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‘Nice to have Minnesota representation’ and ‘unexpected’

MINNESOTA – Gov.Tim Walz was officially selected as Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate Tuesday. Walz is halfway through his second term as governor. He previously served as Minnesota 1st District Congressman. Before entering politics he served in the Army National Guard and was a teacher in Mankato. Walz has paid multiple visits to the region during his time as Governor and as a U.S. representative. During the construction of the Highway 14 expansion, Walz made several visits, attending the ground breaking ceremony in Courtland and later ribbon cutting event opening the ...

Finstad: We need to move the farm bill

GILFILLAN ESTATE — Seven congressional candidates of the first and second district discussed the farm bill in depth at a Farmfest forum Tuesday. “Welcome to God’s country. My family is a four generation farm family just south of here. The fifth-generation is in the audience,” said ...

Courtland approves water-sewer waiver for Collin Drive project

At the Courtland City Council meeting on Thursday, the council approved a waiver regarding water/sewer services for the Collin Drive project. City Clerk Julie Holm sent certified letters to all property owners requesting a response regarding water/sewer services for the Collin Drive project. The letters stated that no response means that water/sewer services will not be installed, and the property cannot ask for the services for ten years. The properties not receiving water/sewer services, either because they opted out of the services or defaulted to no services due to no response, ...

MPCA fines Stickney Hill Dairy $14k

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) fined Stickney Hill Dairy $14,292 for stormwater violations in April and May of 2023. An MPCA investigation found the dairy discharged an undetermined amount of raw goat milk product on April 11, 2023, and May 19, 2023. Stickney Hill Dairy will take corrective steps for improperly discharging industrial waste into a city curb and gutter stormwater system in Nicollet County, according to a settlement between it and the MPCA. A 2023 MPCA staff inspection confirmed other alleged violations including failure to immediately notify ...

VanDeest files for Lafayette City Council seat

LAFAYETTE — Lafayette crop manager and firefighter Logan VanDeest filed for one of two open Lafayette City Council seats. He’s been working for Wakefield Pork since 2011. He was a herds-person, managed a sow unit, and moved to corn and bean planting and harvesting last year. VanDeest grew up in Lafayette, bought a house there and has been on the fire department for 10 years. “I just thought I should try to get on the city council to help make the town better. We’ve got a new park. I’d like to keep running with that and help get things to draw people to town and help it ...

Fairfax neighbors lend a hand after storm

FAIRFAX — Chain saws buzzed in Fairfax Thursday as neighbors and tree service companies helped residents clean up from a wind, rain and hailstorm that came in multiple waves Wednesday. Retired Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop (GFW) High School science teacher Bix Baker talked about the storm while ...