The TIMES - Steele County Newspaper

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012 www.bloomingprairieonline.com • $1

The

Times

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Serving Blooming Prairie and the Four-County Area Steele County’s Only Community Weekly Newspaper

Landmark to reopen

INSIDE:

Owner plans to transform Lansing Corners into event center By RICK BUSSLER Publisher After being vacant for several years, a landmark restaurant in Mower County is about to come to life again. But this time it won’t be as a restaurant. Lansing Corners, which has a rich history of being an entertainment venue for the region dating back to 1938, will open as an event center later this month. Owner Dave Olson will be calling the place Lansing Corners Event Center. The center will officially open March 24 with a wedding reception. Besides weddings, the center will also be available for graduation parties, retirement gatherings and pretty much any other type of special events, according to Olson. Olson has been busy book-

Blossom Bl heavyh weight wrestler Jarrod Grunklee battles it out at the state wrestling tournament in St. Paul last week. Grunklee won two matches and lost two during the tourney. See pages 1B and 2B.

Times apologizes for editorial content Former managing editor Jon Flatland has been plagiarizing personal columns for years. The Times has issued an apology for his actions. See Page 2A

ing events and showing the facility to prospective customers since making the announcement in late February about transforming into an event center. One of the first couples to show up at Lansing Corners to book an event was Bonnie Hill and Clarence Marcie, both of Austin. They are planning to get married later this summer and were looking for a place to hold their reception and dance. Olson gave them a tour of the facility last Saturday. “We chose Lansing Corners because it is private and is very romantic. We wanted out day to be just that,” said Hill. Times photo byAnnie Anderson

Lansing Corners Continued on Page 8A

A vacant landmark restuarant that served the region for decades is about to reopen. Lansing Corners will reopen and become an event center for weddings, parties and other special events.

SCAT bus funding survives chopping block

County ranks high in human services

BY PER KVALSTEN County Reporter A state budget deficit and cuts to public transportation by the legislature concerned officials with the Steele County Area Transit (SCAT). Those concerns were alleviated when the funding that

A report shows that Steele County ranks third in Minnesota for per capita costs for human services. See Page 3A

Local business updates technology Sorenson’s in Geneva recently upgraded its communications through the help of another local company. See Page 4A

SCAT Bus Funding Continued on Page 8A

State education honor for local superintendent

Sheriff’s office receives radar Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office has received a radar from the state for traffic enforcement efforts. The equipment will help deputies save lives on our roadways. See Page 4B

SCAT normally gets from the Minnesota Department of Transportation came through. “We were told to expect reduced revenue,” SCAT coordinator Melinda Skalicky said.

Times photo by Rick Bussler

Renee Weston works on ceramics at her Country Charm store in Ellendale. Her store features many ceramic art pieces among other things.

Steele County

Family inspires ceramic store INDEX Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A County News . . . . . . . . . . 3A Business . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 4A Court News.... . . . . . . . . . .5A Community . . . . . . . . .. . . 6A Faith. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7A Dining & Entertainment . .. 8A Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . .1B-3B Legal Notices . . . . . . . 4B-7B Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . 7B Public Record... . . . . . . . ..8B

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Volume 119, Issue 37

BY PER KVALSTEN County Reporter Following the death of her father five years ago, Renee Weston decided to go to West Virginia and bring her mother home. “She is the only close family I have,” Weston said. “I wanted her to be close to me.” The only way her mother would come home with her was to bring her collection of 10,000 ceramic molds. Those molds and a little bit hard work have translated into a thriving and fun Ellendale business. “We were originally from the Twin Cities,” Weston said. “When I brought her home we decided to find a new

home. We were on our way to New Richland when we went through Ellendale. Both my mom and I fell in love right away. This community is so charming.” Undiscovered Passion For most of her life, Weston’s mother never had a hobby or something to pass the time. It wasn’t until she was in her 50s when she discovered ceramics. “My mom picked up a brush and that was the start of a passion that has continued to this day,” Weston said. “I have fallen in love with ceramics.” Country Charm Ceramics As part of the agreement to move with her daughter,

Established in 1893

Sandy Rahn wanted to bring her ceramic with her from West Virginia to Minnesota. “She refused to even think about moving without them,” Weston said. “We loaded up a truck and drove it to Minnesota. There were so many pieces that we actually ended up purchasing the trailer. It was a long process to remove them and put them in a permanent place.” As the two looked around the community they found a storefront on right across the street from Steve’s Meat Market. Country Charm Continued on Page 3A

Blooming Prairie’s highest educator is being recognized as one of the top administrators in Minnesota. The Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) has named Barry Olson, superintendent of Blooming Prairie Schools, as an administrator of excellence. Olson has been superintendent since 2001. Olson will be honored for his leadership, concern for students and active involvement in professional and community affairs at a statewide recognition ceremony to be held at the MASA Spring Conference March 15-16 in Bloomington. The veteran superintendent’s achievements reflect his ability to lead important changes in the educational system. He has worked to provide area students with the best possible educational programs for years. Olson, who has been an active MASA member for more than 11 years, has served on MASA’s nominating committee as well as a region chair and mentor to several MASA members in their first years of

superintendency. Along with his successful career in education, Olson stays Barry Olson active in his educational community as a member of the Blooming Prairie Education Foundation. He is also a member of the Lions Club, Blooming Prairie Chamber of Commerce and a former member of the Minnesota High School League committee. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Dana College in Blair, Neb., and a master’s degree in secondary education from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Each year MASA recognizes members for their contributions to public education. MASA is a professional organization of Minnesota’s school leaders, including superintendents, assistant superintendents, directors of special education, and other central office administrators.

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