Fillmore County Journal - 2.12.18

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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition

Cute Kids of Fillmore County page

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PeopleService Ostrander concerns page

Monday, February 12, 2018

County legislative priorities

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page

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Volume 33 Issue 21

Purchase agreement with Dairy & Farm page

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Lanesboro Zenith Street paving project page

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Canton • Chatfield • Fountain • Harmony • Houston • Lanesboro • Mabel • Ostrander • Peterson • Preston • Rushford • Rushford Village • Spring Valley • Whalan • Wykoff

Trailside Holsteins spotlights dairy farming at Super Bowl Experience By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com

Billed as the National Football League’s “theme park,” the Super Bowl Experience is an impressive array of activities and sights highlighting the sport. Held Saturday, January 27 through Saturday, February 3 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the eight-day event was expected to draw more than 150,000 people. Fifteen football-related challenges gave attendees their chance to jump, dash, and kick their way through the sport, while an additional 25 offered a deeper look through exhibits ranging from trophies and halls of the famous to NFL locker room setups, network stages, and virtual reality. Fuel Up to Play 60, one of the dominating stops in the experience, is the nation’s largest in-school well-

ness program and it’s here that Preston dairy farmers Michael and Margaret Johnson, along with their son Sawyer, volunteered their time to promote healthy living and the dairy industry along with 50 other Minnesota farmers. A coordinated effort by the National Football League and the National Dairy Council, which was founded by American dairy farmers in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to Play 60 is now in its seventh year and is aimed at inspiring and challenging youth to think consciously about their health choices, making life-long positive changes. Currently in an estimated 73,000 schools nationwide, the program has contributed to helping more than 14 million students make healthy food choices and getting nearly 16 million physi-

cally active on a regular basis. This healthy living message goes hand in hand with the message the Johnsons’ farm, Trailside Holsteins, and the Midwest Dairy Association promote. The organization boasts a 100-plus year commitment by dairy farmers to the health and wellness of Americans and encouraging the choice of nutrient-rich foods, like dairy. “We take pride in the milk we produce and any time we can be open and present to talk with people about it, it’s something we value,” says Michael Johnson. Trailside Holsteins is a second generation dairy started in 1978 by Jon Johnson, Michael’s father, who grew up on a diversified farm near Rushford. In 2009, Michael came back to the Fountain farm after finishing college. He and See TRAILSIDE Page 5 

Michael, Sawyer, and Margaret Johnson with Kansas City Chiefs’ Chris Jones, center, at the Fuel Up to 60 booth at the Super Bowl Experience February 3. Photo submitted

Houston School Board wants public’s Kingsland ponders long opinion about 2019-2020 school calendar 2019 summer break By Eric Leitzen eric@fillmorecountyjournal.com

By R ich Wicks rich@fillmorecountyjournal.com

The Kingsland School Board held a “work session” meeting on February 5, with all members present (Doug Plaehn, Ann Oeltjen, Leah Stier, Jackie Horsman, Tiffany Mundfrom, Heather Betts, and Interim Superintendent James Hecimovich). The board has adopted a process in which much of the discussion and “hashing out” on issues is done during work sessions, and then decisions are reached when the board votes on most proposals during the regular board meeting

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later in the month. Prior to the public portion of the meeting, the board held a short closed meeting to consider a personnel issue. Due to planned facility upgrades, it is suggested that Kingsland adjust the 2018/19 school year calendar a bit earlier, with classes possibly starting around August 20, 2018 and graduation on May 17, 2019. The classes in fall 2019 could start after Labor Day. These changes would maximize the 2019 summer break, allowing ample time for facility and HVAC upgrades See summer break Page 2 

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The Houston School Board met for its regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 1 in the library of Houston Public High School. In attendance were Superintendent Abraham and Board members Norlien, Bonner, Stillin, Evenson, Lundak and Carlson. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the board unanimously approved the evening’s agenda along with a resolution for a closed meeting for negotiations strategy. The board then opened the meeting up to

a period of public comment, of dar, and noted that both the which there was none. Next, the board and the district’s educaboard unanimously approved tors could weigh in to “tweak” the consent items, which the presented schedules. Board included two increased con- member Carlson said she had tracts at the Minnesota Virtual received “grief ” at home from Academy, two hiring memos her children regarding the shortat the Early Childhood Family ness of breaks, suggesting that Education and Preschool, and the board also involve the stuone hiring memo for a varsity dents or student council in the softball coach at Houston High calendar discussion. Under the proposed 19-20 “loose” schedSchool. The board then moved on ule the winter holiday break is to discussion items, first taking about two weeks long, while a look at the calendar for the the “tight” schedule is closer to 2019-2020 school year. Super- a week and a half. With winintendent Abraham presented both a tight and loose calen- See SCHOOL CALENDAR Page 9 


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