Updated Fri., Aug. 15

Three complaints filed against Waverly mayor
A special closed city council meeting has been called today (Monday) to discuss three separate complaints filed against Mayor Ken Hausladen by city staff.

Exit of Watertown-Mayer Elementary Principal Nick Guertin continues
The exit of Elementary Principal Nick Guertin of Watertown-Mayer School District is expected to proceed with the school board set to appoint teacher Pat Hittle as dean of students for all or part of the pending school year.

The 26th HLWW FFA Alumni Auction set for Thursday, Aug. 21
For the 26th year, the HLWW FFA alumni will host the annual auction to raise money for the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted FFA Chapter.

HL animal hospital takes in critters of every type
What appears as any other home just north of Howard Lake actually doubles as an animal clinic that welcomes just about any critter imaginable and treats those animals as if they were their own.

LP awash in delinquent water bills
A deluge of delinquent water bills that has left the city staff drowning in extra work has prompted the Lester Prairie City Council to look for new ways to handle unpaid bills.

Hwy. 7 passing lane construction underway in multiple locations
A portion of Highway 7 is getting wider, with the addition of passing lanes between Carver County Road 21 and Tacoma Avenue.

Winsted woman and sister are new owners of a trendy Lillians
Lillians stores, offering the newest and hottest accessories for women, are springing up all over the country and two of its newest owners are sisters Katie Quast of Winsted and Dana Meyer of Otsego.

A family affair
For Butch Amundsen of Cokato, working at the Cokato Corn Carnival is becoming a family affair. For 21 years, Amundsen has been lighting the way for the Corn Carnival festivities and now, he’s teaching his grandchildren the ropes.

Cokato Ambulance gets automatic CPR machine
The Cokato Ambulance Service was recently awarded a $14,000 grant by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Snap Fitness now open in Dassel
The wait is over for Dassel residents as Snap Fitness comes to town, leaving couch potatoes few excuses not to come to the gym.

Construction set to begin today, Aug. 18 on CSAH 18
Meeker County Board of Commissioners awarded the bid for the Meeker County State Aid Highway 18 paving project Tuesday to Knife River of Sauk Rapids for $2,226,330. The board also decided to bond $3 million for the project.

Lanttos celebrate 100 years at store in French Lake Township
Chris Lantto called his grandfather, Abraham Lantto, a visionary, although Abe probably never envisioned the store he founded in 1908 would last 100 years.

Meeker County hospital gets new name, new logo
Meeker County Memorial Hospital is changing its name and logo. It will be Meeker Memorial Hospital from now on. The hospital’s CEO, Mike Schramm, told the county board of commissioners Tuesday the name and logo change were part of a new marketing plan.

Preserving St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery
Deacon Joe Kittok, a man who is known for strong Catholic faith, or possibly his recognizable beard, could just as well be known for his dedication to preserving a piece of history – St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery. Located west of Delano on 72nd Street, the property was the burial place for the 2-year-old son of early settler Joseph Matter.

Delano Schools students score well on ACT tests
Minnesota High School students achieved the highest average ACT (American College Test) score in the nation in 2008, and it’s safe to say Delano Schools is one of the highest- scoring schools in the state. On a 36-point grading scale, Delano Schools had a composite score of 24. Minnesota’s 2008 graduating seniors who took the ACT earned an average composite score of 22.6 on the college admission and placement exam, which was higher than last year’s score of 22.5. The average ACT score for the nation is 21.1, out of the possible 36 points.

Just what is a kettlebell?
This year at the first Taste of Delano, one of the booths stood out amongst the rest. Sitting behind a table full of strange bell-like objects, in varying sizes, was Stephanie De Bauche and her husband Joe De Bauche.

Gypsy, the quarter horse, and her new Auntie Sue
Even as a 5-year-old girl, Susan de Laittre knew she loved horses, and that they would be a big part of her life. She began with hunt seat when she was 11 years old, a style of forward seat riding. Then, she did dressage, a style that teaches responsiveness and athleticism to the horse and rider using choreography and exercises.