A two-vehicle accident that occurred on County Road 3 just east of Caledonia Friday morning resulted in this Jeep Cherokee rolling down a steep ditch on the north side of the road and a Chrysler Sebring ending up in the south ditch. According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Department, both vehicles were west bound around 7:45 a.m. when the Chrysler driven by Miranda Lager braked hard to avoid a deer in the roadway. The Jeep, driven by Charity Zaiger struck the rear end of the Lager vehicle, causing both drivers to lose control. Michelle Doering was a passenger in the Lager vehicle. All three women from Brownsville were wearing their seatbelts, which officials felt was the reason no one was seriously injured. All three women were examined and released. In the photo, Steve and Nick Peterson of St. Mary’s Towing had to string a long cable down into the steep ditch to pull the Jeep out.     
                                            Photo by Charlie Warner

A large crowd was one hand Sunday afternoon for the ground-breaking ceremony for the first Habitat for Humanity house to be built in Houston County. Karen Jonsgaard, a single mother living in Houston was selected to be the first home owner through the program in the county. Representatives from Habitat for Humanity, Thrivent Builds, which is partnering with HFH, and city officials were on hand for the ground-breaking. Pictured from left are Kurt Schulder, Cori Skolaski, Chris Blaylock and Tom Claflin all of HFH, Houston Mayor Connie Edwards, and Karen Jonsgaard and her four daughters Carissa Gady, Karmera, Wynn and La Schonda Jonsgaard.                                                                    Photo by Charlie Warner 

Cancer survivor Chuck Westby, and his wife Joey, have been married for 59 years. “I’d like to live to make it 60 years,” Chuck said.
The Westbys will take part in the Relay for Life at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston on Aug. 7-8.  Photo by Ellyn Baumann

The annual, overnight Houston County Relay for Life will take place in Houston at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church from Friday evening, Aug. 7, to Saturday morning, Aug. 8. Its purpose is not only to raise funds for the American Cancer Society but also to celebrate people who have survived cancer and to remember those who didn’t survive it.       

The Caledonia Fire Department was called Monday afternoon to a mutual aid shed fire on a farm owned by Dan Griffin south of Spring Grove. Smoke from the large quonset building could be seen for miles. Fire departments from Spring Grove, Caledonia and Eitzen were all dispatched to the scene. No other information was available at press time.                       Photo by Charlie Warner  

Plenty of horsepower! Dusty Sayles of Houston urges his pulling horses Roy and Queen on during the 33rd Annual Minnesota State Horse Pulling Championships held during Houston Hoedown Sunday. Pleasant July weather really brought the crowds out for Houston’s community celebration. For more Hoedown photos, see more photos with our Houston Hoedown Slideshow.                        Photo by Craig Moorhead