Spring Valley News

Planners of the Doc Evans Jazz Festival are busy gearing up for this year's event on the traditional first Saturday in July - ' which this year is on July 5. Honoring the memory of Paul "Doc Evans," the ...

Tickets: $15 in advance through Sunday. After Sunday, tickets increase to $25. Proceeds benefit local charities.

Somewhere inside the murky, inexplicable space between hope and grief sit Brian, Annette and Jamine Swanson.

Tuesday July 1, 2008 BEAR LAKE , PA - ' Chub Frank was hoping last weekend's Firecracker 100 at Lernerville Speedway would be the event that shook him from some recent doldrums on the World of Outlaws Late ...

If you're 17 and need a job for the summer, working as a car hop at the local A&W Drive In isn't a bad deal.

A Rochester man was injured in a vehicle rollover on Fillmore County Road 8 near Spring Valley on Tuesday morning.

The Rushford area community has spirit and a good work ethic. It's something organizers at Habitat for Humanity in Winona had noticed over the years, as they thought about bringing the group to the Root River valley.

The determination and high morale of the community after the devastating flood in August of 2007 showed again what the people could do. It also showed the need for something Habitat for Humanity could do, and that's build homes for qualifying families.

The Web site www.habitatwinona.org shares the purpose of the group, stating, "Habitat for Humanity is a Christian housing ministry that builds housing funded by private donations and constructed with volunteer labor. Our purpose is to build homes in partnership with families and sell the houses at no profit and no interest to families who could not otherwise afford a home."

A sure sign of summer is the sight of people-clad lawn chairs gathered around the gazebo in Viking Memorial Park in Spring Grove, Selvig Park in Harmony and in Caledonia as well as near the Chatfield band stand in the Chatfield City Park. These communities are hosting summer music-in-the-park concerts. Each community creates a summer social event around the performance of local and regional musicians.

Spring Grove

In Spring Grove, people of all ages gather on Wednesday evenings in June and July to hear a variety of musical groups perform. They partake in concessions sold by various community organizations and if the feeling hits them just right, maybe even get up and move to the music.

"When we were able to turn this over to the crews to work a day early, it helped us gain a week. They were putting in all the footings for the new lobby this past Tuesday and hauled all of the demolished blacktop and concrete out," said Kingsland Superintendent Darrin Strosahl as he surveyed the sidewalk leading to the entrance to the high school, which is currently a construction zone.

Kingsland students were released a day early, on May 28, in order for construction crews to begin laying footings for the new high school office and lobby, which will stand along the middle of the existing south entrance and absorb the existing lobby as a conference room.

They came before the muddy floodwaters of the Root River started to recede in this small southeast Minnesota town.

Joanne Szuch of Preston had five feet of water in her basement after the South Branch of the Root River spilled from its banks Sunday night, but she's not complaining.

Steve Klotz, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) area fisheries supervisor from the Lanesboro office, addressed members of the public and city council about the potential Spring Valley Creek has during a meeting on Wednesday, May 28.

Klotz stated that he has a "vision." He noted that he hates to use that word but can't think of a better word.

"Spring Valley has a lot of potential with Spring Valley Creek," he stated. "It's a beautiful trout stream. If we work together and get some volunteer projects going we can do a good job with this resource."

A man from our area is leading the search for a missing 19-year-old near Marshall Gary Peterson, of Spring Valley, is working with Brandon Swanson's family this weekend.

The goal is simple, but daunting. Consider: Brice and Nick Greene are in the middle of playing every golf course in Minnesota together, and that includes both public and private.

Denise Verbeck thinks Minnesota needs tougher laws so the punishment will fit the crime.

When Mike McLaughlin enlisted for Iraq, he was set on defending his country. He was believed that his entire college expenses would be paid for.

Five people ages 19 to 21 were injured early this morning near Ostrander when their car left the road and crashed into a tree.

“With childhood obesity and diabetes on the rise, we want to make this beautiful facility available to more people.”

Jacob Luna was a made-to-order poster boy for the health fair yesterday at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center. via San Diego Union-Tribune

“We are in the middle of tests and are making changes and accommodations for the at-risk student populations”

"I would like to introduce three very special guests," said Kingsland Middle School instructor Bobbi Erickson as she stood before the Kingsland School Board of Directors last Monday evening.

"First, I would like you to meet Gen. Thomas Donovan of the 69th Regiment, New York Fighting Irish Brigade."

A gentleman dressed in Civil War finery - Kingsland history instructor Scott Mulholland - then introduced himself as Gen. Donovan, and hoopskirt-clad students Marly Gehrking and Sarah O'Connell as belles of the Civil War Era. The genteel ladies outlined, in character, for the board the activities planned during the Kingsland seventh grade's annual Gettysburg re-enactment, slated to take place at Kingsland Middle School on Tuesday, May 13, then issued invitations to each board member. Read more

“It's a great space. They built a whole studio outside their home and it's simply beautiful.”

rt enthusiasts will converge on the Bluff Country area this weekend to travel through the hills and valleys discovering art treasures that can be found within galleries and studios throughout southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.

According to Sharyl Bergen, one of the organizers of the event and who also owns one of the galleries featured in the tour, it's a weekend she looks forward to every year.

"The tour is a great way to showcase what we have to offer here in southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa," she said. "It also offers art lovers an opportunity to get an inside look at where their favorite artists work and create these magnificent works of art." Read more