Last May as I was getting ready to graduate college from Franklin Pierce University, I was asked to come visit a small town called St. James, Minnesota to interview for a staff writer position with the local paper. 
I had never been to Minnesota before but I decided to fly from my hometown of Warwick, Rhode Island to Minnesota. 
That was one of the best decisions I ever made. 

Coming off a 29-28 overtime defeat to Plainview-Elgin- Millville, the Kasson- Mantorville football team came into this week searching for consistency. With plenty
of questions about an offense that struggled in the second half of that game and a defense that was gored for over 300 yards on the ground, the KoMets had to find a way to play at their best more often in the second half of the season.

Triton Middle School continues to recognize and highlight students that have done the right thing. As a way to do that, the school implemented its Cobras with Character program to not only encourage students to do the right thing, but also recognize them in front of their peers.

For two years the Kasson Library had a therapy dog that would visit the library every week to give children an even more positive experience during their story time. 
After the dog and his owner left to move to Wisconsin, the library knew that it would be important to replace him.
With perfect timing they were able to find a newly certified therapy dog in Bryon to fill the void. 

Dodge County Independent Publisher Rick Bussler is proud to announce this week the hiring of its News Editor Alex Malm, who comes from a 80,000 person city called Warwick, R.I. 
While Malm decided to make a career move to journalism, the Rhode Island native started off wanting to be a lawyer he soon found a different passion. 

They were playful weapons that found their way into the hands of peace officers and supporters as they teed off to help others less fortunate.
Golf clubs were a swinging by more than 80 golfers at Oaks Golf Club near Hayfield as the Dodge County Peace Officer’s Association held the Fifth Annual Loring Guenther Memorial Golf Tournament Sept. 15.  

 
The first year that Kasson-Mantorville senior Peyton Suess stepped onto the varsity volleyball team was five years ago. As Suess was an eighth-grader at the time, she was joined by head coach Adam VanOort who was beginning his tenure leading the program. 

More national awards for journalistic excellence are making their way to Dodge County.
On Saturday, the Dodge County Independent earned two awards from the National Newspaper Association during its annual convention in Norfolk, Va. The DCI was one of four newspapers in Minnesota to earn awards in the competition.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has seized a large marijuana operation near Mantorville. 
Sheriff Scott Rose said his investigators harvested 60 large marijuana plants from an illegal grow located in the DNR Wildlife Management Land west of Mantorville on 617thStreet and 220thAvenue.