Shrek, the loveable green ogre, comes to life in Kasson next week with the Kasson-Mantorville Drama Department’s all-school performance of Dreamworks’ “Shrek, The Musical!”

Home Federal Savings Bank in Kasson celebrated its remodeled offices last week with an open house in the afternoon and a Business After Hours with a ribbon cutting in the evening.
The bank recently finished the remodeling of its offices on Mantorville Avenue and has consolidated all of its services into the one location. McKern Financial Group has moved into Home Federal’s old location on Main Street in Kasson.

There are a few things that every small city should have, such as a city hall, a police and fire department, a post office, a gas station, and a grocery store.
Well, soon Byron will be able to check off that last box as Fareway is officially coming to town after a groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday, Oct. 28.

A ceremonial groundbreaking is scheduled for 2 p.m., Friday, Nov. 1 east of Owatonna to mark the kickoff of the Hwy. 14 expansion project between Dodge Center and Owatonna.
The event will mark the start of the nearly $108 million construction project. The site will be at the cul de sac at 2300 SE 54th Ave., Claremont, east of Owatonna. The public is invited to attend. State officials have been invited to attend and speak.

Dianne Sue Hanenberger, age 73, of Blooming Prairie, passed away peacefully Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 15, 2019, at Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester, Saint Mary’s Campus. Dianne was born Oct. 1, 1946 in Estherville, Iowa, to Robert and Marjorie Mitchell. She grew up in Graettinger, Iowa, until her family moved to Stewartville, just prior to her senior year of high school.

Roger Elmer Erickson, age 90, of Minnetonka and formerly of Blooming Prairie, passed away peacefully on Oct. 13, 2019.
Roger was born In Blooming Prairie to Elmer and Elsie (Popken).
He is preceded in death by his parents Elmer and Elsie, his infant son James, his beloved wife Peggy, and his oldest son Roger Edward.

Dessie Mae Gasner, 88, of Owatonna, died peacefully Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019 at her home surrounded by her loving family.
 

Music definitely gets into your bloodstream and that's what happened to our foursome that attended the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre successful production, Mamma Mia.
Judy and I have seen many wonderful productions over the years at Chanhassen, which seems like it is on the other end of the world.
Even though its distance is challenging, it is worth one's while to go see this latest Chanhassen success story.

It became a ritual for me every year during the fall harvest season. I hopped into the bright green John Deere combine with a Dodge County farmer.
When I first started this tradition back in 2014, it basically was to get a personal perspective on the harvest season and what the crops looked like. But once I connected with Lowell Trom, I found out it was so much more. He had a story that I found compelling.