danbrookens

(Fairmont) – Fairmont mayoral and Martin County commissioner candidates discussed recreation, government spending and property taxes during a forum Tuesday evening. All six mayoral candidates supported some form of recreation center using Local Option Sales Tax funds, while differing on city spending and staffing. In the county commissioner forum, candidates debated the future of the 52-year-old Law Enforcement Center. Repairs and upgrades are estimated to cost between six-point-three and seven-point-two million dollars, as candidates weighed the costs of renovating the building versus constructing a new facility. The full forum is available at fairmont.org/forums.

(Martin County) – Pheasants Forever has hired Shelby Oldenkamp as its new Southwest Minnesota Precision Agriculture and Conservation Specialist serving Martin County. Oldenkamp grew up farming and has a degree in animal science from Iowa State University. She previously spent a year and a half working as a precision agriculture specialist in Austin. In her new role, she’ll work with farmers and conservation groups to improve farm profitability while protecting soil and creating wildlife habitat. Oldenkamp says removing less productive areas of farmland from production can help farmers improve their return on investment while providing habitat for pheasants, turkeys and other [...]

(Fairmont) – The Fairmont City Council has unanimously approved changes to the city’s special assessment policy following concerns about fairness and flexibility. The revisions allow the council to deviate from its assessment guidelines in unique circumstances, provided it complies with state law. They also establish a standard 36-foot street width for calculating reconstruction assessments. Councilor Britney Kawecki questioned whether the changes provide enough safeguards against favoritism, particularly as the city works through a dispute involving assessments for the Lake Avenue project. The city attorney said state law requires similar properties to be treated consistently. The new policy applies to projects beginning [...]

FAIRMONT — A new independent bookstore is opening its doors in downtown Fairmont. Evermore Books, located at 72 Downtown Plaza, will hold its grand opening Wednesday from 2 to 7 p.m. The business is owned by Abby Shoen, a Sherburn native and 2009 Martin County West graduate. Shoen says her experience running her family’s feed mill, publishing All Things Home magazine and working on home renovation projects helped prepare her for opening the bookstore. Evermore Books features sections for fantasy, romance, thrillers, children’s books, fiction, nonfiction and cookbooks. Customers can also request books to be ordered through the store. The space [...]

(Estherville) Iowa Lakes Community College has established a new endowment supporting students pursuing careers in law enforcement and nursing. The Thom-Pedersen Endowment comes from a gift of more than $100,000 from Hank and Pam Pedersen. The college’s Board of Trustees formally accepted the gift September 15th. The endowment builds on scholarships the Pedersens established in 2022 in memory of their longtime friend Robert “Bob” Anthony Thom. Those scholarships began in 2023, with five students receiving $1,000 annually.

(Fairmont) After 42 years in business, Richard and Betty Wiederhoeft are retiring from Richard’s Auto Repair and Towing in Fairmont. The couple, both Martin County natives, started the business in 1984 after Richard left his job at Poppe’s. The business has operated at several locations over the years, including its current location on East Blue Earth Avenue. Just a year after opening, the business was forced to start over after a fire destroyed its North State Street location in December of 1985. The Wiederhoefts were able to temporarily operate out of DeBoer Motors before purchasing Zenk’s Repair on Park Street in [...]