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“Where Fillmore County News Comes First” Weekly Edition
Farm Safety Week September 17-23 Inside this issue
Monday, September 18, 2017
Volume 32 Issue 52
Domestic Violence Houston Ends GM’s Spring Valley 2018 Chatfield waste Awareness Month 51-Game Streak budget previewed hauling agreement page
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Canton • Chatfield • Fountain • Harmony • Houston • Lanesboro • Mabel • Ostrander • Peterson • Preston • Rushford • Rushford Village • Spring Valley • Whalan • Wykoff
Local communities come together to adopt Texas classroom devastated by hurricane By H annah Wingert hannah@fillmorecountyjournal.com
After learning about the devastation that Hurricane Harvey had inflicted on Texas, Preston native Tracy Raaen knew she had to do something. “I’m a teacher, and I’ve seen how many kids this has affected. This is something I’m very passionate about,” Raaen said. Raaen got some direction for how to help when she came across the Sun, Sand, & Second Grade Facebook page. The owner of the page and the blog it belongs to had set up an “Adopt a Classroom” project and was matching potential donors with classrooms that had been devastated by the hurricane. Raaen filled out the form requesting a classroom and was sent the information for the teacher of a first grade class in Richmond, Texas. After the flood waters receded,
the school still had eight inches of water left in it. The teachers and administration were left to scramble to find safe places where the classes could meet when they resumed. The teacher of the first grade class sent Raaen a list of the immediate needs of her classroom, and Raaen got to work. On Labor Day weekend, she created an event for the project on Facebook, and it took off faster than she could have ever imagined. “Everything just fell into place,” volunteer and teacher MaryBeth Ostrom commented. Volunteer Carol Solberg asked her network of friends on social media if anyone knew of a truck that would be heading to Texas and was given Matt Schmitz’s name. She messaged him and the details seemed to fall into place. Someone even See HURRICANE Page 2
Left to right, Tori Raaen, Carol Solberg, Tracy Raaen, Kristin, Jacob, and Sam Aselson; and MaryBeth and Graysen Ostrom are just some of the volunteers working on the Adopt a Classroom project. Photo by Hannah Wingert
Mabel continues to take action against property owners By A nnie Lewis annie@fillmorecountyjournal.com
tion and spray foam on the walls. The council approved the expenditure. Mierau plans to contact Horizontal Boring & Tunneling Co. of Nebraska to start work on the culvert drainage project for Melby Drive. This company was the lowest bid at $37,983 to install an 18” steel casing under the road and drainage across the road. Mierau said See PROPERTY Page 13
By K irsten Zoellner kirsten@fillmorecountyjournal.com
The Fountain City Council has reached a decision on future policing needs. At the Wednesday, September 6 council meeting, the council unanimously voted to contract with the City of Preston Police Department. Current Fountain Police Chief Tom Mosher is retiring from his post September 29 after 20 years of serving the city. The city had debated through-
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out the summer whether or not to contract with Fillmore County Sheriff’s Department or find an alternate option after the decision to not continue with its own city department was made. City representatives had met with both Fillmore County Sheriff Tom Kaase and Preston Police Chief Matt Schulz to discuss potential contract terms. “I don’t know what we’re waiting for,” said Councilor Chad See POLICING Page 11
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Two property owners remain in violation under the “nuisance” ordinance for failing to clean up their residences. Darrell Peterson and Matt Bankes have been given repeated warnings and deadlines. The final clean-up deadline is September 20. Upon inspection on that date, if these property owners have not complied, the City
of Mabel will proceed with criminal citations and/or civil proceedings. In other business, Public Works Director Bob Mierau requested funding for insulating the shed used to store city equipment. It was built last year, but was not insulated at that time. Mierau obtained a bid from Tollefson Construction for the insulation project. The bid was $7,768.75 and includes 14” ceiling insula-
Fountain Council approves policing contract