News
Bjorn Olson announces run for reelection in district 22A
FAIRMONT, MN — Rep. Bjorn Olson announced Wednesday that he will run for reelection in District 22A, made up of more than 60% of his current House District. Under the final redistricting maps released this week, the newly-created District 22A includes western Faribault County, most of Martin County, the eastern half of Watonwan County, and most of Blue Earth County.
COLLEGE NEWS
St. Cloud Technical & Community College announced its Dean’s List for fall 2021. Students earned recognition on the Dean’s List for a grade point average of 4.0 or the Dean’s list for a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99. Azailya Koch, of Madelia, was named to the Dean’s List.
Lifelong hobby of woodworking
Life-long St. James resident Larry Curry’s lifetime hobby has been woodworking. The craft has been a part of the family starting with his father, who was a carpenter. Who then taught him all that he knew about woodworking and the craft of it.
Smithfield Foods to host nationwide hiring event Feb. 26
Smithfield Foods, Inc. will host a national hiring event on Saturday, Feb.
Southwestern Minnesota farmland values increase 6.4 percent in 2021
Worthington, Minn. — The annual survey has been conducted of farmland sales in 14 southwestern Minnesota counties. The survey collects bare farmland sales to non-related parties for the first six months of each year. Land values had been steadily increasing until 2014. After reaching record high prices in 2013, the upward trend was broken as prices declined in 2014 and continued down through 2017. The trend changed to an increase in 2018 and remained constant in 2019, then declined in 2020. The summary report for this survey is available at the county extension offices in Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine counties. This year the increase across the 14 counties averaged 6.4 percent. Southwest Minnesota land prices peaked at $8,466 per acre then declined in through 2017 to $6,340 until increasing in 2018 to $6,589 and declined slightly to $6,576 in 2019 and to $6,371 in 2020 until increasing in 2021 to $6,780.
Always running out of time
Every day when I’m sitting down to write something, I find there isn’t enough time. This pastor’s column, for instance, is coming in later than it should’ve, because I’m running out of time. I had people in the office, phone calls, emails, the daily hum of being in the office... and I had to write this column, a blinking cursor taunting me like the squirrels that perch above my dog’s head on the tree branches, teasing at how he’ll never get to them.
State Street Theater Co. announces auditions for its upcoming show
Calling all actors! State Street Theater Co. in New Ulm is pleased to inform you that the auditions for “39 Steps”, a comedic parody on Alfred Hitchcock with a Monty Py thon flair are Saturday, February 26, and Sunday, February 27, 2022.
COURT REPORTS
Driving after revocation: Isohe Antonio Castellanos Salinas, Madelia, $200; Miriam Azenette Martinez, Mountain Lake, $200 Vehicle registration required: Isohe Antonio Castellanos Salinas, Madelia, $30; Eric Allen Cooling, Madelia, $30 Invalid license: Abel Marroquin Junay, St. James, $100; David Allen Willmes, St.
Women of Today deliver Valentine’s Day cupcakes
St. James Women of Today members delivering cupcakes to Pleasant View as a part of their Valentine’s Day cupcake sale. They sold over 90 orders of cupcakes and made cupcakes for each resident at the Good Samaritan Society. SARAH BUNICH
Christians can seek to deal with anger in a way that cares for others
OK, another thing to blame on the pandemic — increased frustration and anger. We hear of unruly passengers, impatient customers, and “I’m not going to take it anymore” citizens.