To understand their story, one almost has to be there.  The third annual Lighting of the Path on West Hills Campus, the old Minnesota State Public School for Dependent and Neglected Children, is occurring on Saturday, Sept. 12.

The Steele County Free Fair is a place where area youth can earn recognition for their work with farm animals and agriculture. But, the youth aren’t the only ones who receive a little recognition during the fair. 

Alex Emanuelson only threw for 97 yards against Faribault Friday night, but with 410 rushing yards by his running backs, there was very little need to pass. The 507 total offensive yards, combined with the measly 156 allowed paved the way for a shutout 55-0 victory in Owatonna. 

A lock-down defense in the second half enabled the Awesome Blossom football team to escape with a 24-3 victory over visiting St. Clair Friday, Sept. 4.  After a very lackadaisical and inept first half, the local offense came alive enough to score four times in the second half, three of them in the final quarter.

He was known as the pint-sized hero who saved Winona from all manner of troubles including football losses, fires and bad guys.
He also was the five-year old grandson of West Concord residents Roger and Judy Quimby.
Gavin Nicholas Quimby, 5, of Winona lost his fight with metachromatic leukodystrophy Tuesday morning, his grandmother said, from complications following a stem cell transplant.

Marsha Ann Pacolt (Nana), 67, of Mantorville, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 2015, at the Methodist Hospital, Rochester from cancer.

In 2014, United Way-funded programs provided services to 816 Blooming Prairie residents. As they work to offer those same services in the coming year, Untied Way also took time to host a community event in Blooming Prairie last Tuesday. 

Growing pains are to be expected throughout the first year of CHOICE Technical Academy located on Pillsbury campus. 
Despite loose ends regarding bus drop off, lunches and extracurricular activities, the academy is set to start school on September 8, along with the Owatonna Public School District. 50 or so students (seventh – 12th grade) are already enrolled, and faculty expect that number to continue to grow throughout the year. 

As summer winds down, it is not only athletes who busily prepare for another school year.  Teens, especially girls, get themselves into a state of confusion over whether they have succeeded in recognizing and being a part of the current styles in hair, clothing and fashion.