Residents and staff at Valley View Nursing Home enjoyed some coffee, treats, and conversation during a program Saturday morning to honor 11 employees who have all worked 20 years or more at the facility. Those being honored are shown above, in front from left, Ruth Kempter (27 years), Marge Hundorf (26 years), and Janice Unnasch (26 years). In the back, Dallas Nelson (23 years), Judy Munson (22 years), Clara Post (33 years), Deb Dewey (22 years), and Connie Edwards (25 years). Not shown, Theresa Johnston (31 years), Linda Houge (29 years) and Gayle Papenfuss (29 years). Photo by JK Photography, Jodi Kinstler

Officials made a positive identification  of the body that was found in the charred ruins of a home in Brownsville that was destroyed in an early Sunday morning fire. The home, located at 817 N. Second St., was owned by Francis “Don” Keefe. The Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s office in Hastings confirmed that it was Keefe who perished in the three alarm fire that totally consumed the house.  

A funeral mass for Keefe, 72, will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Caledonia Friday at 10:30 a.m. Burial with military rites will be in Calveary Cemetery in Caledonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, with an 8 p.m. prayer service at Holy Family Hall (behind St. Mary's) and 9:30 a.m. to services Friday at the church. McCormick Funderal Home in Caledonia is assisting with arrangements. A full obituary will appear on the Argus websit Thursday.    

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an On Star operator early Sunday morning stating a passerby travelling on Hwy 26 reported a house that was fully engulfed in flames on a hillside in Brownsville.

The Brownsville Fire Department was paged to 817 2nd Street. Upon their arrival they were unable to locate any persons that may have been living there.

The Brownsville Fire Department requested assistance from Hokah and La Crescent Fire Departments. It took the three fire departments nearly 10 hours to put out the blaze. The home, which was completely made of wood, including the basement, was a total loss, Brownsville Fire Chief Gary Meiners reported.

The house overlooked the Mississippi River and the entire east side of the structure was glass. When the intense heat blew out the east end of the home, the shell of the house acted as a flue, which intensified the fire.  

At 11:30 a.m. the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Fire Marshall began their investigation into the cause of the fire and the possibility that a person may have been inside the residence.

At 12:05 p.m. Sunday a body was found in the debris.

The State Fire Marshall stated that there was no way to determine the cause of the fire.

New Valley View NH administrator Chris Schulz.
Photo by Daniel McGonigle

Since December 26, The Valley View Nursing Home has been under the guidance of new Administrator/CEO Chris Schulz.
Schulz moved to the quaint little town from Nebraska on behalf of his wife who wanted to return to her native state and be closer to her family.

The Caledonia area has received close to 50 inches of snow so far this winter, and the snowiest portion of the winter is yet to come!!! Houston County received nearly a foot of snow in several snowfalls last week. Businesses and governmental entities with large parking lots, and homeowners are trying to find places to get rid of their snow, as snow piles exceeding 10 feet are quite common. Shown above, the Dollar General Store is nearly hidden by this massive snow pile. Below left, a cardinal takes refuge in a thicket during Thursday’s blizzard, below middle, snow at least six inches thick, provides a little insulation for these bird houses, and below right, a squirrel steals some lunch from a hanging bird feeder.                                             Photos by Charlie Warner