Columbus
The Kenyon Leader
K-W Community Theater puts on 'Hello Dolly'
Large crowds enjoyed the K-W Community Theater presentation of “Hello Dolly,” directed by Randy Hockinson and musical director Amber Olson, in the K-W High School Auditorium for three performances. K-W Middle School teacher Blair Reynolds’s musical play experience was evident as he was cast in the lead role of Horace Vandergelder. LeAnn Finger was perfectly cast as the brassy Dolly Levi. Tom Ersland, as Cornelius Hackl, and Brady Bauer, in the role of Barnaby Tucker, worked well together while singing and dancing. It was fun...
Wanamingo Fourth of July festivities scheduled
VOLUNTEERS To volunteer for the summer K-W marching band, fill out this survey by Friday, June 28: shorturl.at/mn79k For event information and a full schedule for Wanamingo’s Fourth of July, see shorturl.at/syZ9Y ff3bee6b-9861-4cec-a2e1-d83aa6a27b45 ...
Fundraiser will support K-W graduate paralyzed in motorcycle accident
Leslie Morales, a Kenyon-Wanamingo graduate, was in a motorcycle crash on March 29, 2024, when a car cut her off unexpectedly. She tried to avoid the vehicle and, in doing so, flew into a ditch, where she hit a concrete culvert. Morales landed on her head, breaking her neck, shoulder, ribs, and back. As a result of the accident, she is now a paraplegic. On Saturday, June 29, a fundraiser will be held at the West Concord Historical Society for Moreles to help pay for medical expenses incurred due to the accident. The fundraiser starts at 2 p.m. and includes food and thirty bingo games. A GoFundMe page has also been established to assist Leslie.
Marching band volunteers needed for Fourth of July in Wanamingo
Like elaborate floats and kids scrambling for candy in the street, the sound of a marching band is a staple of summer parades. In recent years, however, the Kenyon-Wanamingo band has struggled to field a marching band for the Fourth of July parade in Wanamingo. K-W Director of Bands Claire Larson is hoping to change that. K-W doesn’t have a marching band during the school year, but Larson has strived...
K-W School Board hears earful from concerned Wanamingo residents
At its first meeting since a bombshell recommendation from Superintendent Beth Giese to close the Wanamingo Elementary School was first discussed, Kenyon-Wanamingo’s School Board heard an earful from Wanamingo residents concerned by the proposal. Wanamingo Mayor Ryan Holmes led off the meeting, warning the board that closure of the Wanamingo School would be regarded by many in Wanamingo as a breach of the District’s long held commitment to serving families in both communities. ...
Kenyon City Council chooses search firm to find new administrator
After considering an offer from a rival firm, Kenyon’s City Council unanimously decided to entrust its search process to North Mankato-based South Central Service Cooperative, putting it on path to fill its currently vacant city administrator position within four to six months. Though Minneapolis-based DDA Associates may have offered a tech-savvy approach complete with a few extra bells and whistles, Mayor Doug Henke said the two offers were similar enough that South Central’s significantly lower price easily won the day. ...
Northfield community steps up effort to cope with rising river levels
Young and old, retirees and students, business owners and employees all stood side by side over the weekend to help make and stack sandbags in downtown Northfield along the banks of the mighty, roiling Cannon River. The community effort on both sides of the river helped businesses and residences try to stay dry, despite a continuing forecast calling for additional rainstorms. Kristin Stets, whose husband Justin is CEO of Capital...
Reunions, role reversals in K-W Community Ed's 'Hello, Dolly'
Just as the Greek philosopher Heraclitus asserted that no man ever steps in the same river twice — “for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man” — perhaps no actor ever plays the same role twice. Or, as Kenyon native Tom Ersland put it, “You could do the same show a dozen times; you always have a different cast.” Ersland is set to play Cornelius Hackl...
Valley Grove to celebrate past and future weddings with June event
When Meg Otten and Randy Malecha were planning their wedding at Valley Grove Church, Otten's siblings who lived in Connecticut, Texas and Utah thought they were coming to the North Pole. Perhaps they got that idea based on the wedding date: ten days before Christmas. Thus, the church was already beautifully decorated for Christmas with evergreen swags, trees and wreaths. "Winter is our preferred season," said Otten, who married Malecha...
K-W district leadership considers closure of Wanamingo Elementary School, consolidation
With long-term enrollment figures in an apparently irreversible decline, Kenyon-Wanamingo Superintendent Beth Giese encouraged her board to consider closing down the district’s Wanamingo Elementary School as a way to substantially reduce structural expenses. With 34,000 square feet of roof in critically poor condition, the board will likely need to decide if it wishes to go to the voters soon with a proposal to repair that portion of roof, or pursue the even more expensive route of a referendum to replace the entire roof. ...
City of Wanamingo aims to get ahead of emerald ash borer issue
With the telltale signs of emerald ash borer invasion beginning to appear, the city of Wanamingo has updated a tree ordinance originally put in place some 30 years ago to get a handle on Dutch Elm Disease by requiring the removal of diseased trees. First discovered in Minnesota some 15 years ago, the emerald ash borer appears to have spread dramatically after a record warm winter which failed to kill off a variety of pests. Across the state, many counties and cities have recorded their...
Kenyon-Wanamingo students, Habitat partner to build home in Kenyon
A short distance away from Kenyon-Wanamingo High School lies a vacant plot of land, waiting to become a home. That potential will soon be realized, thanks to a first-of-its-kind partnership between the district and Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity. Habitat held a groundbreaking ceremony last Tuesday for a new home that will be constructed with the help of K-W juniors and seniors next year. ...
Summer Learning Kickoff scheduled
This year’s Kenyon Public Library Summer Learning theme is “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” The library staff has developed Challenge Sheets, Photo Challenges, and Reading Challenges for people interested. As a reward, completed challenges may be turned in for free books. S.T.E.M. Days will occur on Wednesday, June 5, June 12, and June 26 for elementary-age library patrons. ...
Alleged drunken driver charged in injury crash
A driver allegedly had a blood alcohol concentration over three times the legal limit after causing a head-on injury crash just south of Faribault Tuesday night. First-responders were called to the two-vehicle crash about 10 p.m. on Albers Avenue at 230th St. E., according to a court complaint. Sarah Corrine Moe, 33, of Kenyon, was not injured but reportedly smelled of alcohol and was slurring her words. ...
Kenyon Farmers Market opens early
The Kenyon Farmers Market came earlier than expected this year. Though the market was originally scheduled to open in June, Kenyon Parks and Recreation held a pop-up market last Thursday at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, giving shoppers a preview of this season’s offerings. Once the season officially begins, the market will run from June 6 to Oct. 3, taking place at the church on the first and third Thursday of...
Kenyon honors deceased veterans on Memorial Day
Deceased veterans were honored and remembered in Kenyon on Memorial Day. The Rolling Thunder Ride 2024, supported by the Faribault American Legion Riders Post 43, made their annual stop at Gol Cemetery late Sunday morning. A group of motorcyclists have made this stop during their annual road cruise to honor Gold Star families. The Kenyon...
Goodhue County has leftover funding for broadband expansion
The Goodhue County Board of Commissioners will have additional dollars to invest in an additional round of rural broadband projects after the largest project from the previous round of funding and several other pre-planned expenses came in significantly under budget. Last fall, the board voted to allocate $277,733 in funding under the American Rescue Plan Act for a Nuvera Communications project to bring broadband to parts of Belle Creek, Cannon Falls, Leon and Vasa Townships, leaving approximately $200,000 in the coffers for future projects. ...
Kenyon council agrees to hire veteran city manager in interim role
Nearly two months after the departure of longtime City Administrator Mark Vahlsing with no public explanation, Kenyon’s City Council has decided to bring in a veteran hand to serve as a temporary replacement. A month after spurning a ready to go contract in favor of opening up the position to a variety of potential candidates, the council decided to hire the candidate it had interviewed first after all, longtime Prior Lake City Manager Frank Boyles. ...
K-W caps off FFA week with tractor parade
The parking lot at Kenyon-Wanamingo High School looked a bit different than usual Friday. K-W FFA students participated in Drive Your Tractor to School Day, parking machines of all shapes and sizes in a neat row in the lot. At the end of the day, students climbed aboard and paraded their tractors along Sixth Street. One by one, they exited the parking lot, flying the American flag and FFA flag...
The Kenyon Leader
483+
Posts
324K+
Views
The Kenyon Leader has been serving Goodhue County since 1885 and publishes Wednesdays & online at www.TheKenyonLeader.com
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.