H1N1 flu picture looking better — for now For the first time since the state started requiring schools to report flu-like breakouts, last week Rice County didn’t have any schools on the list. Corey Butler Jr.

After-school program aims to help middle-school students Bishar Abdullahi has always enjoyed math, but the Faribault Middle School sixth-grader said it’s more gratifying now that it’s coming easier. Corey Butler Jr. - 12 opinions posted

Business owner initiates watch The last two times someone broke out the front windows of Town and Rural Mercantile, the culprits failed to make entry. Kay Fate - 1 opinion posted

Seniors record memories together As a little girl, Jeanette Reuvers lived in a house that was probably haunted, she realized years later. Kay Fate

Local students are lending a ham Mac Malecha was pleased with his school’s contribution to Nelson’s Market Place “Stuff-a-Truck” campaign. Corey Butler Jr.

On the path to Christmas There’s a mystery in Spring Park: Who keeps decorating this tree? Kay Fate - 6 opinions posted

Opening land-swap proposal falls flat The first proposed land swap from the Faribault Woolen Mill’s property owners left Faribault City Council Finance Committee members wanting more. Kay Fate

Author for this Year of the Reader announced John Coy has been patiently waiting for his turn. Corey Butler Jr.

Mindful of the state’s homeless Faribault Lutheran School students attend Tuesday’s Homelessness Awareness Week ceremony in Central Park. 1 opinion posted

An education in administration Tim Madigan’s first college degree was in education. Teaching, he says, prepared him for his eventual career — now 30 years — in city government. Madigan has been the Faribault City Administrator for 19 years. Kay Fate - 12 opinions posted

School officials chart AYP course Liz Keenan knows the effort needs to be there — from staff and students alike — to improve the district and its schools’ standing in the federally graded Adequate Yearly Progress. Corey Butler Jr.

District to adopt public comment policy The Faribault School Board tabled a policy that would put in writing the role the public plays in its meetings. Corey Butler Jr. - 1 opinion posted

Shopping season starts with contest FARIBAULT — Downtown Faribault businesses will kick off the holiday shopping season from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday with a lighting contest, store specials, holiday merchandise and refreshments. Kay Fate

New medical advice: Wait on mammograms until 50 NEW YORK (AP) — Most women don't need a mammogram in their 40s and should get one every two years starting at 50, a government task force said Monday. It's a major reversal that conflicts with the American Cancer Society's long-standing position. Associated Press - 12 opinions posted

Cardinals welcomed home with ceremony Bethlehem Academy’s Class A state champion volleyball team got a lively welcome home. Pauline Schreiber - 3 opinions posted

Team play is what makes champions There’s a reason why the Bethlehem Academy volleyball team makes an annual appearance in the Class A state tournament, and it goes beyond the cliched hard work and determination bit. Mark Remme

County uses more than $16 million a year When you have a $46 million budget, every dollar — scratch that — every nickel matters. Corey Butler Jr. - 1 opinion posted

Airfest wings it with funding for now Every dollar counts. That’s what Faribault Airfest officials want spectators and supporters to know. Kay Fate

Freedom to ride ATVs comes with rules Kyle Betcher had his helmet on and was waiting for the riding part of an all-terrain vehicle safety course to begin. Pauline Schreiber

Wesley Bahl’s name lives on through gifts Wesley Bahl’s tour of duty in Vietnam left him with an appreciation for each new day, said his wife, Marian Bahl. Pauline Schreiber

A dose of reality More than 100 pounds of DEA-controlled substances and old pills were deposited in six weeks, surprising even the disposal project’s organizers. Kay Fate - 1 opinion posted

Faribault community loses a civic leader Faribault lost a respected member of its business community Friday. Kathy Nelson - 1 opinion posted

Double the donation for nonprofits on Tuesday Doing a little good just got a bit easier. Corey Butler Jr. - 1 opinion posted

Event tugs at purse strings Gina Little was tired at the end of her work week. She wasn’t dreading manning a booth at Friday’s Power of the Purse fundraiser for the United Way, but she wasn’t thrilled about it, either. Pauline Schreiber

Judge mandates drug treatment for offender Aaron Adrian Winkelman, 27, had a simple remark for Judge William Johnson on Friday in Rice County District Court. Corey Butler Jr.

Thanksgiving dinner is served, again After 24 years, Jerry Hlady has organizing the Faribault free Community Thanksgiving Dinner down to a science. Pauline Schreiber

City helps make a house a home The little house at 123 Park Ave. was, in a word, shocking. Kay Fate - 4 opinions posted

Even on the 13th, many short on superstition An estimated 20 million people are affected by a fear of Friday the 13th. That’s according to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, N.C., which reports that some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed that day. Kay Fate - 2 opinions posted

Time again to prepare for winter dangers With cooler weather comes warmer clothing and more of it — but how much is enough? Corey Butler Jr.

New middle school class aims to improve students, test scores Roy G. Biv, Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. Corey Butler Jr.

Cody and his crew help revive school prairie A Boy Scout revived a prairie garden at Jefferson Elementary School as his Eagle Scout community-service project. Pauline Schreiber - 1 opinion posted

Cardinals advance in volleyball tourney The Bethlehem Academy volleyball defeated Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 3-0 in its first round of the Class A tournament held at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The Cardinals are the No. 1 seed.

Another trip to state, another title awaits? On Wednesday, the Bethlehem Academy volleyball team hopped into a convoy of vehicles and began its trip to the Class A state volleyball tournament for the eighth consecutive year. Mark Remme

Passing on history Wyatt Thompson, a 9-year-old student at Roosevelt Elementary, wore his great-grandfather’s Army jacket and hat on Veterans Day. Twelve years ago, Wyatt’s older brother, Nathaniel, also wore one of his great-grandpa’s jackets and hats on Veterans Day. Corey Butler Jr.

Union seeks arbitration for hiring Arbitration is the next step in the dispute over the hiring of a mentor coordinator for the Faribault School District. Corey Butler Jr. - 9 opinions posted

Ovarian cancer difficult to detect The right side of Carol Jacobson’s abdomen felt “big and mushy,” she told her daughter. Kay Fate

Rare Aircraft holds groundbreaking on Thursday Rare Aircraft will celebrate its return to town at a groundbreaking Thursday at the municipal airport. Jaci Smith, Regional Editor

All with honor Five local World War II veterans are flown to Washington to see the monuments that mark their service. Kay Fate - 7 opinions posted

Veterans memorial making strides Lloyd Grandprey knew expanding the memorial at the Rice County Courthouse was going to take a lot of effort and time. Corey Butler Jr.

Veterans Day events

Offender calls off planned move to Faribault A Level 3 sex offender who planned to move to Faribault on Sunday has withdrawn his request for a transfer from Ohio, authorities learned Tuesday. Kay Fate - 18 opinions posted

Building company requests tabled Information about proposed resolutions to bring a local construction company to code left City Council with more questions than answers. Kay Fate

Curtain call for Movie Gallery The local Movie Gallery store sat empty Tuesday afternoon, except for shelving and a cleaning crew. Pauline Schreiber - 6 opinions posted

County sells bonds, gets 3.3% interest rate The Rice County Board of Commissioners approved the sale of $15 million in capital improvement bonds to help revitalize county roadways. Corey Butler Jr.

Kitchen band instrumental to St. Lucas fun Lillian Thibodeau plays the drum and the kazoo — “we all play the kazoo” — with the Faribault Senior Center’s Kitchen Band. Kay Fate

More filings in Rare Aircraft lease City Council expects Tuesday night to approve an agreement that would hold 1st United Bank accountable if Rare Aircraft did not honor its lease with the city. Kay Fate - 1 opinion posted

District could see more stimulus money The Faribault School District could receive additional funding from the federal economic stimulus plan. Corey Butler Jr. - 8 opinions posted

Rare flag is being restored A Civil War flag flown during battle by a unit made up of Rice County soldiers is being restored. Pauline Schreiber - 1 opinion posted

Update: House narrowly passes health care reform bill In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous. The Associated Press - 16 opinions posted

Federal money + district = 64 jobs Stimulus money saves and creates positions Corey Butler Jr. - 9 opinions posted

A trip retraces a historic highway — before it’s lost Mike Conlin stopped in Faribault on Saturday, the third day of his “Pine to Palm ‘09” trip that will retrace — and verify — the route of the Jefferson Highway. Kay Fate

Roads, facilities benefit from bonds Rice County will sell $15 million in capital improvement bonds to help revitalize its roadways and aging buildings. Corey Butler Jr.

Silkey’s career a work in the parks In 35 years, Chuck Silkey figures he’s plowed enough snow to equal a 132-foot high snow bank. Pauline Schreiber - 2 opinions posted

Airfest funding up in the air The denial of funding for the 2010 Faribault Airfest was a result of a miscommunication, officials said Friday. Kay Fate

Blurring the college color line South Central College has made huge strides in student growth the last several years, but it’s not just more white students filling seats or taking online classes. Corey Butler Jr.

Marker vandals prompt reward offer The pro-life monument on the corner of First Street and Third Avenue Southwest stood for 12 years without any problems. Kay Fate - 3 opinions posted

Bakery’s new coat A crew on Thursday gave a new coat of paint to the storefront at 409 and 411 Central Ave. Kay Fate - 12 opinions posted

State is home to 140 Level 3 sex offenders Jesse Bill Arizpe, 24, will be required to register as a predatory sex offender for the rest of his life. Kay Fate - 10 opinions posted

Foldcraft lays off 25 workers Foldcraft Co. laid off 25 of its 231 employees Wednesday, the first such layoffs since the recession started last year. Pauline Schreiber - 8 opinions posted

Students are after-school engineers It must be good, if, after seven hours of school, kids still want to soak up a little more knowledge. Corey Butler Jr. - 6 opinions posted

Flu continues to hit local schools Flu, flu, go away. It appears it may — or may not, depending on whom you talk to. Corey Butler Jr.

Yankees win World Series title New York wins its 27th World Series title, first since 2000 season 3 opinions posted

County fair turns a profit for the first time in years For the first time in several years, the Rice County Fair turned a profit. In a statement of operations from the Rice County Agriculture Society, which runs the fair, treasurer Denny Sammon calculated that the group had $8,500 more at the end of its fiscal year than last year. Corey Butler Jr.

Residents speak out about offenders’ release The father of one of Jesse Arizpe’s victims has had enough. “My daughter was the first 15-year-old victim,” he said. Kay Fate - 21 opinions posted

Suspected drug deal leads to high-speed chase A Monday afternoon chase, where speeds reached 100 mph down Interstate 35, was called off after law enforcement officials deemed it too dangerous. Kay Fate - 7 opinions posted

Fundraiser set for Friday the 13th Organizers of a United Way fundraiser hope Friday the 13th proves to be their lucky day. Pauline Schreiber

Public meeting tonight on sex offender's release FARIBAULT — The community notification meeting concerning the upcoming release of two Level 3 sex offenders into Faribault will be at 6:30 p.m. today at the Faribault City Hall Council Chambers, 208 First Ave. N.W. Kay Fate - 11 opinions posted

FHS students take Rachel's story to heart A Columbine victim who aspired to change the world has inspired a campaign to make that world a kinder, more compassionate place. Corey Butler Jr.

Panel: OK most groups’ requests Members of the Faribault City Council Finance Committee will recommend granting the full funding proposals requested by each community group — with the exception of two. Kay Fate

Bakery paint job waits for weather The green building in downtown Faribault at the root of a color controversy has also been at the mercy of the weather. Kay Fate - 11 opinions posted

County inches closer to 2010 budget Respective heads of three of Rice County’s most expensive departments presented to the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday how much money they expect to spend in 2010. Corey Butler Jr.

Adam Young of Owatonna and 'Owl City' fame On the fast track OWATONNA — When Randy and Joan Young look back on their son’s fast track to fame under the name “Owl City,” they can hardly understand it. Melissa Kaelin, Special to the Daily News

City works to implement cost-saving ideas Including the elimination of the annual employee luncheon where the idea was first presented, several measures to reduce spending at the city level have been incorporated into the city’s future budgets. Kay Fate - 10 opinions posted

District finances gloomy in economy At Monday night’s school board work session, Colleen Mertesdorf, district director of finance and operations, painted a picture board members weren’t happy — but not too surprised, either — to see. Corey Butler Jr. - 11 opinions posted

Benefit planned for family who can't afford final good-bye A benefit is planned to help a local couple, who lost their 51-day-old infant son, with medical and burial bills. Pauline Schreiber

Math teachers laud new curriculum The excitement in Tammy Lessman’s voice was palpable as she pointed to the screen and discussed, of all things, math. Corey Butler Jr. - 2 opinions posted

Learning curve: Cannon River STEM School begins its third month After two months at the Cannon River STEM School, Tabbetha LaPanta said her third-grade son, Luke, learned something new to say. Corey Butler Jr.

Somali Family School debuts The Somali Family School just got under way last week, sponsored and organized by Faribault’s United for Kids Committee. It was the third session of the twice-a-week school for Somali women and preschool children. Pauline Schreiber

Faribault couple says 'I boo' Ali Boran and Jason Deike were married Saturday in a traditional ceremony — on a decidedly untraditional day. Kay Fate

Halloween activity indoors is a treat It’s nice to have an alternative. That seemed to be the sentiment among parents Saturday at Faribault West Mall, where from 3 to 5 p.m. children could trick-or-treat at the participating stores. Kay Fate

Schreiber a role model to another with same name If Joan Schreiber had been my mother, I would have been blessed with a great mentor. Pauline Schreiber - 1 opinion posted

60 years of happy feet Burkhartzmeyer Shoes has worked to provide customers a perfect fit in footwear for 60 years. Pauline Schreiber - 3 opinions posted

Hospital CEO to retire in early ’11 James Wolf, chief executive officer at District One Hospital in Faribault since 1995, has announced his retirement. Kay Fate - 3 opinions posted

No humor comes of pumpkin prank Reuben Gustavson knows he was lucky, but he’s still upset. Kay Fate - 2 opinions posted

Why are some costumes more skimpy than scary? Halloween brings children dressed as witches and werewolves to the streets on a quest for candy, but adults may adopt more provocative personas when choosing a costume. Even amid chilly Minnesota weather, some women choose to bare more than they would the other 364 days of the year. Kate Fine - 7 opinions posted

Vandalism at Bethlehem Academy Vandals struck at Bethlehem Academy sometime during the night Thursday, knocking over a wrought-iron fence that surrounded a granite marker placed there by the Knights of Columbus.

Judge Johnson to resign Rice County District Court Judge William A. Johnson will resign from his post on Jan. 8. Corey Butler Jr. - 1 opinion posted

Homemade haunting With a little creativity, trick-or-treaters watching their budgets are forgoing premade costumes and assembling their own. Kay Fate

Justices to hear county appeal The Minnesota Supreme Court has agreed to hear the final appeal of the lower courts’ rulings that say the county must pay for court-appointed, private attorneys in child welfare cases. Kay Fate - 2 opinions posted

Many benefit from Fall Festival Saturday’s Fall Festival and chili competition wasn’t just about stroking egos. Corey Butler Jr. - 1 opinion posted

Rachel’s Challenge comes to Faribault On April 20, 1999, Rachel Scott was eating lunch with a friend in front of her high school when she was approached by two fellow students with guns, shot four times and killed. Kay Fate - 1 opinion posted

The new HRA says hard work is paying off Since taking the Housing & Redevelopment Authority back under its control from the city, Rice County officials say they’ve seen the benefits. Corey Butler Jr. - 3 opinions posted

Man charged with sale of crack A Faribault man appeared in Rice County District Court on Wednesday on charges of trying to sell cocaine to an informant. Corey Butler Jr. - 12 opinions posted

Discovery students still deal with flu Discovery Public School students just can’t get a break. Director Jim Severson says close to 60 percent of his student population have missed school in the last month because of flu-like symptoms. Corey Butler Jr.

Police say former Subway manager bilked $35,000 The former manager of the Kenyon Subway Restaurant is charged with the theft of $35,588 from the restaurant. Pauline Schreiber - 8 opinions posted

Former Kenyon Subway manager charged with theft KENYON — The former manager of the Kenyon Subway Restaurant is charged with the theft of $35,588 from the restaurant. Pauline Schreiber - 3 opinions posted

Two more H1N1 deaths confirmed in Minnesota residents Two more deaths from 2009 H1N1 influenza have been confirmed by the Minnesota Department of Health, bringing the total number of H1N1 deaths to 12 since April.

A facelift for the Law Enforcement Center With the Faribault Police Department vacating the Law Enforcement Center this summer, Rice County will soon begin to renovate the building that houses the jail and sheriff’s office. Corey Butler Jr. - 5 opinions posted

Offenders set to be released locally Two Level 3 sex offenders will be released into Faribault within the next six weeks, officials said Tuesday. Kay Fate - 56 opinions posted

Debate of city rules: Codes or control? What began as a routine first reading of a city code update evolved into a discussion of governmental boundaries at Tuesday’s regular city council meeting. Kay Fate - 7 opinions posted

Jaycees, now faded into memory, donate gavel to community The Rice County Historical Society will soon display a wooden gavel that has passed through many hands over many years — a memory of a group now missing from Faribault. Kate Fine - 1 opinion posted

County panel seeks more efficient tech purchasing It’s a 24/7 world. And with that in mind, Rice County Auditor and Treasurer Fran Windschitl and County Administrator Gary Weiers, along with other county department heads, have pushed for a better plan to deal with the continued evolution of technology. Corey Butler Jr.

Tradition marks 10th year A quick survey of about 10 kindergarten students found a unanimous vote: The pizza was good, but the company was even better. Kay Fate

Despite appearances, Faribault’s crime rate holding steady Jon Vee is a golf pro by trade, a repair pro by necessity. “I was here seven years, and we were broken into one time,” he said. “And that wasn’t even a break-in; it was during the day and someone snuck in to the office.” Kay Fate - 5 opinions posted

Charges: Dealer robbed of pot at gunpoint A pot deal gone bad led the alleged seller to cry foul and contact Faribault police for help. Corey Butler Jr. - 7 opinions posted

Friends keep Curtis’ memory alive Nearly one month after 12-year-old Curtis Holter was struck and killed by a pickup truck, those who knew him best are keeping his memory alive and well. Corey Butler Jr.

Charges: Man breaks into FHS, steals money A Faribault man made his first appearance in Rice County District Court on Monday after being arrested over the weekend for allegedly breaking into and stealing $82 from Faribault High School. Corey Butler Jr. - 12 opinions posted

Police still looking for answers in Waterville man's death UPDATE: 11:21 a.m. WASECA — Investigators continued Tuesday to search for answers in the death of a Waterville man.