Gretchen Jensen Erickson, 104, of Kasson passed away Wednesday, Jan. 9 at her residence at Prairie Meadows Senior Living in Kasson.  
Gretchen was born Sept. 17, 1914 to Merton A. and Edith M. Bartholomew Jensen in Bowbells, N.D.  She graduated from Wabasha High School in 1932 and from Hamline University in 1936.

Michael Wilmes is well suited to reflect on small towns and the impact of agriculture on them.
The West Concord resident is a former editor of the Agri News who grew up in a small community similar to West Concord and spent his career writing about agriculture. He reminisced about his experiences last week at a discussion at the West Concord Library sponsored by the city’s Study Club.
“Really, ag is about community,” he said.

On January 21, Peyton Suess sat with many of the best high school athletes in the area. As part of the Rochester Area Sports Commission Banquet. She was up for the Female High School Athlete
of the year award, many of her friends and family were on hand for the occasion and she even had a live television interview with KAAL prior to the banquet.

As I accepted seven journalistic awards of excellence on behalf of this newspaper last week during the Minnesota Newspaper Convention in the Twin Cities, I couldn’t help but get excited for our readers.

This past weekend our publisher, Rick Bussler, our county writer, Karen Jorgensen and myself, were at the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s annual convention in the Twin Cities.
The convention was the first one I was given the opportunity to attend and it definitely didn’t disappoint.

It’s been several years since the hardware in West Concord closed its doors but it is looking like there may be a buyer who wants to start a business in the community.
Theresa French, of West Concord, told council members at their last meeting that she was interested in entering into a lease with an option to buy agreement. Her plan, she said, is to open a dance/fitness studio.

Kasson-Mantorville girls basketball team put forth one of he year last week as they used a tenacious full-court press and a team effort to defeat Triton on January 25. The victory improved the KoMets record to 11-6 on the season and has everyone on the team contributing in a big way.
Against the Cobras, the KoMets came out of the gates on fire with unselfish team basketball on both ends of the floor.

Margo Roberts, age 69, passed away Friday, Jan. 18, 2019 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. 

In October of 2017, Jennifer Jones got the surprise of her life when she was told that she would be getting new lungs that day after a long and painful battle with Cystic Fibrosis.
“It was the best moment of my life,”Jones said.