News

Kindschy named Hayfield Citizen of the Year

“I’m in shock,” Lori Kindschy said last Friday night as she was announced as Hayfield’s Citizen of the Year. She said she did not have a clue she was being considered for the honor and in the lead-up to announcing the name “I thought it was Kasey Krekling.” The announcement came at the annual...

Former Hayfield principal receives probation

Former Hayfield High School Principal Grant Thomas Klennert, 39, was sentenced to probation last week in Wabasha County District Court after pleading guilty in January to criminal sexual conduct. According to court records, Klennert was granted a stay of adjudication on three of five charges that...

Presidential Primary vote next Tuesday, March 5

A week after the Party Caucuses in Minnesota, voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, March 5, to cast their ballots in the state’s Presidential Primary Election. The Presidential Primary is limited to candidates from the major parties. For 2024, this means the candidates for the Democratic-...

Quams say their family comes 1s

Duane Quam grew up on farms in Dodge and Olmsted counties, with two sisters and one brother. His early memories were, as a kindergartner, getting on a Byron school bus at the Dodge County line. His parents had a house on the same farm as his grandparents, but it burned down and he watched that...

Dodge County Public Health senior listening session in Hayfield

Dodge County Public Health is seeking feedback from community members on the health of the county. Every five years, each local health department around the country goes through a process of learning about the health needs of the communities they serve. This process is called the Community Health...

Lushinsky’s settle in to life in Mantorville

In 1977 the Lushinsky’s moved to a farm site along the dump road between Kasson and Mantorville. They learned they could not have a mailbox by their driveway as it would be ½ mile away on the county road where their mail was delivered. They got a PO box at the Mantorville Post Office, and have had...

Byron FFA Chapter teaches leadership skills

Byron High School has an active FFA Chapter with between 30 and 35 members, chapter officers say. Chapter officers agreed that one of the biggest benefits of joining FFA has been the leadership skills learned. Leadership skills are a big benefit of the FFA program as well as public speaking, said...

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes

Pancakes, sausage patties and eggs were on the menu for the Shrove Tuesday supper at Grace Methodist Church in Kasson on Feb. 13, the evening before Ash Wednesday. Pancakes are a traditional meal for the day before Lent begins, originally as a way to use up foods such as eggs, and dairy products...

I Was Thinking... While We Slept

As I was crawling into bed one night, I heard the whistle of a train going through town. I realized that while I was about to go to sleep, someone was in charge of getting a huge load of materials to where it needed to go. When many of us were enjoying a good night’s sleep, others were at work....

From the archives of the dodge county independent

50 years ago February 20, 1974 Folmer Carlsen, Publisher National FFA Week Observed February 16-23 Governor Wendell Anderson has officially proclaimed the week of February 16-23 as “FFA Week” in Minnesota. The week will be observed in Minnesota as part of the nationwide week honoring the National...