The Minnesota State Department of Education (MDE) has released the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report cards for schools across the state. 1060 schools earned passing AYP grades in 2010; six less than in 2009.
Fifteen years ago the Northern States Power Plant located on the east edge of Granite Falls incinerated its final load of coal.
Over the past month the plant’s parent owner, Xcel Energy, has initiated the clean-up of the last remnants of the coal ash, which have been stored in four containment ponds located adjacent to the plant.
On Monday, during a special Granite Falls City Council budget session, City Manager Bill Lavin announced that he had accepted a letter of resignation from new Finance Director, Mary Swenson, submitted on September 17.
On August 24, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) informed the City of Granite Falls by letter that it would have first dibs on the Riverview Apartment complex prior to it being placed on the auction block.
Dr. Anthony Nwakama will begin providing orthopedic services at the Granite Falls Hospital starting Monday, September 20. He will see patients regarding the diagnosis and treatment of bones, muscles, nerves, ligaments and tendons in consultation at the hospital. He will also be performing orthopedic surgery procedures at the hospital such as knee arthroscopies, ganglion cyst removal, trigger finger release and carpal tunnels.
On Thursday, Granite Falls City Council members Bill Miller and Scott Peterson awoke to find that their tires had been slashed.
Without a concerted effort, our state's historic and cultural treasures are in danger of being lost to time. Consequently, the Minnesota Historical Society has awarded a Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Grant in the amount of $4,800 to the Yellow Medicine County Historical Museum. The grant was approved by the Society's awards committee on August 25. It will support the museum's project of creating a historical display of each township and community in Yellow Medicine County.
Even the toughest of the tough can use a little divine protection from time to time.
On Saturday August 21, members of the Red Knight motorcycle group spent an evening in Granite Falls during a weekend tour that led them through southwest Minnesota. Before rolling out of town, they gathered in the Granite Falls Super Motel parking lot and received a blessing from local Granite Falls Lutheran Pastor, Steve Carmany.
Join local astronomy enthusiast, Joe Hauger, this Saturday across from the Upper Sioux Agency State Park tipis at 8:30 p.m. Through his telescope, you will be able to see Jupiter and four of its largest moons, the Milky Way’s neighbor the Andromeda Galaxy, star clusters and colored double star systems. Venus will also be visible briefly after sunset, and the International Space Station is scheduled to pass over twice during the show.
While her hands have an undeniable gift for massage, River Valley Spa owner, Mary Virnig, is a pretty good listener too.
It was last year during a tour of area spas, while still under tutelage of Ridgewater instructor Jane Gislason, that Certified Massage Therapist, Virnig, recalled the instruction that perked her ears and took root in her brain.
It was in 1992 that Governor Arne Carlson stood on the banks of the Minnesota River and declared, "Our goal is that within 10 years, our children will be swimming, fishing, picnicking and recreating at this river.”
At the time, Scott Kudelka, of the Water Resources Center at Minnesota State University, Mankato, said that such commentary would have brought about laughter by some observers. It was a feat viewed as far too great to accomplish in 100 years, much less 10.
In the midst of the corn harvesting season, food preservation, and the Dakota language use surrounding it, are on the minds of Dakota people.
A small coffee cup with the inscription “Small Farmers — Big Change” sat on the table just in front of Farmers Union President Doug Peterson. The coffee in that cup wasn’t the only thing at the meeting that was hot.
Over 100 farmers from all over the state and outstate gathered for one of many regional meetings in Redwood Falls Tuesday to hear speakers and gain support for an even grander meeting which will take place in Fort Collins, Colo. Friday, August 27 to rein in corporate control of the livestock industry.
New Bert Raney Elementary principal Jodi Kennedy stands adorned in a red baseball cap, t-shirt and with sweat pants blotched with paint. In her right hand she holds a drill. On her face, a smile.
On Thursday, Kennedy volunteered her time alongside a few dozen district teachers to paint rooms, erect desks, unpack trucks and undertake other odds and ends in an audacious effort to get Bert Raney in order in time for the opening day of school on September 7.
Tom Aus, owner and baker at Carl’s Bakery, arrived to work early Tuesday morning at about 2:45 a.m., at about 3:00 a.m. he walked to the front of the store to find the stores drive-through window on the floor and the day’s start-up cash missing.
“In the past they’ve taken donuts, chips and milk on the way out,” Said Aus of the apparent most recent break-in at the bakery. “But not this time. They were after the cash and that’s exactly where they went.”
The future of the Clarkfield Police Department appears to be in jeopardy after the most recent Clarkfield City Council meeting on August 16.
Council members thoroughly discussed an estimate from the Yellow Medicine County (YMC) Sheriff’s office detailing the cost of bringing Clarkfield solely under the jurisdiction of the county sheriff’s office
All five Yellow Medicine County commissioners agree that they prefer county departments to shop locally. But that didn’t stop a majority from defeating a resolution that would have required the purchase of fuel from only Yellow Medicine located businesses.
It may sound like your fourth grade math teacher, but the only thing this “Miss Mitchell” adds up to is awesome.
This Saturday, the WWII B-25 Bomber, Miss Mitchell, will be on display at the Granite Falls Airport where it will be available to public for tours and rides.
The Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force was originally scheduled to bring the bomber to the area during the Ray Fagen Memorial Air Show held in June. While it may not have been present with the other aircraft at the event, the Miss Mitchell is a worthy attraction all its own.
Dozens upon dozens of donations have put the K.K. Berge building in a position to be saved, but there’s another way to bolster the effort to the tune of $25,000 that requires little more than a click of the mouse.
Those wishing to vote can go directly to the K.K. Berge Building voting page at web address: http://my.preservationnation.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9418&security=2862&s_interest=3064
“Our strategic plan will provide a road map of what is to be accomplished within the next five years at CACS,” shared Kathy Koetter, director/ lead teacher at the Clarkfield Area Charter School. She went on to state in her letter of acknowledgement in the strategic plan document, “Only when an organization has created a clear vision for where it is going is it possible for it to effectively work towards achieving its core purpose. Our core purpose is to “Enable students to reach their maximum potential.”
