Marvin Laverne ' Kortgard, 92, of Glenwood, | formerly of Sacred Heart, died Friday, September 2, 2022, at his home in Glenwood Estates in Glenwood. Funeral services were held on Friday, September 9, 2022, at 2 p.m. in Our Savior’s Lutheran
Daniel Maiden of Granite Falls passed away on Saturday, September 3, 2022, at his home at the age of 59. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
One of the bands performing for the September 17th 2nd annual SquidFest celebration in Granite Falls is Dred I Dread, bringing a mix of Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dancehall, and a little Ska to the day. Dred I Dread was started by band members Rawle G and Peewee Dread officially in 1998. Band member Serdar says, “We flew out of the gates winning best of Reggae in 1999 in the recently deceased City Pages [Magazine], and two consecutive Minnesota music awards. We were the 2001 runner-up in the Hip-Hop division in the John Lennon songwriting contest and earned a double Grammy nomination in 2016.”
Minnesota State Community and Technical College has been chosen as the new host of the West Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center for a three-year period beginning January 1, 2023. M State was selected for its proven commitment to business development, existing resources, large geographic and demographic footprint, and established partnerships with regional businesses and industry.
A new mural has been installed on the back of the National Independent Health Club Association (NIHCA) building in downtown Granite Falls. The idea came about when the NIHCA staff heard about the EDA’s announcement of the opportunity for businesses to beautify the town with their facade project. “We were excited to contribute to this effort,” says NIHCA Executive Director Holly Johnson.
The Chippewa County Historical Society hosted their annual Horse Power Event at Swensson Farm this past Saturday. There were many examples of how life was on the homestead in the early 1900s. There was also a pumpkin patch and kid’s activities. Dan Hanen, of Montevideo who was in attendance, said, “Watching the horse-drawn potato digger was my personal favorite to watch at the event.” There were also many people enjoying tours of the house as well as touring the famous red barn on the property.
Brad Hall, of Granite Falls, is one of the artists who will be exhibiting in the upcoming Meander Art Crawl on October 1st through the 2nd. Hall has been a part of the Meander Art Crawl since its inception in 2004, and was the first featured artist to have his work exhibited on the cover of the brochure and poster. Hall will be exhibiting in his home studio located a block from downtown Granite Falls on the corner of 10th Avenue and Prentice Street. The studio is located in a building that has served a number of purposes over the years, beginning as an Episcopalian Church in 1889, and then serving the community as the town library for over 50 years before becoming the Senior Center for a number of years after. It now serves as the studio space, and home of Brad Hall. “It is a very unique building that is full of beautiful light and open space,” says Hall. “Many Meander visitors like to stop by just to visit our lovely studio.” The space was new to Hall just before the first Meander he participated in. “I had only moved into our home shortly before the weekend. About the only thing I had for sale was work leftover from art school,” he says. Now, Hall works all year to build up his inventory for the annual event, along with others he exhibits in throughout the year. “My wife assists me in participating in art shows all summer throughout the Midwest, and I am pleased to be represented in a couple of Art Galleries,” he says.
Countryside Public Health September is Emergency Preparedness Month. Given events we have all experienced recently, from a pandemic shut-down to extreme weather emergencies, we have seen first-hand that it is important for individuals and families to be prepared for disasters.
Dakota Wicohan is celebrating 20 years of dedicated work in sharing Dakota language and lifeways with youth and families in Southwest Minnesota. A celebration dinner and Kahomni (Round Dance) will be held at Jackpot Junction Casino on Saturday, September 10th. Community members, elders, youth, families and allies will join in the celebration which will feature the next generation of community leaders and changemakers. 20 Community Leaders over 20 Days have been featured on the organization’s social media platforms Facebook and Instagram. This next generation of leaders who have participated in Dakota Wicohan over the years are now teaching and serving their communities and their families in various ways, carrying on the Dakota language and knowledge into the future. Dakotah Wicohan has remained grassroots and community based, supporting and nurturing leadership within its own homelands. “We’re excited to be celebrating 20 Years and to reflect on the huge ripple effect our work has had”, said Eileen O’Keefe, Executive Director and member of the Lower Sioux Indian Community. “We look forward to what the next 20 years will bring”.
The application period to become a University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener volunteer is open through Oct. 1. Extension Master Gardeners bring science- based horticulture knowledge and practices to Minnesota, promoting healthy landscapes and building communities through volunteer efforts.