News

Country Show, Dance Saturday

Fans of country music will have a chance to enjoy live performances from Doug Allen Nash and Penny Gilley at the Country Show and Dance on Saturday, July 29 at 7 p.m at the Starfire Event Center. The duo are known for playing classic country hits by stars such as Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond, as...

GOAT - From left, Angie Grotberg, Kelly Hovel, Lily Hovel, and Riggin Hovel hold goats Finlee and Everley.

Goat yoga at Farmamerica

Four sessions of "Goat Yoga" were held at FarmAmerica the weekend of July 22-23. During the event, participants did yoga exercises while interacting with dairy goats who were allowed to wander through and eat treats. Leading the yoga sessions was Angie Grotberg, owner of Awaken Vibrance studio...

Council considers 2024 budget

The main concern on council members’ minds at the Monday, July 10, Janesville council meeting was the review of the 2024 budget. Janesville’s proposed budget for 2024 has increased by about 10% over 2023, with travel and conference expenses scheduled to increase from $450 to $2,000. Proposed...

Handler Mikayla Schlosser

Lovable llamas come to Janesville, Waseca

A crowd of over 80 people arrived to make new furry friends, as the “Llovable Llamas” visited the Janesville Public Library’s reading garden Thursday afternoon. The same event took place the day prior in Waseca’s Trowbridge Park, near the Waseca Public Library. The visiting llamas were from...

BOOKED - First time author Jenny Baertsch visited with young readers about her book “Junkyard Tough: A ‘Tail’ oif Bravery at the Janesville Public Library.

Winona author visits library

Janesville Public Library patrons enjoyed a visit from first-time Minnesota author Jenny Baertsch as she came to promote her children’s chapter book Junkyard Tough: A “Tail” of Bravery last Tuesday, July 18. The book was illustrated by Sara Pientok, a graphic designer who is also Baertsch’s best...

Open for touring during the car show: Gus' Gas Station building, complete with candy from days gone by.

Gus' Station 9th annual show

The weather was fine and the vehicles beautiful at the 9th Annual Gus' Station Car Show that took place on Saturday, July 15 in Owatonna at the Steele County Historical Society (SCHS) from 8 a.m. - 12:30. Proceeds from the event go toward funding a service bay to be constructed next to Gus'...

Staff begins transition for new school year

During its July 17 meeting, the NRHEG school board conducted a wide array of business. It officially accepted the resignation of Diana Foster, who has been a Bridges (Pre-Kindergarten) teacher for the past 13 years. Also submitting resignations were staff members Becky Lassahn and Michelle...

Lawrence Ripp, aka “Sir Sidney Soapington, the Baron of Bubble” demonstrates his bubbling technique.

Bubble extravaganza in park

The Waseca Public Library hosted Lawrence Ripp, also known as “Sir Sidney Soapington, the Baron of Bubble,” for a bubble party summer event the afternoon of July 22. Inside the library, kids could use pipe cleaners, beads and cookie cutters to make their own bubble wands. Outside at Trowbridge...

Some of the many Waseca County Fair Board members and volunteers for the 2023 season.

Waseca County Fair recap 2023

“Our objective is the same every year,” says Waseca County Fair Board secretary treasurer Robin Dulas: “To put on the best fair we can.” Although a lot of “clean-up” work remains–including not only actual cleaning, but also numerous summaries and reports–Dulas says the 15-member fair board has...

Composer and musician Ying Zhang demonstrates the xun, a traditional Chinese instrument.

Area readers visit China

“For the next 45 minutes or so, we are going to visit China,” declared Rhonda Lund, one of two presenters for “Dragons, Flutes & Monkeys,” a cultural and musical program shared at the New Richland library during the morning and the Waseca library in the afternoon on Thursday, July 11. Lund’s...