Pipestone County Star

Separation agreement approved for administrative assistant Pipestone Area Schools (PAS) Board members approved a separation agreement with former middle school/high school administrative assistant Kathryn Baker. Baker signed a resignation letter dated July 28 and will be paid for August, September and October. School Board member Daphne Liknes made a motion during consideration of the consent agenda that the School Board enter a closed session to discuss the settlement prior to the School Board approving it. The School Board approved that motion, but after a recess prior to consideration of the agreement, during which legal counsel was consulted, School Board Vice... Article Link

The 2026 to 2027 school year begins Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Pipestone Area Schools (PAS). The school year is beginning prior to Labor Day this year due to Labor Day being as last as it could possibly be, on Sept. 7. When the first bell rings on Sept. 1, approximately 1,128 students will head to class. That’s down from approximately 1,180 students at the start of last year. See the accompanying chart for a break down by grade. Some changes and new features students and parents might notice this year include that cell phones will no longer be allowed during... Article Link

Separation agreement approved for administrative assistant Pipestone Area Schools (PAS) Board members approved a separation agreement with former middle school/high school administrative assistant Kathryn Baker. Baker signed a resignation letter dated July 28 and will be paid for August, September and October. School Board member Daphne Liknes made a motion during consideration of the consent agenda that the School Board enter a closed session to discuss the settlement prior to the School Board approving it. The School Board approved that motion, but after a recess prior to consideration of the agreement, during which legal counsel was consulted, School Board Vice... Article Link

As we prepare to start the new school year, we know there will be a great deal of activity at the schools. On any typical school morning at the Pipestone Area Schools, the parking lot starts filling before the first bell rings. A bus pulls in. Parents drop off their children. Teachers walk through the doors carrying coffee, lesson plans, student work and the hopes they have for their students. Inside, students are engaged in learning. They are in classrooms, the agriculture shop, music rooms, the gym and on athletic fields. They are building the knowledge and skills they will... Article Link

Utility service locators have been painting and flagging yards all over Pipestone this summer. They’ve been followed by fiber optic internet service installers who have dug up boulevards and left piles of dirt and weeds growing where grass used to be. They’ve also left behind green plastic boxes, known as pedestals. One was placed in the boulevard in front of my house. Two others were added on my side of the block to the south of my house, meaning that every three houses on my side of the street has a new plastic box in front of it. The other... Article Link

The Pipestone Area Schools’ girls tennis team began practices on Monday, Aug. 17. Eight days later, the Arrows were thrust upon the 2026 regular season with matches at MACCRAY (Clara City) and Yellow Medicine East in Granite Falls.  Three seniors will serve as leaders in state qualifier Jasmine Boeke plus Aleryn Brinkmeyer and Iva Witte.  Boeke played both No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles with now-graduated partner Vivian Brockberg. Brinkmeyer was predominantly a singles player. Witte was slotted at either No. 3 singles or No. 2 doubles.  There are plenty of other returners, including the doubles tandem of sophomores... Article Link

All Pipestone Area Schools activities information will now be found on a mobile application and website called BOUND.  “It was a decision made by (Big South) conference schools,” PAS activities director Rick Zollner said of the switch made last spring.    Zollner said slowly, but surely, most of the activities conferences in Minnesota are transitioning to BOUND.  What’s more, the Red Rock Conference also has joined BOUND. Local Red Rock schools are Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Southwest Minnesota Christian and Edgerton Public.  BOUND has a lot of great things going for it, including ease of scheduling. However, as Zollner pointed out, all data... Article Link

EDGERTON — Southwest Minnesota Christian school will have soccer day on Saturday, Aug. 29.  The Eagles will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the school’s only state Class A soccer title.  The day will begin with a soccer camp for fourth- through sixth-graders from 8:30-10 a.m. — a scrimmage will follow at 10 a.m. The alumni scrimmage will be from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Hot dogs will be served at 12:45 p.m., with a freewill donation going toward repairing both soccer fields.  There also will be school building project tours given at 1:30 p.m.  The regular season opens up on Thursday,... Article Link

The Pipestone Area Schools and 4-H shooting sports program are seeking youth interested in joining the trap team.  Interested youth must register on the school’s new Bound application. The Arrows compete in the Minnesota High School Clay Target League.  This fall, the squad will participate in the 4-H state shoot conducted by the University of Minnesota.  For information, email Robert Faber: [email protected].   Article Link

The 2026 Minnesota/Dakota Slowpitch Softball League wrapped up play on Tuesday, Aug. 18 in Lake Benton, with the Anacondas coming out on top. The Anacondas, seeded second in the postseason tournament, defeated No. 1 seed Lake Benton Bar, 19-13. The Anacondas also defeated Lake Benton Bar II that night, which pushed them to the championship game. Here’s the team (from left to right), Jonah Johnson, Hayden Gravley, Jack Christianson, Blake Christianson, Kyle Fischer, Aiden Wichmann, Logan Lamote, Payton Hess and Chase Christianson. League teams come from all over the region, including Lake Benton, Woodstock and Pipestone. This version of the... Article Link

Pipestone Area Schools sophomore student Jack Goelz competed at the Minnesota State High School Rodeo Association meet in Pine River Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22-23. Goelz participated in both the team roping and tie-down roping events. During the team roping contest, Goelz served as a heeler while Weston Feist of Jordan was the header. This marked the second straight week a Pipestone student competed at an association meet, with Kenzley Pater Aug. 14-16 in Buffalo. Results were still not available on the association’s website at the time of placing this news item on the web.  Article Link

The Pipestone Parks & Recreation Department is offering fitness classes Monday though Friday.  No membership is required; everyone is welcome to participate in these sessions.  At 5:30 a.m. Mondays, instructor Danielle Bauman will teach a class called total body toning. This is a group workout using light weights, resistance bands and bodyweight exercises to shape major muscle groups.  Instructor Theresa Draper offers different classes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  The Tuesday class (from 5:30-6 a.m.) deals with high-intensity interval training, Wednesday’s session from 6:15-7 a.m. covers spin and strength, Thursday from 5:30-6 a.m. is strictly a spin session. Spinning involves... Article Link

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is planning three highway projects in Pipestone County over the next several years. MnDOT District 8 Planning Director Megan DeSchepper presented those plans to the Pipestone County Commissioners during their Aug. 11 meeting. The first project planned in Pipestone County is an unbonded concrete overlay resurfacing of U.S. Highway 75 from Hwy. 30 to County State Aid Highway 9 in 2029. DeSchepper said that project will include widening the turn lane, and adjusting the intersection of Hwy. 75 and Hwy. 30. In 2030, MnDOT plans to do a medium mill and overlay on Hwy.... Article Link

INFORMATION CALENDAR Thursday, Aug. 27 Girls Tennis  1 p.m., Montevideo at Pipestone Area (Paulsen Athletic Complex) 4 p.m., Lac qui Parle Valley at Pipestone Area (Paulsen Athletic Complex)  Boys Soccer  4:30 p.m., New Ulm at Southwest Minnesota Christian (Edgerton)   Cross Country  1 p.m., Elkton-Lake Benton at John Collignon Invitational (Madison Golf & Country Club/South Dakota) Volleyball  7:15 p.m., Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at Lakeview (Cottonwood)  Friday, Aug. 28 Boys Soccer  4 p.m., Southwest Minnesota Christian at Freeman/Marion/Parker/Viborg-Hurley (Freeman Academy School/South Dakota) Football  7 p.m., Centerville at Elkton-Lake Benton (Elkton Athletic Complex)  Saturday, Aug. 29 Football  10 a.m., Pipestone Area at Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (scrimmage/Tyler)... Article Link

Necessity is the mother of invention.  That proverb perfectly describes why Pipestone-based Parlay Pack has become such a hit with golfers in a short amount of time. Parlay Pack owner Wade Newgard said he created this “premium” all-in-one golf travel system — alongside his wife, Megan — because it was difficult to carry luggage through airports.  “I couldn’t find anything to fix the problem,” Newgard said. “So I tried to come up with a solution.”  Newgard enjoys traveling to southern destinations to play golf, especially both Arizona and Florida. The equipment was designed by the couple, a team effort.  Parlay... Article Link

INFORMATION SOFTBALL  Minn-Dakota Slowpitch Standings  Through Monday, Aug. 17 Team             Record Lake Benton Bar     16-0 Anacondas 14-2 Lake Benton Bar II 10-4 The Starfish   7-7 D&T’s Meat Market 7-9 Sluggers 7-9 Alcobolics   4-12 Staci’s Bar     3-13 Dirty Dairymen   2-14 Schedule   Tuesday, Aug. 18 Semifinals (All games in Lake Benton) 7 p.m., No. 1 Lake Benton Bar vs. No. 3 Lake Benton Bar II 7 p.m., No. 2 Anacondas vs. No. 6 Sluggers  8 p.m., Elimination bracket game  9 p.m., Championship game TRAP SHOOTING At Pipestone Sportsmen’s... Article Link

The Pipestone Country Club conducted club championships across seven divisions on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16.  And the overall men’s and women’s winners remained the same from 2025 — so those cushy parking spots will be unchanged.  PCC board of directors secretary Carrie Radloff reported 104 golfers participated in the event. “It was a great turnout,” Radloff added. “We also had a lot of spectators. It was a lot of fun.”  Golfers faced two types of weather with cool, cloudy conditions on Saturday while Sunday was primarily sunny and breezy with temperatures reaching 80 degrees.  McCaden Biever claimed the men’s... Article Link

Oh, so quirky. The Pipestone Area Schools football team opened practices this past Monday, Aug. 17. Monday is one of the few days during the week the Arrows won’t play on this season.  PAS opens the 2026 regular season with a home game versus Redwood Valley on Thursday, Sept. 3. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Paulsen Field. Head coach Scott Boomgaarden said the game will be “competitive.”  “Redwood Valley, they’ll play assignment football, and it’s always a good game,” the coach commented.  In preparation for the game, PAS and Redwood Valley will participate in different scrimmage formats on... Article Link

Landon Quist has returned to the Pipestone Area Schools football program as a volunteer coach. The Pipestone Area Schools board approved Quist at its Monday, July 27, meeting.  PAS head coach Scott Boomgaarden reported Quist will serve as both a quarterbacks and defensive backs coach.  “I asked him if he was looking for help,” Quist said in a telephone interview with the Pipestone County Star Monday. “I wanted to give back in some way, and help the kids who are younger than me. I want them to have the same success I had.”  Boomgaarden welcomed Quist back to the Arrows... Article Link

On Aug. 4, Dave Boucher retired from the Pipestone Fire Department after 30 years of service. Boucher joined the Fire Department in August of 1995 at the age of 24. He and his wife, Jill, had moved from St. Cloud to Pipestone a few years earlier when he took a job with the city of Pipestone. Being new to town, Boucher didn’t know many people, but he knew some of the guys in the Fire Department and he knew the Department was always looking for help. Boucher said he stuck with the Fire Department for three decades because he enjoyed... Article Link

Pipestone Area Schools junior student-athlete Kenzley Pater competed at the Minnesota High School Rodeo Association state event in Buffalo Friday-Sunday, Aug. 14-16. Pater competed in several events: barrel racing, goat tying and breakaway roping. Jack Goelz, another PAS student, will be competing at an upcoming youth rodeo in Pine River — in both tie-down roping and team roping — Friday-Sunday, 21-23. In barrel racing, going against other top performers, Pater recorded a time of 15.679 seconds. That time was good enough for 13th overall in a field of 51. Pater didn't fare as well in goat tying, but she still... Article Link

CANISTOTA, S.D. — The Elkton-Lake Benton football team will open the 2026 season Friday, Aug. 21 at Canistota.  Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.   The Elks began preparations on Thursday, Aug. 6, the first official date allowed by the South Dakota High School Activities Association.  “I like the early start to the season,” ELB second-year head coach Kaleb Haas said. “It allows us to get fall camp practices done before school starts. Our first game is usually the same week at the start of school, so it forces the players to be more focused.”  ELB is coming off a... Article Link

The Pipestone Area Youth Football will open the Little 10 League season on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Murray County Central. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m.  PAYF will field fifth- and sixth-grade teams only this year based on numbers. Thirty-five players have signed up, officials report.  Fourth-grade players will practice and gain experience in this form.  The home opener is set for 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 versus Tracy-Milroy-Balaton at Paulsen Field.  Other games are scheduled versus Canby, Marshall Orange, Lakeview (Cottonwood) and Marshall Black. There are enough players for two Marshall squads.  The league also features teams in Madison... Article Link

The Pipestone Area Soccer League will conduct a first-of-its-kind fall season. League officials report interested children may still register to participate.  Practices began on Monday, Aug. 10 at the JBS SportsPlex.  Sessions will be on Mondays and Thursdays, with pre-kindergarten through first-grade players training 5:15-6 p.m., second- and third-graders 5:15-6:15 p.m. and fourth- to eighth-graders 6:30-7:30 p.m.  Currently, league officials report 61 kids have signed up — enough for nine teams.  Games will begin on Saturday, Aug. 22, with more set for Sept. 12 and Sept. 19. The tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26.   The mission of the... Article Link

The Pipestone Area Schools volleyball team will serve as host for a scrimmage on Monday, Aug. 24. Matches will be played in PAS Gymnasium beginning at 12:50 p.m. Participating teams are: Pipestone Area, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, Luverne and Murray County Central.  Scrimmage matches will run 25 minutes with a five-minute break between sessions to switch courts, per a press release submitted to the Pipestone County Star.   There also will be two warm-up periods. PAS will provide warm-up balls.  Parents and spectators will need to stand to watch the scrimmage as all courts will be in use.  Varsity matches will be... Article Link

MITCHELL, S.D. — Mark Abrahamson and the Harrisburg Woodies are South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association Class A state champions again. The Woodies downed the Renner Monarchs, 3-1, at Cadwell Park on Sunday, Aug. 16. This marked the second straight year Renner and Harrisburg played in the penultimate game.  Abrahamson, a Pipestone resident, serves as the Woodies primary catcher. He also plays a variety of positions for his hometown A’s.  In the championship, Abrahamson went 1-of-2 with two walks and one strikeout. Although reaching base several times, he was unable to score.  “Being catcher, I get a courtesy runner,” Abrahamson noted. ... Article Link

About 10 members of Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone gathered at a home on Main Street in Pipestone the morning of Aug. 10 to address nuisance conditions on the property. Tom Walker, a member of the church’s mission committee, said the committee selected the property from a list of properties provided by Pipestone Community Development Director Justin Schroyer. Schroyer said the owner, who requested that their name not be published, had reached out to him looking for assistance. Walker said the committee planned to work on the house in two stages. So far they did some landscaping, trimmed overgrown... Article Link

Primary voters in Pipestone County sent Edison Dengler and Dustin Seiler on to the general election on Nov. 3 in the race for Pipestone County Sheriff, and voters in Pipestone County Commissioner District 2 sent Thomas Haag and Rodney Altena on to the general election for that race. The local results were tallied shortly after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, Aug. 11. According to the unofficial results reported to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, in the race for sheriff, Edison Dengler received 1,526 votes, which accounted for 67.73% of the votes cast; Dustin Seiler received 408 votes, accounting for 18.11%;... Article Link

TO THE EDITOR: Minnesotans care deeply about our water and natural resources. We also understand the practical need for energy that keeps our farms operating, businesses open, airplanes flying, and families supplied with affordable fuel. We can have both. As the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission considers Magellan Pipeline Company’s proposed pipeline reroute in Pipestone County, the central question is whether a carefully engineered 13-mile reroute more than 2.5 miles away from the Pipestone National Monument can safely restore a critical piece of regional energy infrastructure while meeting Minnesota’s rigorous environmental standards. The record demonstrates that it can. This refined products... Article Link

The Pipestone City Council during its Aug. 3 meeting approved the sale of ,965,000 in bonds to finance the Second Avenue Southwest street and utility improvement project, repairs on Seventh Avenue Southwest, and the replacement of the fuel station and underground fuel tanks at the Pipestone Municipal Airport. Rebecca Kurtz, senior municipal advisor with Ehlers, the city’s financial advisor, said eight bids were received. The low bid came from Baird and has an interest rate of 3.79%. The bonds will mature in 2042, but could be paid off in 2036 without penalty. Kurtz said the city would have the funds... Article Link

INFORMATION CALENDAR Sunday, Aug. 16 Golf  9 a.m., Pipestone Country Club, club championship Rodeo 10 a.m., Prairie Riders Saddle Club Fun Show No. 2, Pipestone County Fairgrounds Friday, Aug. 21 Volleyball  9 a.m., Pipestone Area and Southwest Minnesota Christian at Jackson County Central scrimmage  Football 7 p.m., Elklton-Lake Benton at Canistota  Tuesday, Aug. 25 Girls Tennis  11 a.m., Pipestone Area at MACCRAY (Clara City) 2 p.m., Pipestone Area at Yellow Medicine East (Granite Falls)  Volleyball  6:30 p.m., Edgerton Public at Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (scrimmage/Tracy)  6:45 p.m., Elkton-Lake Benton at Dell Rapids Article Link

Absence made the heart grow fonder. Or at least the curiousity.  A record attendance watched as the Pipestone County Fair had its first demolition derby since 2012 on a hazy and balmy Saturday, Aug. 8.  “The demolition derby was a huge success,” said Pipestone County Fair board president Skip Moeller. “The weather was perfect and the attendance was the largest on record.” Moeller estimated more than 2,000 tickets were sold; an educated guess.  “Derby participants were amazed by the pit area,” added Moeller.  Drivers began showing up after 2:30 p.m., and vehicles were fully inspected one hour prior to the... Article Link

The Ag Olympics competition continues growing every single year. This year, there were 19 teams filled with farmhands and business members from throughout Pipestone County and beyond.  A foursome from Windy Ridge Veterinary Clinic, PLLC, earned the championship — thanks in part to filling their water trough first — in front of an entertained crowd in the Pipestone County Fairgrounds grandstand Thursday, Aug. 6.  The group featured Jack Goelz, Zach Sneller, Becca Berkenpas and Dr. Lexi Goldstein.  BodyChurch Wellness had enough people to field two teams. Team No. 2 earned second, a quartet with Kyle DeWilde, Justin Hulstein, Danielle Evers... Article Link

One of the vehicles in Friday’s National Truck and Tractor Pull Association event had a little more meaning behind it.  Jacob Carda’s “Pulling for Autism” super stock truck placed second in that division with a pull of 330.470 feet.  That was about three feet less than Justin Schlegel’s championship pull of 334.694 feet at the Pipestone County Fair grandstand.  The “Pulling for Autism” is a 1998 red Chevrolet 4x4 truck built by Jacob’s father, Tim Carda, in 2006. The vehicle also features the interlocking puzzle pieces which has been commonly used as an insignia for autism.  The Big Lake-based Cardas... Article Link

JACKSON — The Pipestone Area Schools volleyball program will participate in a scrimmage on Friday, Aug. 21. This follows the start of practice set for next Monday, Aug. 17. The scrimmage will provided a stern test for what to expect during the 2026 season.  In addition to PAS, Southwest Minnesota Christian from the Red Rock Conference, Canby of the Camden Conference and Big South Conference foes Luverne and Worthington will play. The Arrows are coming off a 17-7 season under head coach Shelly Hennager, winning an opening-round Section 3AA South tournament match versus Fairmont before falling to JCC.  JCC activities... Article Link

Recent Dakota State University graduate Seth Gawerecki has joined the Pipestone Area Schools’ football coaching staff.  “I approached coach (Scott) Boomgaarden,” Gawerecki said of how his hiring transpired. “I reached out to him to see if there was a spot available.”  As it turns out, there was.  “Seth is ‘super’ passionate about football,” said Boomgaarden, in advance of the first practice set for Monday, Aug. 17, “and that’s what I look for in coaches.” Gawerecki played offensive line at DSU, participating at both the varsity and junior varsity level. He played guard in games versus Nebraska Wesleyan, Arizona Christian, Valley... Article Link

Fall sports will begin Monday, Aug. 17, for Minnesota-based high schools.  In the case of Pipestone Area Schools, the activities are football, volleyball, boys and girls cross country and girls tennis.  “Summer flew by,” PAS head football coach Scott Boomgaarden said regarding the opening of training sessions next week. “We’re excited to get the season going, and seeing the kids every morning.” Next Monday’s practice will begin at 7 a.m. Players will be involved with training until either 11 a.m. or 1 p.m. Monday through Friday, Aug. 17-21, Boomgaarden said.  Practice time will include a weight training period.  Per updated... Article Link

Pipestone City Council members during their Aug. 3 meeting held a public hearing to gather input from community members about the 2027 budget. The city has not presented any budget projections yet, but holds a public hearing to take input each year at the start of the budgeting process. Dave Andres, chairman of the city’s Human Rights Commission, was the lone community member to speak during the public hearing. He said he’s heard comments about the number of lights on in the city at night and that he liked taking pictures of the night sky, but there’s too much light... Article Link

DEERWOOD, Minn. — The Minnesota State High School League state cross country meet is more “majestic” than ever. That’s because the MSHSL has approved Majestic Oaks in Ham Lake as the new site for the state meet beginning with the 2026 season during board of directors meetings on Tuesday, Aug. 4 at Ruttger’s Lake Bay Resort.  The meet will take place on Saturday, Nov. 7, with three classes contested: A, AA and AAA.  Majestic Oaks is situated roughly 20 miles north of downtown Minneapolis across the street from Bunker Hills Regional Park.  St. Olaf College in Northfield also was under... Article Link

The Region 10C semifinals are set with the Windom Pirates taking on the Fairmont Martins for the championship. Windom will play host to Fairmont 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12 at Island Park in the opening game of a best-of-3 series.  Game Two will take place 7:30 p.m. Friday at Herb Wolf Field.  Should a third game be needed, the Pirates and Martins will square off at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16 (from Island Park).  Luverne and Jackson will vie for the remaining state tournament bid in another best-of-3 series.  Jackson plays at Luverne for Game One at Redbird Field with... Article Link

Birch Coulee Arena, LLC, based in Morton conducted a ranch rodeo on Saturday, Aug. 8 inside the horse arena during the Pipestone County Fair. Many teams competed in several events including sorting, doctoring, penning and trailer loading. A team that went by the name of CW was the overall winner. The foursome featured Marty Bonnett, Caul Bonnett, Bergan Butman and Hatty Fey. Marty Bonnett's name is misspelled in a cutline found in the Aug. 13 printed edition of The Pipestone County Star.  Birch Coulee Arena, LLC, has ranch rodeos all over the area during the summer, including another program last... Article Link

The Pipestone Smokin’ Barrels organization will be conducting its final program of the summer season Saturday, Aug. 15. The Pipestone County Fairgrounds horse arena will open at 8:30 a.m., with exhibitions beginning at 9:30 a.m. The first run will be at 10:30 a.m., with the second run and pole bending to follow.  The cost is for pee wees (10-under with a prize), youths 18 years old and under, open , poles and exhibitions .  There will be a administrative fee per rider.  For information, call Diane Bucher at 1-507-215-0989.  Article Link

The gymnasium inside the Ewert Community Recreation Center has reopened. The gym is available for several sports: basketball, volleyball and pickleball. With the set up, two pickleball matches may be played at once. Citizens may also use the gym as a walking facility. There are rules in place with the facility: non-marking tennis or gym shoes must be worn, no street shoes are allowed, and neither is soccer. Youth volleyball was conducted in the center during the week. Current hours for the facility are: 5:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays.... Article Link

The Pipestone Country Club will conduct its annual club championship this Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 15-16. Event officials reported the deadline to participate in the club championship (which is members only) is noon Thursday, Aug. 13. The deadline for the two-person horse race is noon on Friday, Aug. 14. Sign-up sheets in the clubhouse are filling up fast. For the horse race, everyone tees off on Hole No. 1. This is a handicap event. Teams will be eliminated throughout until the final ones battle it out on Hole No. 9. The cost is per team. It’s a busy Friday... Article Link

Reclaim Community was recently awarded a 0,000 grant from the Blandin Foundation to rehabilitate and repurpose the former Jasper School. Shay Knobloch, president of Reclaim Community, said the nonprofit organization applied for the grant in May and found out it had been awarded funds in June. She said the three-year grant project will be split into two portions with ,000 to be received in February of 2027 and ,000 to be received in February of 2028. Knobloch said the funds will be used to clean up the property; address water damage, mold and mildew; remove debris; have the building and... Article Link

The annual Relay for Life of Pipestone County event is planned for Thursday, Aug. 13 at the Pipestone County Fairgrounds. Cancer survivor registration is from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., a community meal and bake sale is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., a silent auction will be held from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., a kids run is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., there will be a kids sand prize pit at 7 p.m., and there will be fire truck rides, face painting, bingo, a heads and tails game, and barnyard bingo throughout the evening. The opening ceremonies begin... Article Link

Pipestone City Council members during their July 20 meeting approved a commercial tax abatement policy. Mayor Dan Delaney said the policy is intended to serve as an incentive to bring new businesses to the city. “That’s something that we haven’t had in the past,” he said. “There’s tax abatement available for housing and development, but we didn’t have anything for new business. It’s a great incentive to try to get new business into the area.” According to the policy, the city will consider using tax abatement to help enhance and diversify the city’s economic base, encourage additional unsubsidized private development,... Article Link

Jasper Ambulance to receive telemedicine equipment The Jasper City Council learned during its July 21 meeting that the Jasper Ambulance will be equipped with Avel eCare EMS Telemedicine Services using funds from a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All Program that was awarded to Southwest Minnesota EMS Corporation. Brian DeHaai, with Avel eCare EMS, said an iPad, speaker, microphones and antennas will be installed in and on the ambulance. The equipment will allow ambulance personnel to access professional medical counseling services provided by Avel eCare, communicate with hospitals, obtain interpretive services, help... Article Link

The Jasper City Council during its July 21 meeting discussed using the previous Minnesota state flag rather than the one that became the state’s official flag in 2024. The city currently flies the new flag, but Mayor Kim Lape said there’d been talk among community members about reverting to the old flag. She said City Clerk/Treasurer Renae Jennings had reached out to the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) about the matter, but had not heard back as of the July 21 meeting. Jennings said there is no law that requires the city to fly any specific flag or any flag... Article Link

A couple of decades ago my dad took the family to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Medora, N.D. When the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opened there on July 4 of this year, we decided to go check it out.  The structure itself is built to resemble the rugged terrain of the Badlands. It has a sloped roof with vegetation and a walking trail that leads to an overlook of the area. The walls inside are made of stratified layers of different types and colors of soil and rock, reflecting the layers visible in the rocky outcroppings outside. It’s a high... Article Link