News

On Thursday February 17th at 1:00 PM, the Granite Falls Living at Home Block Nurse Program (GF-LAH/BNP) in conjunction with the Montevideo Area Memory Loss Network (MAMLN), Minnesota Area Agency on Aging, Pioneer PBS and JMHS is presenting a free virtual-hybrid Remember Project event featuring “Steering into the Skid.” This special program is to help family members, caregivers, local businesses, and the broader community engage in conversation around dementia and the most well-known form of memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease.

WCCO’s John Lauritsen was the guest speaker at the Granite Falls Area Community Foundation Awards Banquet last Wednesday evening. Having grown up on a farm in the Milan Area, Lauritsen shared ruminations of his experiences growing up in the local area and how that has shaped his perspective today.

Recently, the Granite Falls Area Chamber of Commerce presented First Dollar Awards to businesses that have started up or changed ownership. CO- VID-19 has changed the way, or how quickly the Chamber has presented these awards. Those awarded included Korthuis Jewelry, Betty Korthuis Pfaff, owner since June 19, 2020. Additionally, NAPA Star Group changed ownership on April 21, 2021.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee, one of the nation’s oldest competitions, is 97 years old this year. The National Spelling Bee was started in 1925 by a group of nine newspapers who got together and hosted a spelling bee. Now, this literacy effort reaches 11 million students each year. Local spelling bees were completed at Yellow Medicine East schools last week. Jazmine Ornelas, winner of the 5th and 6th Grade Spelling Bee, and Alana Almich, winner of the 7th and 8th Grade Spelling Bee will be advancing to the Regional Spelling Bee in Redwood Falls on February 1, 2022 (snow date February 2). The top four spellers from the regional competition will advance to the Multi-Region State Spelling Bee on February 22, 2022 (snow date February 23) in Fergus Falls. The Scripps National Spelling Bee Week 2022 will take place the last week of May in Maryland. Congratulations and best of luck to Jazmine and Alana at the Regional Spelling Bee!

The Granite Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's Light Up Granite Falls Holiday Lights & Display Contest winners were recently awarded. This year's winner for Prentice Street Plus was Korthuis Jewelry, and for Hwy. 212 was From The Ground Up Boutique. Two traveling trophies are given out each year.

On Friday, February 4th, Marshall artist Krystl Louwagie is hosting an Interactive Art Opening at Bluenose Gopher Public House. The event kicks off a gallery display of her works that will be in Bluenose Gopher throughout the month and will feature the opportunity to create art, purchase art, and enjoy snacks and beverages. Following the event will be an Open Mic Night featuring Betsy Pardick at 7 p.m.

The students of Every Child Has Opportunities Charter School, Echo, recently received a donation of 2,200 KN95 and N95 masks from the Upper Sioux Community. Director Hellen Blue-Redner dispensed the masked and asked all the students of the school to pose for a picture last week. The ECHO Charter School runs under a mask mandate, and Blue-Redner explained that these styles of masks were more effective that those previously worn. JODY ISAACKSON