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July 3, 2024
COLERIDGE — The Coleridge grocery store is scheduled to shut down permanently in August.
That was a tough choice Brenda Whalen and her husband, James Roberts, who own Ken’s Hometown Market, recently had to make.
They had been discussing the decision to permanently close the Coleridge grocery store for nearly a year.
“It was a very hard decision,” Whalen said. “I don’t want to see any town without a grocery store. We were trying to make it work.”
According to a July 1 post on the Ken’s Hometown Market Facebook page, Laurel’s Hometown Market was approached two years ago by the investors group of Ken’s Corner Market.
Whalen and Roberts, who have owned the Laurel grocery store since March 2021, bought the Coleridge store in August 2022.
At that time, Whalen and Roberts bought the Coleridge grocery store and its inventory from the investors group - from whom the couple leased the building with hopes to be in a position to purchase the structure and continue to do business after two years.
“Unfortunately, utilities, payroll, the high cost of groceries, taxes and maintenance on the building and equipment have been too high to continue,” according to the Facebook post.
July 3, 2024
HARTINGTON – If these walls could speak, there would be chatter about brides in exquisite white lace and grooms in traditional black and white suits with bow ties.
Most likely, these walls would gossip about the boy who asked the girl to couple skate, the joining of sweaty palms, and rollers clacking against the hardwood floor.
There would be tales of the perfect item found at a bargain price among the rummage sale tables, and yarns spun about the bands who took the stage, the crowd who sang along, hips swaying to a steady beat.
The walls of the Skylon Ballroom have stood the test of time - more than 70 years - but may soon be torn down.
Its downfall is leaving many with heavy hearts full of memories and traditions that extend beyond the confinement of its four walls.
The last dance at the Skylon is set for Saturday, July 13, after Hartington residents voted against a $1.6 million proposal to move and refurbish it into a community event center. City officials said a community center is desperately needed and will most likely cost twice as much to build new. While there are other places in town to accommodate an event, the Skylon was the largest with enough space to seat 640 people.
Large events bring new people to town who also bring their money with them, providing a boost to the local economy.
“If Hartington doesn’t have a facility, dance hall or something else, to come and enjoy and put on big dances and festivities, where are we going to go —out of town. And that takes revenue away from Hartington. It’s definitely needed. Unfortunately, a lot of people didn’t think it was needed. They were wrong - at least that’s my feeling,” said Bill Yates, Hartington.
The vote also left Roger Wortmann a bit sad and disappointed.
“I don’t think the public knew what could happen and it wasn’t worded right,” he said of the ballot language.
He’s owned the Skylon for the last 30 years but he needs to make room for a business expansion at his Plumbing & Electric business, north of the ballroom.
“It’s a tough thing to work around to get into our building,” he said. “I have to get rid of it.”
But doing what needs to be done is not as easy as it sounds, Wortmann said.
July 10, 2024
HARTINGTON – The Cedar County Fair Board has been working hard and volunteering their time to complete a literal connection – the construction of a new pedestrian bridge – in time for the 2024 edition of the county fair.
Fair Board President Greg Heine noted the point of the bridge – which will cross over the Norwegian Bow Creek – is to allow access to the fairgrounds from about two-and-a-half acres of land that are home to campsites and a parking area.
“We needed more campground space and needed more parking space,” Heine said. “We own that land over there and we just never had access to it because it’s always been separated off.” The bridge will measure 10 feet by 70 feet and be made of a red steel deck that sits on top of a concrete foundation and has ramps at each end to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“This is an easy way to add a really nice feature to our fairgrounds - a nice, cool bridge that goes across the creek” Heine said.
July 17, 2024
HARTINGTON - A Norfolk lawyer has been appointed as the new Cedar County attorney.
Ron Temple will serve as county attorney, officially starting in the role July 9. He takes over the term of Nick Matney who submitted his resignation letter which was recently accepted by the Cedar County Board of Commissioners.
In his resignation letter, Matney said he enjoyed working as the county attorney but was taking his career in a different direction, said County Clerk Jessica Schmit.
With his resignation letter, Matney named Temple as his deputy so he could start handing over his case load before the transition.
“I’m looking forward to the job and hope that I can meet the expectations of the residents of the county,” Temple said. “Having practiced law for 30 years now, I would like to think that my experience will serve me, and ultimately the count, well.”
Matney approached Temple about serving out his term due to Temple’s previous experience in the Dakota County Attorney’s Office in the 1990s. He has been with his current firm, Fitzgerald,Vetter, Temple in Norfolk for the past 27 years.
Temple will be at the Cedar County Courthouse routinely, especially on days when county court and district court is in session, and during county commissioner meetings, he said.
He said county residents can expect to receive prompt and fair prosecution of criminal cases, as well as prompt and accurate representation in civil matters involving the county.
July 24, 2024
HARTINGTON — Homecoming 2024 will be a community-wide event this year.
Hartington-Newcastle and Cedar Catholic officials have decided to both hold Homecoming festivities on Sept.
13-- “Because of other activities scheduled, both schools wanted to have Homecoming on that date,” Hartington- Newcastle Supt. A.J. Johnson said.
The schools will hold a joint parade at 11:30 a.m. that day.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating together,” Johnson said. “It should be a great experience for the town, alumni and our kids.”
Despite having a joint Homecoming parade and two football games on the same day, the schools don’t plan to share in any other activities.
HNS typically holds its coronation ceremonies some time before the game, itself.
Cedar Catholic’s coronation and dance will still take place Friday evening, but no time has yet been set for those activities.
“I think it will be a fun day for the community and will bring a lot of spirit and pride to the schools by having both homecomings on the same day,” Cedar Catholic assistant principal Chad Cattau said. “We have never had it on a double- header day so we will see how it all works out.”
July 24, 2024
HARTINGTON —Security Bank will open its new facility at 313 S. Robinson Avenue in Hartington next week.
In preparation for the July 29 opening of the new facility, Security Bank’s current Hartington office will be closed on Saturday, July 27. Both Security Bank and Security Wealth Strategies will be relocating from their current downtown Hartington locations.
During the temporary closure, online banking services and ATMs will remain fully operational, allowing bank customers to manage accounts and perform transactions. \\To celebrate the opening, Security Bank will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house at a later date.
July 24, 2024
HARTINGTON - Cedar County Fair Board President Greg Heine declared the recently concluded five-day Cedar County Fair as a total success.
Despite a Friday afternoon downpour that dumped nearly three inches of rain onto the fairgrounds and could have spelled disaster, the Fair went off well.
“Friday night was a struggle to get the concert done and that hurt us,” he said. “We had to scramble with that rain. I was worried and thinking we were done and would have to cancel Friday’s show. An hour before the concert I still thought we’d have to cancel. We just got lucky, though.”
The Drew Baldridge and Dillon Carmichael concert was delayed an hour to give organizers a chance to get the stage and the rest of the fairgrounds ready after the storm went through.
Fair Board members brought in extra gravel and wood chips to help folks and vehicles navigate through the area after the storm.
The three-day CedarStock event may have gotten off to a rocky start because of the storm, but Saturday’s concert exceeded all expectations as a new attendance record was set for the Fair with nearly 4,200 people turning out to hear Justin Moore sing his country music hits.
The old attendance record was set two years ago when Walker Hayes performed here.
Moore and his band performed on a new, enlarged stage. The stage was 100 feet long, and 40 feet wide.
Moving the stage back helped to accommodate a bigger crowd, Heine said. That allowed more people to stand in front of the stage, and it also allowed for more people to bring in lawn chairs. Sunday”s Chase Mathew and Chayce Beckham concert also drew a good crowd.
July 315 2024
HARTINGTON - The third annual Hartington Dayz celebration will take place Saturday.
Many of the events will be in the downtown area, but many more will take place all over town.
The day will feature community garage sales, a fun run, a disc golf tournament and a cornhole tournament.
Arbor Care Center is also planning a car show that day.
Downtown businesses are planning sidewalk sales and a vendor fair is also planned for downtown.
The day-long event will truly offer something for everyone as duck races, a foam party and a kids zone are also planned for the downtown area. The event is again organized by the Hartington Chamber of Commerce.
