PRSRT STD ECR WSS US. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 70 MADELIA, MN 56062
A Trip Across the Pond
POSTAL PATRON
By Sam Gibson
Weekly Edition
Country hopping! Page 20
Monday, November 14, 2011
Fillmore County Schools pass referendums page
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Harmony hears about Wellhead Protection Plan page
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Volume 27 Issue 8
Rushford votes keep liquor store closed page
Lanesboro looking at snow removal
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Canton l Chatfield l Fountain l Harmony l Lanesboro l Mabel l Ostrander l Peterson l Preston l Rushford l Rushford Village l Spring Valley l Whalan l Wykoff
R-P Schools complete CPR training By K irsten Zoellner kzoellner@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Friday, November 4, saw not a child running within the walls of the R-P gymnasium. Instead, teachers, principals, and staff members spent the day gathered for a comprehensive CPR training, led by Julie Scudiero, director of the Rushford Ambulance Service. The massive training was largely driven by High School Principal Shane McBroom. According to Scudiero, “He was really behind the big push to do this. I think it’s wonderful.” Another key issue driving the training is the passing of Hannah’s Law this past May 19. The law was sparked by the choking death of four-year old Hannah Kozitza at a day care center in Mankato in 2010. State law previously dictated
that only one person at a child care center needs to be trained in CPR. Per the current law, all teachers and assistants in such centers must complete the training. The training day at R-P was split into two sessions, morning and afternoon, with over 50 attending each session. Assisting Scudiero were six volunteer EMTs. Equipment for the large group was borrowed from neighboring services, and a large screen assisted attendees in the day’s training. The district is proposing to hold the training annually. In addition, Scudiero indicated that the district is hoping to have all future students certified prior to graduation. “It would be great if other schools would follow this example and lead their own trainings,” added Scudiero. “CPR training is really so important.”
Instructor Michelle Roberton with Chuck Poppe and Principal Chuck Ehler. Photo by Kirsten Zoellner
Snow; where to put it? By K aren R eisner kreisner@fillmorecountyjournal.com
Terry Stackhouse, Spring Valley, addressed the county board at their November 8 meeting during the “citizens input” portion of the meeting. With memories of last year’s endless snow and winter just around the corner, it is time to address problems before the snow arrives. Stackhouse explained he removes snow for seven or eight businesses on Main Street in Ostrander. His question was where to put the “county snow.” With last year’s volume of snow, he said we just ran out of room. The county pushes the snow
off the streets, and Stackhouse cleans the sidewalks and the area close to the curb so people can park near the curb. He uses a skid loader and snow blower and remarked there is “just no place to put it after so long.” He suggested that as much as 80 percent of the snow he cleans off the sidewalks came off the street. He said he doesn’t mind moving it, there is just no place to put it. Brent Kohn, Highway Maintenance Superintendent, suggested he would like it to be pushed between the buildings. It needs to be stored somewhere, not in the street and not piled near a fire hydrant. He said most cities
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move the snow themselves. The county comes in and helps clean once or twice per year. Chairman Marc Prestby said all cities should be treated alike. Commissioner Duane Bakke asked what is expected of the county. Stackhouse answered that he just wants to know where he can push it. Kohn said he asked Brian Wolfgram, MnDot, about the state’s policy and how they handle it in Wykoff. Wolfgram told him when we get there, we move it. Kohn said it is the county’s job to get it off the road. Some land owners in Ostrander don’t want See COUNTY Page 9
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Harrison returns to Preston City Council one for Keene. Mayor Kurt Reicks said it was kreisner@fillmorecountyjournal.com great to have three people willing Former council member David to step up and do some commuHarrison was one of three Preston nity service. Harrison took the citizens who offered a letter of oath from City Administrator Joe interest to fill the remaining por- Hoffman and was seated on the tion of Dr. Robert Sauer’s four council. year term. The four sitting mem- Harrison agreed to serve as an bers of the council through a ex-officio voting member on the written vote appointed Harrison Planning and Zoning commisto fill the position for the remain- sion and an ex-officio non-voting ing months left in his term at the member on the Public Utilities council’s November 7 meeting. Commission through the end of The other interested citizens this year. These were committee were Scott Springer and Dave positions held by Sauer. Keene. The vote was two for Harrison, one for Springer, and See PRESTON Page 11 By K aren R eisner
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