Local News

The Litchfield School Board will be approving of some reductions in the 2025-26 budget during the March 10th meeting. When the budget forecast came out, it was evident that about half-a-million dollars would need to be trimmed.

Superintendent Susan Burris says $514,399 in reductions are being considered and details of which programs, personnel and services will be revealed on March 10th. She says one of the factors affecting the budget is that the District is no longer receiving the COVID relief funds from the federal government.

Burris says the Board is updating the policies related to personal electronic communication devices and a second reading will be held on March 10th. She says Minnesota statute requires an updated internet use policy by March 15th and the Litchfield School District has already included this in the student handbook each year, so any changes will be included in next year’s handbook.

Burris says the Litchfield School Board has approved of the 2025-26 academic school calendar which will include a staff development day the day before Thanksgiving so students and their families will have an extra day for any travel plans they may have. She says the Litchfield School Board will have a work session on March 10th following the regular meeting as three consultants will be there to help with strategic planning.

Burris says she’s been having “soup with the super” in each Litchfield School District building as a way to get to know the staff better. She says state tournament time is beginning with wrestling this weekend, and the other winter sports in March so it will be a busy time leading up to spring break the final week of March. The Litchfield School Board will not be meeting on March 24th due to spring break.

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The American Red Cross Bloodmobile took place in Cokato at First Baptist Church on Monday. The goal was 85-units of blood and 87-units were actually collected.

There were 4 first-time donors, 8 deferrals, 1 walk-in and 11 no-shows. The next Cokato blood drive is scheduled for Monday, June 23rd. To schedule an appointment, go to redcrossblood.org.

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The 4-H Outdoor Wilderness Leadership & Service program (OWLS, for short) is for youth in grades 6 and up who are interested in learning about the wilderness and building their leadership skills. Meeker County 4-H member Maisy Geurts recently completed her year in the OWLS program.

Geurts says she is in her third year of the program and got to go to the Boundary Waters her first summer and learned how to canoe, set up camp and how to survive in the wilderness. She says the project has also included an opportunity to educate other children about the importance of pollinators.

Geurts says she has a pollinator garden at home where she grows milkweed, black-eyed susans and other plants that are helpful to butterflies and this summer, she will focus on plants that are helpful to bees. She says she’s been in 4H for 9 years – with the Kimball Kruisers 4H Club – and she plans to stay involved as long as she is able, and she hopes to continue spreading awareness and growing her pollinator project.

Maisy says she’s now a member of the OWLS Flock. Flock members are former OWLS participants who were selected to come back as youth leaders. Maisy looks forward to assisting with the program through 2025. For more information about 4-H or the OWLS program, go to extension.umn.edu or call 693-5275.

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Entrepreneur Jose Lopez is expanding his auto repair business with help from Southwest Initiative Foundation’s Microenterprise Loan Program and DEED’s Minnesota Emerging Entrepreneur Loan Program. El Chilero Auto Repair is located at 526 North Ramsey Avenue in Litchfield.

Lopez founded the business in 2022 and later purchased his building from Doug Decker, who operated an auto repair shop for more than 40 years in the space. El Chilero offers routine maintenance, brakes, tires and transmission repairs for all car makes and models.

Lopez says despite being a new entity in the market, they’ve made significant strides thanks to exceptional customer service, competitive pricing, bilingual support and fast, quality work. He says they’ve already seen accomplishments in building trust and long-term relationships with their customers, underpinned by a commitment to excellence and attention to detail.

Before striking out on his own, Lopez gained experience working in a local dealership parts department. While there are several options for auto repair locally, Lopez believes El Chilero can uniquely serve the Hispanic community. He’s also catering to the needs of younger, tech-savvy drivers seeking convenience and transparency, as well as fleet owners and local businesses looking for reliable maintenance services.

Loan funds from SWIF provided working capital for El Chilero, including building renovations. Microloan clients also receive free technical assistance to improve their business management skills. Areas of support include business planning and financials analysis, accounting software training, marketing assistance and other training opportunities for the life of the loan.

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