The students were given the pier, toured the aquarium, an agenda, assignments, and lap- went whitewater rafting in Carltops, and it is a chance for them See LANESBORO Page 10 By Jade Sexton
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