In the last days of school before the holiday break, Bert Raney Elementary students were surprised to see a special visitor in the halls when they arrived to school. Ester the Elf sat perched on a ladder in the hallway after having made quite the mess. Luckily, custodian Ron was on hand to help clean up the mess Ester the Elf left behind.
Kelly Roth in the bait shop area of Down on the Korner. The store opened this summer in the old Willy’s Korner Store building.
Ron and Pam Schultz have been nominated as the Chippewa County Outstanding Conservationists of the Year for 2022. Ron and Pam were nominated by the Chippewa County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for their conservation and farm stewardship efforts.
Each month throughout 2022, new artists installed exhibits in the Granite Art’s Council’s Emerging Artists Gallery including this exhibit, titled Outta This World, that was on display in the spring. Yolanda Cisneros (left) and Alyssa Moe (right) hosted an artists reception to discuss their process in how they created the exhibit that features celestial paintings and a UFO sculpture utilizing UV paint.
Snow and wind lead to the Minnesota Department of Transportation to either close or issue a “no travel” advisory throughout most of Southwestern Minnesota on Friday. In Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Kandiyohi, Pipestone, Redwood and most of Yellow Medicine and Renville, all state highways were closed as of 2:15 p.m. on Friday. Blowing snow caused drifting with drifts reaching up to six feet in some areas, and near zero visibility. Throughout the affected area, stalled and stranded vehicles added to the problem, blocking the roadways without the ability to see them in advance. The negative temperatures made the situation more dangerous, as emergency crews worked to rescue stranded motorists. The forecast for this week remains above zero, offering an opportunity for the area to thoroughly clean up the accumulated snow.
Lauren Fagen, daughter of Aaron and Traci Fagen, carries the American flag through the opening ceremony of this summer’s Western Fest PRCA rodeo. .
SquidFest | RibFest 2022 boasted three live music acts and several vendors dotting the River Walk, along with a rib grilling competition in the parking lot of the Granite Falls American Legion Post. SquidFest’s slogan is, “What is your art? A festival celebrating art, community, and the art of community.” .
Multiple storms affected the area over the summer, including a memorial day storm with heavy rain and large hail. Dick Petersen collected a dozen egg-sized pieces of hail at his home in Clarkfield.
Elliah Chamberlain with one of her favorite pieces at the artist’s reception held for her exhibit in the KK Berge Gallery’s Emerging Artists room this summer. .
A tribute show was held in honor of Jerry Ostensoe with Charlie Roth on guitar and vocals, David Roth on rub vest, Richard Handeen on bass, Malena Handeen on accordion and vocals, and Darwin Dyce on flute. The group sang “Goodnight Irene” (the same song Jerry Ostensoe would end his shows with) with a full house of patrons singing along.