Root River Current - Root River Current

Health / Land & Water / Policy & Government

Area Woman Brings Stories from the Past to Life

Policy & Government

Fillmore County Law Enforcement Settles Into Upgraded Facility

Inside Root River Current / Poetry

Saying No to Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoid pesticides are under scrutiny in southeastern Minnesota as concerns grow over their impact on pollinators, water quality and human health.

People dressed in protective fire gear, holding long handled rakes and shovels walk through a sparse woods over greenish brown vegetation. Behind them is a like of smoke and a bright blue sky.

Local Group Connects Neighbors for Safe Use of Fire in Land Management

Root River Prescribed Burn Association brings community members together for prescribed burns throughout the greater Root River Valley.

An older man with dark rimmed glasses and dark ball cap intently focuses on tying a trout fly under a bright light and magnifying glass. Another man on the right is speaking and showing him how to do the task.

Fly Tying Workshop Finishes Up its Fifth Year

Fly tying, fish tales and community come together at regular social gatherings in Lanesboro.

In the News | Nitrate Risks in Karst Regions

A roundup of recent news regarding nitrate pollution, water quality and mitigation efforts in the Driftless Karst region of Southeastern Minnesota.

Close-up view of melting river ice with bright sunlight reflecting off the water’s surface. The light creates sparkling starburst highlights across the rippling water, and a faint rainbow prism appears near the upper right where the sun hits the surface. Pale blue ice edges frame darker flowing water beneath, creating strong contrast between frozen and moving sections.

Photo Gallery | Winter on the Water

Original photography of winter on the waterways of the Driftless region in Southeastern Minnesota.

A wide stretch of river covered in drifted snow. Banks are lined with bare trees.

Root River Watershed Sees Gains, Sets Priorities for Next Decade

Water quality in Minnesota’s Root River Watershed has improved over the past decade as officials plan the next 10 years of groundwater and soil protection.

A slender woman in a green zip-up pullover, jeans, and teal stocking cap stands with her hands in her pockets in a snow-covered field beside a long plastic-covered high tunnel greenhouse, with rolling hills in the background on a winter day in southeastern Minnesota.

Featherstone Farm: Growing Organic Food Through Fair Labor

Discover Featherstone Farm, a Minnesota organic vegetable farm rooted in soil stewardship, fair labor and local food systems since 1994.

Community members talk with utility staff at a Dairyland Power open house in Preston, Minnesota, reviewing poster displays about the proposed Gopher-to-Badger high-voltage transmission line project.

Planned Gopher-to-Badger Link Addresses Regional Power Needs

Dairyland Power outlines plans for the Gopher-to-Badger Link, a proposed 765kV transmission line across southern Minnesota to strengthen the regional electric grid.

A narrow trout stream curves through a wooded valley with patches of snow on the grassy banks and leafless trees on both sides, showing clear water flowing through a restored creek channel in winter

Landowners Recognized for Protecting Creek Habitat in Winona County

Landowners Claire Bender and Sue Ramthun are honored as Outstanding Conservationists for protecting land resources and restoring trout habitat along Trout Run Creek, a Root River tributary in Winona County, Minn.

Six Canada geese glide across a calm river lined with autumn trees, their orange and gold foliage mirrored in the still water.

Essay | Summer, Spring, Winter and Fall, Water Calls to Us

A reflective essay by John Weiss exploring our deep connection to water in all its beauty, its warnings and the vital role it plays in our landscape and lives.

See all stories in Land & Water

Culture & Community

A young woman with light skin smiles while standing outdoors in front of a historic red brick building decorated with patriotic bunting. She wears dark sunglasses and a light blue button-up shirt, with her hair pulled back. The background shows green grass, white fencing, and the restored building, suggesting a historic site setting.

Area Woman Brings Stories from the Past to Life

Laney Smith of Spring Valley uses genealogy, storytelling and her podcast “Roots & Riddles” to uncover forgotten families, ghost towns and local history in Fillmore County.

Woman with brown hair and blue eyes leans on her right hand. Behind her in the background is an enlarged photo of her book cover.

Local Story of Surviving Abuse Premieres Nationally on PBS

A new PBS Independent Lens documentary, Keep Quiet and Forgive, tells the story of Southeast Minnesota author and survivor-advocate Lizzie Hershberger. The film premieres nationally March 23 and will also screen locally in Spring Grove.

A group of four people sit around a small table with cards laid out in front of each person.

Gamesboro Brings Role-Playing Gamers to Lanesboro

A surprise snowstorm didn’t stop the annual Gamesboro event in Lanesboro, Minn., where more than 50 participants gathered at multiple local venues to play immersive role-playing and tabletop games all weekend.

Local Group Connects Neighbors for Safe Use of Fire in Land Management

Root River Prescribed Burn Association brings community members together for prescribed burns throughout the greater Root River Valley.

Fly Tying Workshop Finishes Up its Fifth Year

Fly tying, fish tales and community come together at regular social gatherings in Lanesboro.

A close-up of an older woman with short, curly gray hair and glasses sitting at a table. She carefully pours seeds from a small packet into one of several small metal cups lined up in front of her. She wears a gray cardigan over a patterned blouse and focuses intently on her task. Papers, seed packets, and a plate sit on the table nearby.

Seed Library Aims to Grow Community in Spring Valley

Spring Valley Public Library launches a free seed library March 14, offering vegetable and flower seeds to grow community, health and food security.

Inside a room filled with framed sports memorabilia, an older man wearing glasses and a maroon baseball cap sits facing the camera while holding a framed certificate and a small glass award. The certificate reads “Heritage Award.” A woman with shoulder-length wavy blond hair stands beside him, leaning in and smiling toward the camera with one hand resting near his shoulder. Behind them are framed photos, vintage signs, and a window, creating a warm, personal setting that reflects community history and recognition.

Essay | Preserving the Past, Honoring the Present

The Houston Area Museum names Ron Carrier as its first Heritage Award recipient, honoring decades of dedication to preserving Houston, Minn. history as the museum approaches its third anniversary.

A woman stands at the front of a community meeting room, speaking and gesturing with both hands while facing seated attendees. A projector screen behind her displays a slide titled “Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture” with a circular diagram of terms. Several people sit at long tables in the foreground, listening and taking notes. The room has gray walls, a refrigerator on the left, and daylight coming through a small window.

FACT Workshop Hopes to Empower Marginalized Groups

Fillmore Action on Coming Together hosted a workshop in Rushford Village examining how marginalized groups are excluded from decision-making and how allyship can help build more inclusive communities.

A low, modern brick building sits on a snow-covered slope under a bright blue sky. Large dark windows face outward, reflecting the light. Bare trees line the hillside behind the building, and a tall communications tower rises above the trees. An American flag stands on a pole near the right side of the building.

Coming Together to Keep the Branding Iron Open

When the Branding Iron Restaurant in Preston, Minn. faced closure, community members and former employees united to save the beloved small-town supper club.

Grand Meadow Artisan Creates Handmade, Permanent Leather Goods

Grand Meadow artisan Zech Sindt of Bluffland Leather Co. creates hand-stitched leather goods built to last a lifetime using traditional, sustainable methods.

See all stories in Culture & Community

Business & Work

Outdoor patio at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, Minnesota, filled with people enjoying drinks and live music beside the brewery building, with umbrellas, flowers, and scenic bluffs in the background.

How a Small-Town Brewery Became a Regional Destination

Discover Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro, a small-town craft brewery known for quality beer, community events and a welcoming “third space” atmosphere.

Coming Together to Keep the Branding Iron Open

When the Branding Iron Restaurant in Preston, Minn. faced closure, community members and former employees united to save the beloved small-town supper club.

Aerial view of container ships and cargo cranes at the Port of Santos in Brazil, a major global export hub handling a large share of South American soybean shipments.

How Tariffs and China’s Global Investments are Reshaping Farming

Tune in for a free virtual forum that will explore how tariffs and China’s global investments are reshaping Upper Midwest agriculture and soybean markets; in partnership with Mississippi Basin Ag & Water Desk.

Grand Meadow Artisan Creates Handmade, Permanent Leather Goods

Grand Meadow artisan Zech Sindt of Bluffland Leather Co. creates hand-stitched leather goods built to last a lifetime using traditional, sustainable methods.

Person wearing a knit hat and beige sweater stands on a snowy sidewalk in a small Minnesota downtown, with a local grocery store and historic brick buildings in the background.

Bluff Country Business Academy to Support Local Businesses

Preston and Lanesboro are partnering on the Bluff Country Business Academy, an eight-week program designed to help small businesses grow and thrive.

Featherstone Farm: Growing Organic Food Through Fair Labor

Discover Featherstone Farm, a Minnesota organic vegetable farm rooted in soil stewardship, fair labor and local food systems since 1994.

Wildlife rescuer wearing a brown jacket and yellow gloves carefully holds a large adult bald eagle inside a cluttered workshop, with shelves of tools, containers and equipment in the background. The eagle is looking back at the man.

Area Family Rescues Animals Year-Round

An injured juvenile bald eagle rescued near Spring Valley during a snowstorm sheds light on the work of The Rescue Connection, a family-run wildlife rescue serving southern Minnesota.

A combine harvester cuts through a field of mature soybeans while unloading grain into a tractor-pulled wagon beside it, creating a cloud of dust on a sunny day.

Regional Soybean Production: Understanding What Happens When the Top Buyer Stops Buying

An in-depth look at how halted Chinese soybean purchases, falling prices and a $12B relief fund are reshaping farming across the Midwest.

A full gymnasium filled with about 100 people seated in rows of folding chairs for a community meeting. The audience consists mostly of middle-aged and older adults, chatting and holding printed handouts. The room has basketball hoops, beige block walls, and fluorescent lights overhead.

Harmony Annexes 60 Acres for Possible Data Center

John Torgrimson and Julie Little report on community meetings surrounding a potential data center coming to Harmony.

three actors on state with deep blue curtains in background

In Rural Minnesota, this Resident Ensemble Model Thrives

Robert Hubbard takes us behind the scenes at Lanesboro’s Commonweal Theatre to reveal the secrets of its success as a professional theatre for nearly 40 years!

See all stories in Business & Work

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Policy & Government

A close-up, highly detailed image of a fuzzy black-and-yellow bumblebee collecting nectar from the center of a bright purple flower. The bee’s body is covered in fine hairs and dusted with pollen, especially around its legs and underside. The flower has long, thin purple petals radiating outward from a dense yellow center. The background is softly blurred green, making the bee and flower stand out sharply in focus.

Saying No to Neonicotinoids

Neonicotinoid pesticides are under scrutiny in southeastern Minnesota as concerns grow over their impact on pollinators, water quality and human health.

An octagonal room with windows stretching all the way around and large screens hanging above them. At a desk in the middle with another array of screens sits a man in a sheriff's uniform.

Fillmore County Law Enforcement Settles Into Upgraded Facility

Fillmore County law enforcement has moved into a new jail and sheriff’s office in Preston, replacing an aging facility and adding updated technology, training space, and improved inmate supervision.

A man with graying hair wearing a white short sleeve shirt with brown pocket flaps, a flag emblem, and a sheriff's star sits at a clean desk and smiles at the camera.

Federal Immigration Enforcement Surge Bypasses Fillmore County

Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge sits down with reporter David Phillips to discuss regional immigration enforcement activities.

In the News | Nitrate Risks in Karst Regions

A roundup of recent news regarding nitrate pollution, water quality and mitigation efforts in the Driftless Karst region of Southeastern Minnesota.

How Tariffs and China’s Global Investments are Reshaping Farming

Planned Gopher-to-Badger Link Addresses Regional Power Needs

Dairyland Power outlines plans for the Gopher-to-Badger Link, a proposed 765kV transmission line across southern Minnesota to strengthen the regional electric grid.

Yellow diamond road sign showing a horse-drawn Amish buggy with a small amber light above it that flashes when a buggy is present, standing beside a snowy rural highway with cars passing on the left and leafless trees lining the roadside in winter

First-ever Amish Buggy Alert Signals Installed in Fillmore County

MnDOT installs flashing Amish buggy alert signs on Highway 44 in an effort to improve safety after two separate fatal vehicle-buggy crashes.

Regional Soybean Production: Understanding What Happens When the Top Buyer Stops Buying

An in-depth look at how halted Chinese soybean purchases, falling prices and a $12B relief fund are reshaping farming across the Midwest.

Farm Programs Support Permanent Prairies, Wetlands and Sensitive Groundwater

Agricultural projects from Mower and Houston counties advance land preservation and water quality initiatives – updates from our county ag professionals.

A large Channel One Regional Food Bank truck is parked beside a red brick building with boarded windows. A worker in a gray hoodie unloads boxes on a lift gate, while two people stand near the open door labeled “Food Shelf.”

Local Food Shelves Stepping Up to Meet Record Demand

David Phillips reports on food shelves across southeastern Minnesota facing record demand in 2025 as inflation, high costs and reduced SNAP benefits strain family budgets.

See all stories in Policy & Government

Education

Seed Library Aims to Grow Community in Spring Valley

Spring Valley Public Library launches a free seed library March 14, offering vegetable and flower seeds to grow community, health and food security.

Returning the Sword: New Book Chronicles Local Man’s Gift to Japanese Family

Minnesota author Caren Stelson’s latest picture book focuses on the story of a Lanesboro man’s efforts to reconnect a World War II souvenir with its rightful owner in Japan.

A woman carrying a tall pole with a banner on it is followed by a large crowd of people through a path mown through tall grass.

Flourish at DreamAcres: 20 Years of Youth, Arts and Agriculture in Rural Minnesota

David Phillips reports on Flourish at DreamAcres, the unique summer camp in Wykoff that has blended arts and agriculture for 20 years.

Young children lean on a table with crafts made from egg cartons and pipe cleaners.

Youth of All Ages Engage in Creative Summer Arts Programs

Summer arts programs for area youth teach collaboration, creativity and community involvement; our photos and video montage capture their enthusiasm!

Students in black graduation gowns stand in front of an orange brick building and throw their black caps into the air.

Community Backs Students’ Educational Journey

David Phillips reports on the outpouring of support from Kingsland area donors to help support continuing education of graduating seniors.

A large group of people of all ages sit on benches in an outside grassy area with leafy trees behind them. All are facing the camera in a group photo setting.

Eagle Bluff Marks its 45th Year with Reunion

Outdoor education is key to Eagle Bluff’s success; Clare Mazack reports on the learning center’s 45th year of programming and the staff behind its programs.

A large group of students stand and kneel for a group photo in a classroom with a large white screen behind them.

Earning a Different Kind of Varsity Letter

Steve Harris reports on the first ever Fillmore County student to receive a high school letter in volunteering through the United Way.

Four high school students, two in chest waders, stand knee deep in a trout stream.

High Schoolers Learning from Trout

John Weiss checks back in with Rushford-Peterson students as they complete their Trout in the Classroom project with a stream release.

Students line up in a grassy area waiting to shoot at clay pigeons.

High School Clay Target League is a Growing Sport

Tom Brudvig visits the Lanesboro Gun Club as the Trap Shooting Team takes the course.

Groups of people of all ages sit around tables in a library with sun streaming in the windows.. They are leaning over tables sorting garden seeds.

Cultivating Community: How the Chatfield Public Library is Sowing Seeds

Move over books and periodicals: Laurie Byrne explains how seeds are making their way into area libraries.

See all stories in Education

Inside Root River Current

Folks Behind Our Stories

As it enters its fourth year of publication, Root River Current‘s content contributors and publishers share memories, a look forward and an original poem.

photo of a laptop with view of Root River Current homepage

Inside Root River Current | Three Years Strong – And Counting!

Root River Current celebrates three years of stories, poems, photography and more, taking aim at its fourth year of publishing!

composite of Root River Current board of directors

Join a Visionary, Creative and Committed Board of Directors

Get involved — help advance Root River Current’s mission to publish stories that ‘build community’ in Southeast Minnesota!

A musician wearing glasses and a plaid shirt plays an acoustic guitar on stage inside a warm, wood-paneled venue. He faces an audience of older adults seated at small tables, listening closely under soft string lights.

Celebrating Creativity!

A photo gallery of Root River Current’s recent celebration of regional arts and artists featured in stories published in 2025.

kids gathered at table with art supplies

Celebrating 2025 Regional Arts & Artists

Root River Current celebrated its featured 2025 “Regional Arts & Artists” in November.

A group of people standing in a line above a deep impression covered in vegetation look down at a man standing in the middle of the hole.

Inside Root River Current | A Visit to the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry

The Root River Current team joined community leaders, archaeologists and area residents for a special tour of the Grand Meadow Chert Quarry/Wanhi Yukan Preserve.

80+ people posing for group photo at Press Forward MN event

Inside Root River Current | Steps Forward

Behind the scenes, Root River Current advances Press Forward Minnesota collaboration and makes website changes to enhance your experience with its content.

Inside Root River Current | Community Leadership

Root River Current’s Board of Directors expands by one in 2025; meet the newly elected and re-elected directors.

Inside Root River Current | Our Ag & Water Connection

How do our partners approach their work? Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk’s Madeline Heim shares her insights.

Your Leadership Can Make a Difference in Root River Current’s Third Year

Root River Current seeks Board of Directors candidates to support 2025 growth—can you help?

See all stories in Inside Root River Current

Community Voices

A small red and white child’s bicycle lies on its side in patchy melting snow on a wooden porch. A thin layer of fresh snow coats the bike’s frame, seat, and tires. Behind it, a red tricycle and a larger red bicycle lean near the house’s light-colored exterior wall and a dark-framed door. The ground shows a mix of ice, slush, and exposed wood, suggesting a late winter thaw.

Essay | Fool’s Spring

Our February thaw brought “fool’s spring” to Minnesota, says Greg Schieber, as he shares in this essay on homestead life, winter chores and a family walk along the South Fork of the Root River.

POETRY | Root River Current Tribute

Poet Julie Little salutes Root River Current on the occasion of its third anniversary.

A stone statue of a woman stands at the center of a circular fountain, with water spraying outward from sculpted fish at the base. The statue is surrounded by trees with bright yellow and orange autumn leaves. Benches and a lawn are visible in the background, and sunlight illuminates the park setting.

Essay | The Death of a Beautiful Woman: Unpacking the Legends of Winona

Explore the origins and evolution of the Princess Winona legend, tracing how history, folklore and myth transformed a Dakota story into a lasting American trope.

Leafless tree branches stand in silhouette along a dark hillside beneath a vibrant winter sunset sky, with layered pink, coral and purple clouds glowing near the horizon.

Root River Winter Hues

During Southeast Minnesota’s darkest weeks, winter sunsets still glow. Explore Craig Johnson’s photo gallery of December skies and river scenes from Houston County’s Root River Valley.

Exterior of the St. Mane Theatre with a vintage marquee on a small-town main street, brick facade, bench and sidewalk in daylight.

Essay | Lanesboro’s State Theatre, From Silent Films to Center Stage

A nostalgic look at the State Theatre in Lanesboro, Minnesota, tracing its journey from silent films to its rebirth as the St. Mane Theatre and a vibrant community arts space.

Essay | Summer, Spring, Winter and Fall, Water Calls to Us

A reflective essay by John Weiss exploring our deep connection to water in all its beauty, its warnings and the vital role it plays in our landscape and lives.

A young girl wearing sunglasses, a pink hoodie, gloves, and colorful boots tosses a piece of firewood into a blue wood cart outdoors. She stands on a large pile of split logs next to evergreen trees, with bright sun shining behind her and a red barn in the background.

Essay | Putting Up Firewood: A Family Affair

Just in time for holiday gatherings…Greg Schieber’s original essay about putting up firewood for the winter, from memories of his own youthful years to the help lovingly shared by his own kids today.

Wide view of Stockholm’s waterfront with bridges, walkways, and historic buildings under a partly cloudy sky, with people walking and biking along the water’s edge.

Essay | The Pursuit of Happiness

Touring from Gothenburg to Stockholm, John Torgrimson explores firsthand why Sweden ranks among the world’s happiest nations – and has some “caring and sharing” observations for the holidays.

Autumn Colors in the Driftless

Root River Current photographers capture a range of fall colors for our November photo gallery.

A close-up of an old arched window framed in peeling white paint above a weathered wooden door. Bare tree branches partly obscure the view, and sunlight highlights the cracked glass and faded blue-gray siding.

Essay | Haunted by Time: Southeastern Minnesota’s Forgotten Schoolhouses and Farmsteads

John Weiss explores Fillmore County’s time-haunted schoolhouses and farmsteads where fading paint and sagging walls still teach lessons.

See all in Community Voices

Regional Arts

Essay | The Root River Anthology: Five Years Later

Regional writer and performing artist Catherine Glynn reflects on the process of producing a radio play during Covid-19 in this 2025 essay.

sunshine streams through the clouds with an American flag on the left

Youth and Creativity: Watching Talent Grow

Root River Current’s 2025 review of youth arts stories.

Celebrating Creativity!

A photo gallery of Root River Current’s recent celebration of regional arts and artists featured in stories published in 2025.

Celebrating Regional Arts & Artists – Again!

Check out Root River Current’s 2025 review of Regional Arts & Artists included in this year’s reporting on arts and culture in Southeast Minnesota.

woman and man on stage during theater production

Profile | John B. Nicol: Lanesboro’s “Jack of Arts”

Meet Lanesboro artist John B. Nicol whose career blends theater, photography and history into his special role in rural Minnesota. Steve Harris has this profile.

An older woman with gray hair and glasses sits under a large tree on a sunny day, playing a nyckel harpa—a wooden instrument resembling a violin with keys and strings. She wears a blue T-shirt with a colorful abstract print and a Star of David necklace. The scene feels peaceful, with soft sunlight on green grass.

Houston Arts Resource Council Celebrates 27 Years of Creativity

Now in its 27th year, the Houston Arts Resource Council (HARC) remains the heart of Houston, Minnesota’s creative community. Rose Korabek reports on their work supporting local artists by sponsoring the Parade of Owls, Meadowfest and the Houston Arts Festival.

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