Articles

Farmington principal will be a national advocate for education

Everybody at North Trail Elementary School knows it. No doubt, there are still students and teachers and parents from Farmington Middle School West who know it, too. Pretty soon, so many more will know just how much Dr. Steven Geis cares about educating students.

• Photo: Steven Geis

FHS mock crash shows the very real consequences to drinking and driving

The scene outside Farmington High School was somber Thursday morning as FHS juniors and seniors took in the scene of a mock crash. The premise of the mock crash was that of a head-on, two car accident caused by a drunk driver who was taking a carload of friends to Prom.

• Gallery: FHS Mock Crash 2012

Concerns about condition of several downtown houses spark visits by Farmington city staff

Complaints about the condition of several homes in downtown Farmington have city have city officials wondering how to rectify the problem. There are about a dozen homes in the downtown area that are suffering from varying degrees of age and neglect.

Girls golf: Swenson cards 97 at Creek’s Bend

Farmington girls golf coach Jon Stock is pretty pleased with his team’s performance Monday at Creek’s Bend Golf Course in New Prague. “We had our first score under 100 for the season, so that was pretty exciting,” Stock said Tuesday.

Looking back: Ordinance banned use of slingshots and shot guns in city limits in 1937

Farmington residents were ordered to clean up their properties - including removal of manure piles and stove pipes - 100 years ago. Check out what else happened this week in Farmington's history.

Farmington firefighters will supervise the new truck’s construction

One more approval, and Farmington could have its new fire truck by as early as the end of this year. On Monday, Farmington City Council members voted unanimously to approve purchasing a fire rescue truck from the Pierce manufacturing company, for a proposed price of $560,064.

Farmington Fire Explorers event will give teens hands-on experience responding to emergencies

There might be a few fire trucks and ambulances driving around Farmington Saturday. Don’t worry, though — the calls they’re responding to are all simulated events designed to educate area teens.

Christian Life School students will present ‘Fairytale Salad’

Being a teenager isn’t always easy. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. And figuring out how to be a teenager and do the right thing? Well, that’s not always easy, either. But it is all part of growing up. That’s a lesson learned in the upcoming production of Fairytale Salad at Christian Life School.

• Photo: Fairytale Salad

Charlie Weierke’s Midday Show! brings the news to Farmington students in a talk show format

Charlie Weierke might not have the following that late night talk show hosts Conan O’Brein or Jay Leno do, but around Farmington High School, he’s got a pretty good fan base all the same. Host of The Midday Show! with Charlie Weierke, the senior has all the makings of a good talk show host.

• Photo: Charlie Weierke

Castle Rock family’s home is named a 2012 Century Farm

Little Brynley Kuhn is still a toddler, but she’s definitely got farming in her blood. It could be because, in her very young age, she’s known nothing but the farming life. After all, she comes from a long line of farming. So long, in fact, that the Kuhn family’s 160-acre farm in Castle Rock Township has been added to the list of Minnesota Century Farms.

• Photo: Century Farm

Columns

Column: Memory full; please delete content

I got this message on my cell phone over the weekend: Memory full. Please delete content. It came from my text message inbox. It seems I’d gotten so many messages my phone simply ran out of memory. I know how it feels. I’m feeling that way myself these days.

Column: A new view on the state capitol

I think I was in fourth grade the first time I set foot in the Minnesota State Capitol. I’m pretty sure it was a class trip, with all of us kids from Gaylord toting our cold meat sandwiches in brown paper bags. Heading to the big city of St. Paul, ready to see the sights we’d only read about in text books.

Column: Adjusting to life without sirens

When I lived in town, I used to count sirens at night. Weird as that might sound, I did it, whether I wanted to or not. I’d hear the sirens in the summer especially, when I would have my windows open in the evenings. At times, I’d wake from a sound sleep. I’d lie there, listening, and counting.

Column: Big decisions don't come easily

I’ve been wrestling with a big decision in my life lately. I’ve decided that the time has come for me to step down as president of the Farmington American Legion Auxiliary, but it’s not been an easy decision by any stretch of the imagination.

Column: Make the most of life in 2012

On Sunday, a friend of mine posted a kind of funny picture on her Facebook page. It was a cartoon of two Mayans talking, one of them leaning on a circular calendar. “I only had enough room to go up to 2012,” one of them says. “Ha! That’ll freak somebody out someday!” says the other.

Column: Good thing I didn’t make resolutions

Just out of curiosity Monday, I pulled up a column I wrote the first week of 2011. In it, I decided I was already too far into the new year – it was published on Jan. 6 – to set any resolutions. I thought instead I’d make me some pledges. And it’s a good thing I didn’t make those resolutions, because I’d have a heck of a lot to do in the next week. First off, I had pledged to learn to play cribbage, because The Beau likes to play Cribbage. Whoops. Didn’t master that one yet. File under “To Do in 2012.”

Column: Transitioning to a ‘dog person’

Puppies are funny creatures. I got my first kitten for my 10th birthday. I was 23 when my dad had to take her to the vet for the last time. Michke, my last cat, was my companion for 14 years. Suffice it to say, I understand cats. If I’d been asked, even three months ago, I’d fall under the “Cat Person” category. But now, Rissa’s come to our house, and she’s really messing with that whole label.

Column: The newspaper gods are on my side

Here’s the thing about holiday weeks: there is usually far too much to do, in far too little time. Don’t get me wrong. I’m gearing up for a nice, long four-day weekend with family and a couple hundred of my closest Black Friday shopping friends, just like anybody else.

Column: A case of puppy love at first sight

I had to break the news to Farmington fire chief Tim Pietsch Monday: for the first time in I don’t know how many years, I will not make it to Turkey Bingo this year. And as much as I enjoyed the 451st Army Band concert two years ago, I won’t make it to that, either.

Column: Finding the good from Sept. 11

Yet another year of omelet breakfasts at the Farmington American Legion started up last Sunday. By coincidence, it happened that our first breakfast of the year was scheduled on the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.