Owatonna
Politics
These Are the Only 5 Drive-In Theaters Left in Minnesota
I grew up watching movies at the '100 Twin' Drive-In just off 694 in Fridley. In Owatonna it was the '45 Hi-Way Outdoor' (later named the 'Starlite' Drive-In), and Faribault had the 'Family' Drive-In -- all three are long gone. At their peak nearly 80 existed across Minnesota, but that number has shrunk to just five. Here's where to find them.
Owatonna honors fallen heroes during Memorial Day service
Community members took time out of the holiday weekend Monday morning to pay their respects and honor those who the holiday is meant to remember: fallen service men and women. A crowd gathered inside Owatonna’s Four Seasons Centre for the annual Memorial Day service, organized by the local American Legion and VFW. Dave Thul served as president of the day, emceeing the event as the community honored those who died during service with a ceremonial placing of a wreath on the symbolic unmarked grave. ...
New face of Owatonna's riverfront continues to take shape
One of the most visible projects has continued to take shape at Owatonna's front door, and those spearheading the project say they couldn't be happier with the progress being made. With the roof and windows added to ASCEND — Owatonna's first multi-use complex that is redeveloping the underutilized 300 block of Walnut Avenue and the Straight River running through downtown — Scott Mohs, co-owner of Redline Development and owner of Mohs Contracting, happily reported they are on schedule with the large project. ...
13 Free Concerts + Perfect Pizza at Beautiful Minnesota Hidden Gem
Minnesota's Best Family-Friendly Outdoor Music Venue 🎶. Picture this: It's a gorgeous summer evening in SE Minnesota. The sun's going down, the breeze and temperature are just right. Now, fill the air with the mouth-watering smell of fresh wood-fired pizzas sizzling in nearby brick ovens, there's a stage buzzing with...
Purple Heart recipient lost a toe in Vietnam but came out 'a better person
A Vietnam war veteran and a lifetime area resident who currently lives in Waterville, Tony Ernste is the honorary grand marshal for this year’s Memorial Day ceremonies in Faribault. Ernste graduated from Bethlehem Academy in 1967 and worked in construction before joining the United States Army just shy of his 20th birthday in 1969. “A friend of mine was drafted in March and I checked and my number was up...
Construction projects and school calendars discussed at local school boards
As the school year draws to a close and students step out of the buildings for summer break, NRHEG and JWP are moving forward with projects that will result in much needed upgrades for the districts’ schools. The projects were discussed at the districts’ school board meetings Monday, May 20. Both school boards also talked about school calendars, with JWP making changes to its 2024-25 calendar, and NRHEG establishing its 2025-26 calendar. The Waseca School Board talked about its 2024-25 calendar at its Thursday, May...
Maintenance work and compensation study discussed at New Richland council
The New Richland City Council met on Monday, May 13 for its first meeting of the month and discussed the removal of something that should have gone a few years ago. The railroad tracks on Division Street in New Richland are finally going to be removed after the council gave approval at the meeting. The council also discussed a recent classification and compensation study, along with the removal of trees at the dump. ...
Council approves formal exploration of Owatonna community center
It has been on the top of the wishlist for the community for well over a decade, and there is now hope that the wish may finally come true. On Tuesday, the Owatonna City Council approved an agreement with ICS consultants to develop a scope of work for constructing a community center in Owatonna. The agreement also includes supporting staff in providing community engagement opportunities that will help determine the size and scale of the project. ...
Military service provided travel and taught respect to grand marshal
A year after graduating from Faribault High School in 1953, Wayne Winjum joined the United States Army Reserves and then put in for active duty with hopes of using the GI Bill to pay for his college education. A lifetime area resident, Winjum’s military experience began with his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood near the Ozark in Missouri. “After eight weeks there, I went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma to...
Morristown joins Faribault in honoring veterans with street banners
Some veterans have declined to be on Hometown Heroes banners due to fears from past experiences with antiwar protestors following Vietnam. But local veterans working on programs honoring veterans in Faribault and now in Morristown said these sentiments have mostly…
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