The dangers of nitrates from fertilizers leaching into groundwater was one of the topics of a workshop dealing with current issues facing feedlot operators in Blooming Prairie last week. The session was sponsored by the feedlot officers of Dodge, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Rice and Steele counties and attended by several dozen area feedlot operators.

Americans have a seemingly insatiable hunger for bacon.
Pat O’Connor, who farms with his family just outside of Blooming Prairie, is one of a number of Steele and Dodge County farmers who are trying to satisfy that hunger.

It can take 15 minutes to change your life. And that is exactly what happened to me.
Between 9:45 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20 I have no recollection of what happened to me. I had just finished taking photos at Blooming Prairie High School of the drug dogs checking out the school grounds and was on my way to meet with Blooming Prairie Police Chief Greg Skillestad for follow-up information.

After at least 20 years of talking and construction is it possible that Highway 14 will finally be upgraded to a four-lane roadway through all of Dodge and Steele Counties?
It seems like the project has been in the talking stage for almost as long as anyone can remember. The project has gotten a boost in the past two legislative sessions with the Corridors of Commerce legislation.

The completion of the last segments of the Highway 14 expansion project got a boost last week with the announcement of details of Gov. Mark Dayton’s transportation plan.
Highway 14, which is a major east-west roadway across southern Minnesota, has been an issue for years. Work on expanding the entire highway to a four-lane status has been accomplished in small pieces over the years with two major sections remaining.

This week brought several milestones to the high school sport’s scene.  Senior John Rumpza reached a significant plateau when he scored the 2,000th point of his career. That is a goal that not too many high school basketball players achieve, and that is really a mark for which to take pride.

Leonard Kramer died Monday, Feb. 9, 2015 at Sunwood Good Samaritan Care Center. He had attained the age of 96 years, nine months and five days.
Leonard Lawrence Kramer, the son of Michael and Julia (Pistulka) Kramer, was born May 4, 1918, on the family farm in Vesta Township, Redwood County. 

Sharon M. Katzung, 70, of Owatonna, died Friday, Feb. 13, at Homestead Hospice House. 
She was born Jan. 12, 1945 in Owatonna, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Wanous) Ptacek. She attended rural school district 87 and then graduated from Owatonna High School with the class of 1962.  During high school she worked at the Central Bakery.  

Alice J. Henry, 96, lifelong resident of Owatonna, entered her heavenly home on Feb. 4, 2015, at the Medford Care Center. Mass of Christian Burial was held Monday, February 9, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Owatonna with Rev. John Sauer presiding.