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From Dumpster to Dignity

NEW ULM — At the 18th Annual ArtScape Juried Art Show at The Grand Center for Arts and Culture, the intersection of art, life and mortality took center stage through the work of St. Peter artist Michelle Kaisersatt. Kaisersatt, artist and author, works from The Soul Remains / The Keyhole ...

The freedom of less

NEW ULM — Community members gathered Wednesday afternoon at Vista Prairie at Ridgeway on 23rd for a session focused entirely on decluttering, downsizing and preparing for future moves. The presentation on household organization was led by Jill Spence, CEO of Fresh Look Cleaning Services and ...

Placements, prevention programs and fraud review

NEW ULM — Brown County Human Services presented its regular monthly update to the Brown County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 22, including data on out-of-home placements, prevention programs, summer camps and a state fraud prevention review. Human Services Director Anne Broskoff presented the report, which covered activity since the Aug. 25 board meeting. During the reporting period from Aug. 25 to Sept. 22, 12 children entered out-of-home placement.  The update also showed two children finalized permanency and one youth was admitted to a residential facility for an assessment. ...

State policy shifts place strain on human services

NEW ULM — The Brown County Board of Commissioners reviewed a draft 2027 county budget totaling $50,175,019 and a proposed property tax levy of $21,552,707 during its meeting Tuesday morning at the Brown County Courthouse. The initial proposal reflects a 9.99 percent increase over the 2026 certified levy. No final vote was taken. The board scheduled a public hearing on the proposed budget and levy for 6 p.m. Dec. 1 in the District Courtroom. "The Dec. 1 public meeting is required by state law for truth-in-taxation," County Administrator Sam Hansen said during the meeting, noting ...

Arne Fogel’s lifetime in music

NEW ULM — To look back at a career in entertainment that spans more than five decades is a bit like watching a classic vaudeville act of spinning plates. As Arne Fogel, a 2018 Minnesota Music Hall of Fame inductee, explained to a gathering at the Hall of Fame, his life in show business has ...

Ivy House, prevention programs highlighted by county commissioners

NEW ULM — Brown County's investment in early intervention and family support programs is helping keep children in their homes and out of the court system, officials told the Brown County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday. Amber Portner, coordinator of the Families First Children's Collaborative, presented the collaborative's 2025 year-end report.  Portner succeeded Erin Schwab in the role. The collaborative coordinates outreach and assessment across multiple agencies, using state and federal funds drawn down through the Local Collaborative Time Study. Brown County serves as the ...