In 68 days, the state’s largest county fair opens its gates to what has traditionally been hundreds of thousands of visitors.
So, what’s left to do?
Seemingly, a lot, but the Steele County Free Fair (SCFF) Board of Directors ticked off several things during its June meeting.
Sponsorships and concessions are coming in, said fair manager Scott Kozelka, and about 1,000 tickets have been presold for grandstand shows.

The American flag arrived just in time for Memorial Day at the Czech National Cemetery, located about seven miles southwest of Blooming Prairie in Summit Township.
“It’s the candle on the cake,” said Jim Johnson, capping the cleanup work done at the cemetery the past two years.
The flag is flown over a 25-foot-high flagpole.

The initial implementation of a new financial software solution is helping Owatonna answer the need to provide additional online services for residents, business owners and others who conduct financial transactions with the city.
On May 24, the city launched a list of services that are now fully available online at Owatonna.gov.

Question: I am choosing to stay with my husband even though he has degraded me, yelled at me, and hit me in front of the kids. Others have told me to leave him because of the possible effects of domestic abuse on them. What are the effects of domestic violence on children?

Six local actors will bring playwright Dwayne Hartford’s story of “family, patriotism, fear and prejudice” to life this week in Little Theatre of Owatonna’s latest production, “The Color of Stars”.
Director Shelley Fitzgerald said she was asked in 2020 to direct an LTO drama, but COVID-19 sidelined live theater for two years. The show jumped out at her because of the setting.

Determining priority areas for conservation funding in Steele, Mower, Dodge and Freeborn counties is the focus of a June meeting that will bring those communities together for the first time.