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Monticello Times
Loch Jewelers celebrates its 75th anniversary
Monticello’s Loch Jewelers celebrated its 75th anniversary with a customer appreciation party recently at its Cedar Street store. The 75th anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 8, included entertainment by DJ Chopper, food from Primo Pizza, root beer floats, cake, hula-hooping, the limbo and other fun activities for kids and appearances by Mayor Lloyd Hilgart along with the Monticello Royal Ambassadors. The small business, which began in 1949 in Maple Lake,...
Senior Center seeks volunteers to help during Riverfest
Monticello’s Walk & Roll is over and now it is time to talk about Riverfest. The Senior Center, City of Monticello, Monticello Community Center, Monticello Times and the Army National Guard will once again celebrate with a Block Party. People of all ages are invited to stop by the south side of the community center on Thursday, July 11 any time between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a free hotdog, chips, dessert and soda. It’s all free. Part of the senior center’s responsibility for...
Movie Review: Newest 'Apes’ flick fits our divisive time
“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is the 10th installment to date in the long, long running “Planet of the Apes” franchise (the original, Charlton Heston starring film was released way back in 1968). It picks up the story begun in a trilogy of films made in the 2010s starring Andy Serkis as Caesar, the ape who led a rebellion against humankind. “Kingdom” opens long after Caesar’s death, in...
Historically Speaking: Gee ran city's 'Funeral Emporium'
Before the modern funeral home existed, when it was common for folks to have in-home wakes, there stood a “funeral emporium and furniture house” in nearly every town. In modernity, this kind of business may seem quite odd, but back in the days when furniture stores were run by the furniture makers themselves, it also was quite practical for them to make funeral caskets. Thus, they would also commonly take on the title of undertakers for this profitable side affair. ...
Eight Eagle Scouts leave the nest in Class of 2024
MONTICELLO — The newly graduated Class of 2024 includes a group of eight Eagle Scouts, a band of brothers who grew close over their Scouting careers as they gave back to the community, served as youth leaders, developed key life skills and formed a tight-knit bond of friendship that will last beyond their time together in Monticello. Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America, and, since its inception in 1911, only 4% of Scouts have earned this rank, according...
Mountain bike race set at Bertram Sunday
MONTICELLO — Wright County Parks & Recreation is partnering with the Minnesota Mountain Bikes Race Series to host the first Bertram Saddle Buster from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 23 at Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park in Monticello. This new race will provide a fun, exciting course for all levels of riders. The Bertram Lakes Singletrack has plenty of opportunities for new riders to find success and for experienced riders to find a challenge through its design. ...
Ask a Trooper: Be careful of hydroplaning
Q: With all the rain we’ve been having lately, can you talk about hydroplaning? A: At speeds of 35 mph or less, most tires will “wipe” water off the road surface to keep tires in contact with the road. At higher speeds, water can collect under tires and lift them off the surface of the road — this is called “hydroplaning.” When your tires hydroplane, they lose all contact with...
Climbing wall reopens after repairs
The climbing wall at the Monticello Community Center has been under construction recently, with repairs wrapping last week. The wall reopened for use on Saturday, June 15, and is now ready for adventure-seekers. During the summer, the climbing wall is open on Mondays from 1 to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays from 5 to 8:30 p.m.; Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. It is closed on Fridays and Sundays.
Deadline nears to sign up for Riverfest Parade
MONTICELLO — The deadline is fast approaching for those looking to enter the 2024 Riverfest Parade. The last day to register entries for the parade will be Thursday, June 27. People can register online at https://shorturl.at/alEG1. This year’s parade will kick off at noon on Sunday, July 14, rain or shine, and will depart from...
Erbert & Gerbert’s opens at Coborn’s in Otsego
OTSEGO — An Erbert & Gerbert’s Sandwich Shop is now open at the Otsego location of Coborn’s Grocery Store at 15700 88th St. NE. The sandwich and soup franchise restaurant offers guests convenient, fresh food options and features dine-in, pick-up and drive-thru services. The Otsego location is one of the first to be designed with Erbert & Gerbert’s new look and layout, which is clean, modern, and bright, but, most...
Fun bubbles over at city's first Bubble & Foam Party
MONTICELLO — To celebrate the end of school and the start of summer, Monticello invited children of all ages to its first-ever Bubble & Foam Party on Tuesday, June 11, at Pioneer Park. The party proved to be a massive success, with upwards of a thousand people showing up on a beautiful, rather steamy evening, including hundreds of local families. Kids, in particular, couldn't wait to get their hands on the bubbles and especially the foam. ...
Community Art Show will kick off with party at MontiArts
MONTICELLO — After a few sporadic years, between the pandemic and then downtown road construction last year putting the brakes on things, MontiArts is bringing back its popular Community Art Show. To celebrate its return, along with the organization’s sixth anniversary, MontiArts will be throwing a big party, rain or shine. The opening reception on Friday, June 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. at MontiArts headquarters, located at 213 W....
Walk & Roll offers wheel big family fun
MONTICELLO — Amid brilliantly sunny skies and warm temperatures, the 28th annual Walk & Roll returned to downtown Monticello Saturday morning with a route along Walnut Street, which was closed to traffic. The event found plenty of locals walking, rolling and baby-strolling — along with other forms of recreation and transportation, from scooters to wagons and even a remote-controlled pint-size Jeep. Much like last year, when road repairs forced a...
Parks & Rec offers programs all summer long at Bertram
Wright County’s Parks & Recreation programs offer year-round opportunities for people of all ages to learn about the wonders of nature. In the warmer months especially, many of the region’s hidden gems are highlighted during these programs, including locally at Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park here in Monticello. “I would put our parks and programs up against any county in the state,” Wright County Parks & Recreation Director Ross...
Highway 25 study's public comment period wraps up
The Highway 25 Area Transportation Study, which is being conducted jointly between Wright and Sherburne counties, has finalized the study’s Purpose and Need Statement. This work, known as a Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study, is examining a range of cost-effective transportation alternatives to address capacity, access, mobility, and safety issues in the Highway 25 area between Interstate 94 and Highway 10. Wright and Sherburne counties and the study team...
Hot Dish: Pack your picnic basket with blondies for a sweet finish
I love the idea of a proper picnic in the spring or summertime. Spreading a big blanket on the grass, under the shade of a leafy tree, a light breeze blowing through. Tucking into a basket of fresh food, a pitcher of lemonade or iced tea at the ready. Listening to the birds chirp or the rush of the river as it runs by. And, of course, finishing with something sweet, a homemade goodie or cold slices of ripe watermelon, perhaps. ...
Seniors can play bingo with Royal Ambassadors, candidates
The senior center participated in Monticello’s Walk & Roll event this past Saturday. The weather was beautiful, and hundreds of people stopped by our booth. It was so fun! And it is also awesome that Monticello has so many community celebrations. This is truly a town that comes together and cares. We have a really fun annual event coming up soon that we hope to see you at. The 2024 Royal Ambassador candidates and current Ambassadors will be at the center on Thursday, June 27...
Vetsch goes unchallenged in District 2
The window for filing for elected offices in Wright County’s 2024 elections officially closed earlier this month, at 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 4. In each of the five Wright County election races, four ended with only one candidate filing — the only names that will appear on the November general election ballots. District 2 Commissioner Darek Vetsch, who was seeking a third term as county commissioner, was the only candidate...
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