News

Ashley Hellewell*, a student at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, has earned a spot on the Academic Dean’s List for the fall 2021 semester. The Dean’s List is comprised of students who have achieved a semester grade point average of 3.50 or above while carrying a minimum of 12 graded hours.

The Murray County Board of Commissioners met on January 25 with Chair Molly Malone presiding. Economic Development Ass’n director Justine Wettschreck presented an update of activities.

Slayton City Council met on Tuesday; January 18th due to the MLK holiday. Eric Paulie, with Xcel Energy, was present at the meeting, just offering his support to the City of Slayton as they research their options and answer any questions that may arise.

The accounting office on 26th Street that has through the past several years held the names of Gerber, Haugen and Bergerson now lists just one name: Katie M. Jacobson, CPA. “When Brad and I partnered in 2019, we bought out Jim Gerber and Steve Haugen,” explained Ms. Jacobson. “Steve worked parttime after his retirement but has fully retired now. Brad has retired now too and sold his share of the business to me but will continue to work with us part-time.” It’s a transition that benefits the accountants and their clients. Katie joined the firm when she graduated from college in 2011 and earned her CPA license in 2014. She remarked, “I grew up on Lake Shetek and I really wanted to come back to this area. When Brad hired me I was warned that he wanted to sell it to me when he retired! So this has been planned for a long time.”

The Slayton American Legion Auxiliary would like to invite all MCC Junior Girls to participate in the “The Girls State” program. It is an opportunity to meet other girls from all over the State of Minnesota and learn all about State government.

Slayton American Legion Post 64 monthly meeting Monday January 31 2022 7pm at the 4-H Building on the Murray County Fairgrounds, 3048 Broadway Ave, Slayton, MN 56172. All veterans, members and non-members, are encouraged to attend. If you have served or have family members who have served and want to find out more on how to become a member of the American Legion family, please join us.

Sons of the American Legion Squadron 64 monthly meeting Monday January 31 2022 6pm at the 4-H Building on the Murray County Fairgrounds, 3048 Broadway Ave, Slayton, MN 56172. If you are a male descendant of a veteran or current service member, you are eligible to become an SAL member, and want to find out more on the SAL please join us.

The Murray County Board of Commissioners met on January 18th with Commissioner Molly Malone as Chair. Blake Heironimus, owner of Slayton Plumbing & Heating, used Open Forum to discuss a possible solution for the high humidity in the Law Enforcement Center. His company had installed the system about ten years ago. In his professional opinion the addition of dehumidifiers at a cost of approximately $5000 each would be effective without the $1M cost proposed for an entire new system.

Golf enthusiasts in southwest Minnesota no longer need to travel hundreds of miles in the winter months to enjoy the sport they love because indoor golf has come to Slayton! Murray County Central alumnus Jacob Erickson has blended his zest for golf and entrepreneurial spirit to create “Golf On Broadway”, an indoor venue with two golf bay simulators, a bar and hearty snacks. Jake explained, “First I considered a golf simulator for my own personal use, but learned that though the commercial simulators are more expensive they are significantly more accurate.” Jake began to dream of a larger investment that he could turn into a business, and talked with his dad, Steve Erickson of Slayton. Jake said, “Dad owns a building on Broadway that is mostly used for storage, so we began to clear stuff out. We’ve installed new windows, doors, flooring...nearly everything.” Golf on Broadway is located at 2517 Broadway Avenue, on the east side of the north end of Broadway. The bays are custom designed with careful planning for adequate space and safety. After all, golfers use standard golf balls, a modified tee and take a full swing to hit the ball into a tarp-like material while the ball appears to be moving several hundred yards down a fairway! It’s a strange sensation, but Jake stated it doesn’t take long for golfers to become comfortable and relax into their swing. The simulators are designed for all levels of players and are fun for every age and ability. “Because of the metrics and instructional tools it’s actually a very good teaching tool for lessons and coaching too, and this is an area where I really want to expand.”

Murray County Central alumna McKenzie Schmitz was recently notified she has been awarded the Sanford Health Administrative Fellowship in Corporate Services. The full-time, twelve month fellowship will be at Sanford Medical Center and begins in July. Ms. Schmitz is one of just four students chosen for this prestigious position this year, and she is thrilled she will work in nearby Sioux Falls.