News

The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities has scheduled a candidate forum to discuss issues relevant to the Nov. 6 election in Minnesota House District 17A for Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the Swift County Law Enforcement Center in Benson.

It is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Republican District 17A Rep. Tim Miller and Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidate former Sen. Lyle Koenen have been invited.

District 17A includes all of Swift, Chippewa and Renville counties and the four southern Kandiyohi townships of Edwards, Holland, Roseland and Lake Lillian.

Sara Lundquist, morning show host and program director for 93.5 KSCR Radio, Benson, and Reed Anfinson, publisher of the Swift County Monitor-News and Grant County Herald, will be the moderators. Anfinson also serves on the state’s Center for Rural Policy & Development, a non-partisan research body that advises the Legislature on rural issues.

Pictured are members of the 2018 BHS Homecoming Royalty Court.  From left to right in front are Mya Kurkosky, Katelyn Tolifson, Ava Nichols, Blake Larson, Chloe Collins, Isabelle Abner, and Jacquelyn Hanson.  In back are Toby Gonnerman, Cole Petrick, Queen Paige Cain, King Jared Knutson, Riley Grube, Matt Goossen, and Hunter Gonnerman.

Did you know the Swift County Monitor-News prints photos like this one?

Give us the date, page and subject of the photo and we will print it on archival quality photo paper. Makes a great gift!


Stop in, call or email us for more information or to order photo prints.

320-843-4111 or ads@monitor-news.com
 

Minnesota’s very warm May 1 through Sept. 16 period has spurred crop development well ahead of average with maturities and field activities four to 11 days ahead of schedule.

All area crops, even those not planted until May 15 due to a delayed spring planting because of very cold and wet conditions in April, are also fully mature.

Corn planted May 1 reached 2,559 growing degree-days as of Sunday, 275 ahead of the average of 2,284 for crops planted May 1. It is also 209 days past the 2,350 days needed for the corn crop to reach full maturity.

Corn planted May 15 has reached 2,419 growing degree-days, 135 days ahead of the average for corn planted May 1. It was 69 days past the average growing degree-days needed for maturity even though planted two weeks late.

Sunday combines could be seen in area fields harvesting soybeans, nearly a week earlier than average for the start of the harvest....

As the City of Benson works to develop a strategic plan for how it will invest the $20 million coming its way over the next four years from Xcel Energy, it is focused on ensuring three groups that it is doing its due diligence in spending the money wisely.

It wants to show the Minnesota Legislature and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that it has a developed a detailed plan with specific goals, spending priorities and sought-after outcomes that will meet the need to replace the loss of Benson Power, LLC.

Benson’s council also wants to show the citizens of the community that it will spend the money wisely following a plan laid out with the input of civic and community leaders. It wants citizen input on the challenges that need to be met to make the community more successful as well.

Benson Public Schools will not pursue a levy for heating, cooling, and air conditioning (HVAC) improvements to the senior high school at this time.

The decision to delay action on what could have been a $4.6 to $5 million bond levy for the HVAC work at the senior high appeared unanimous as no school board member disagreed with the delay.

Unlike the $26.3 million levy approved by the district’s voters Aug. 14 by a nearly 70 percent margin, this levy would not have needed voter approval.

It was very appropriate for the board of education to explore the options for funding HVAC improvements to the school in conjunction with the voter-approved building levy, Supt. Dennis Laumeyer said Monday night.

There were efficiencies to doing it now, he added, as a reason for exploring the possibility for the additional levy.

Renville County West rallied from a 2-1 deficit to beat KMS in five games during a Camden Conference volleyball match in Kerkhoven last Tuesday night.  A couple nights later though, the Saints rebounded with a four-game win at Lac qui Parle.

Lydia Wagner had 16 kills during the loss to RCW, while Lauren Krieger had a team-high 13 kills during the win over LQP.  The Saints are 5-4 overall and 2-2 in the conference through the first third of the 2018 schedule.

KMS had two important conference matches this week at home.  The Saints were set to host Canby, Tuesday and host Dawson-Boyd, Thursday....

For more on this story, and to keep up on all the latest in area sports, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!

Pictured, top: Kids and adults lined the street in DeGraff Sunday for the annual Labor Day observance.
 

Pictured, bottom: Kids play on a merry-go-round in the DeGraff city park during Labor Day festivities Sunday.

For more local coverage like this, subscribe to the Swift County Monitor-News print edition or our PDF internet edition. Call 320-843-4111 and you can get all the local news and sports delivered to you!
 

Thunderstorms rolling through western Minnesota Sunday morning brought nearly half an inch of rain bringing a temporary halt to the edible bean harvest now in full swing.

Then just as fields were drying out, Tuesday brought a wide spread steady rain and another soaking of fields.

June, July and August all saw above average precipitation in west central Minnesota. During the three-month period we saw 17.44 inches of rain, 6.07 inches above the average of 11.37 inches. It was the fourth wettest June to August period on record. The wettest was 1990 with 19.22 inches of rain. That year August saw 9.35 inches of rain, the most on record for the month.

Even as western and central Minnesota have seen abundant rainfall this growing season, northern and eastern parts of the state are in early drought stages. Drought conditions are also expanding in western South Dakota....

Swift County’s Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $70,000 loan at their meeting Aug. 21 from the Swift County Revolving Loan Fund for the purchase of assets of Appleton Hardware.

“Owners of Appleton Hardware are interested in leaving Appleton to return to their hometown and pursue other business opportunities,” a memo to the county board stated. “Appleton Power Equipment owners are willing to purchase the business assets – excluding the building of Appleton Hardware and continue to offer retail hardware in Appleton at their own Appleton Power Equipment location in the town.

The purchase does include the inventory, equipment and fixtures.

The loan will help the community retain four jobs, the county board was told. Shawn and Jill Swenson own Appleton Equipment.

When voters go to the polls to choose those they want to represent them on the District 777 Board of Education they are going to have choices.

Four people have filed for the three four-year terms that will be on the Nov. 6 ballot. Brian Samuelson, Tammy Gunlogson, James Berens, and Paul Carruth have all filed. Though they currently serve on the school board, both Carruth and Gunlogson were appointed to fill out the terms of board members who had resigned.

The three candidates of the four who get the most voters will win seats on the school board.

There were also four people who filed for the single two-year term that will also be filled in the November election. Eric Peterson, Ron A. Hanson, Chad Payne and Jodi DeJong-Hughes filed for the seat. Payne and DeJong-Hughes currently serve on the board. Payne is the chair.

The winners in the November election will join Mary K.W. Langan, Bill McGeary and Gary Williams on the school board in January.