A few years in the making
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By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
This month, Dusty Olson, owner of Jensen Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in Geneva, will be celebrating a year in business.
Olson, a 2004 graduate of United South Central schools in Wells, began his career in the HVAC world in 2015. A mere five years later, he started talking to Dewayne Jensen, the longtime owner of Jensen Heating and Air Conditioning, which Jensen started in 1978.
The Covid pandemic interfered with developing plans to transfer ownership. However, the two stayed in touch and in 2022, they came to an agreement.
“A lot of people wanted to meet ‘the new person,’”Olson said. “People were so used to Dewayne answering the phone… It was a little bit of a change.
“I don’t think we noticed any difference,” Olson continued. “People got used to the new normal… We received that trust from Dewayne.”
Olson referenced shared values, suggesting that was why the two really ‘hit it off,’ allowing a smooth transition.
As for the business, Olson says operations will continue as usual. No big changes, or even a party. The family atmosphere will be maintained, with Dusty’s mom Lori helping out in the office answering the phone, helping with paperwork Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., with some days as late as 5 p.m. Olson and his crew of five employees will continue to provide excellent service to Geneva and the surrounding area.
Their customers tend to be homeowners and light commercial businesses; the company services and installs plumbing, heating and cooling equipment.
Helping Dusty in the office from time to time is wife Amber (Weberg), a 2008 graduate of Albert Lea High School. Amber works as an RN Manager at the Blooming Prairie Care Center.
“Tell me what to do and I’ll help out. There's always work to do,” Amber said.
Dusty and Amber are raising two children, NRHEG fourth-grader Alexis and freshman Dominic. Both children enjoy being involved in school sports and activities.
Olson says a typical day for him begins before 7 a.m. and continues until 4 p.m. Other days the work goes late into the evening, or sometimes includes late night emergency calls.
“I’ve had those days too,” Olson said. “It’s the type of job where you can have a schedule set for Monday through Friday, then Monday morning you get a call that changes everything.
“It’s never boring,” Olson continued. “I like the service. I like to fix things… When someone calls with a heater or air conditioner out, it gives me a sense of pride to have the knowledge to do that work.”
Olson said his biggest worry taking over the Geneva business was how customers would take it, whether jobs would keep coming in.
“If you’re gonna do it, just do it,” Olson said. “And treat the customer the way you want to be treated.”
Olson said he plans for Jensen Heating and Air to get into some parades this summer and stay involved with the local community.
Dusty’s spouse, Amber, said, “He’s always had a dream of where he’s wanted to be and he works hard towards his goals. I'm very proud of him!”
Dusty said his hope and goal for the business is to grow without diminishing the integrity and quality of work.
“I don’t want to just have anyone go into someone’s home,” Dusty said. “We need to give the best effort and provide the best quality… The best thing is to be accountable, hardworking and care for other people.”
Those looking to the Olsons for service can find Jensen Plumbing, Heating and Cooling located at 104 Central Ave N. in Geneva, or contact them via phone or email at 507-256-4712 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Hidden secret in town
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By TRISTAN GEHRING
Staff Writer
Michelle Peterson, owner of Sonshine Gardens greenhouse in Clarks Grove, says she is often asked about the business name. “It has a double meaning – we have three boys, and we also wanted it to be an expression of our faith in the Son of God.” The greenhouse is open every year from mid-April to mid-June. “It's not a long time. I feel like we're kind of a hidden secret,” says Peterson. “If you didn't know we were here, check us out. It's worth the drive.” Sonshine Gardens greenhouse is located at 200 First Ave SW, Clarks Grove. Beginning in May, hours are Monday-Friday from 9 to 5, Saturday from 9-3, and Sunday from 11-3.
Michelle is the daughter of Nancy and Ken Gordman; both she and her husband, Mike, grew up in Clarks Grove and attended Albert Lea High School, although they didn't meet until after both of them had graduated. Michelle's best friend married Mike's brother, she explained, and the two met at that wedding. About a year later, they had their own wedding. They raised their three boys together, who are now 27, 33, and 35 years old, and started the business together around the same time their first son was born. “We used to do hydroponic tomatoes.” In 1997, Mike decided to focus on his excavating business – Peterson Excavating – and Michelle took over the majority of the operations for Sonshine Gardens, leading to its evolution into what it is today. “I like flowers more than tomatoes,” she said.
Peterson's hobbies are gardening, going to wineries, reading, and travel. She's been to about 40 of the 50 U.S. states, she says, and attends mission trips in Honduras. Michelle and her husband live in rural Clarks Grove on his family's farm and attend First Baptist Church. They are very active there – in addition to missions, both serve on numerous boards. Michelle teaches the younger kids, and they help support a religious camp in Iowa. Faith is very important to them both, Michelle says. While she's only ever left the country to go to Honduras so far, Michelle says her “bucket list” includes a trip to Italy. Her reading list includes a wide range of books – but her one rule is that it must have a happy ending. Michelle's favorite thing to do, she added, is to care for her three grandbabies. Michelle lives by the old adage, “Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.”
“I love this,” she said, gesturing to the greenhouse. “My favorite part is the excitement of other people when they come in and want to talk flowers.”
Sonshine Gardens sells everything typically offered at a greenhouse – from hanging baskets and bedding plants to herb and vegetable starts, perennials and shrubs. Everything sold in the greenhouse is grown there; the building was recently remodeled and expanded to accommodate more plants. Peterson also offers custom planting: If customers bring in a pot’ she will fill it any way they like. “We consider ourselves to be the best local prices,” she also explained. And because both husband and wife are also locally grown - “You get a little extra hometown service.”
As a successful business owner, Michelle has this advice for young people: “Don't be afraid to try something you wouldn't have thought you could do – I didn't have any training or anything for this. I just decided I wanted to.
“And, I think, try to stay humble.”
In Memory of Winston
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Mary Routh (left), Charles Evenson, and Leann Fuchs, daughters and brother to well-known New Richland resident Winston Evenson, display the memorial painting of Winston which was set out for public viewing and then given to Charles during an event sponsored by WET Signs and Murals in Waseca.
The Memorial showing took place the afternoon of Saturday, April 20 at The Mill. It featured 70 memorial paintings done by Whtey Thompson, owner of WET Signs. Thompson used photographs as models as he created black and white paintings of people who died between January of 2023 and March of 2024. Also on display were color paintings Thompson has done over time.
Star Eagle photo by Deb Bently
Emergercy response
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By TRISTAN GEHRING
Staff Writer
Area Emergency Medical Service (EMS) leaders met with staff from the office of U.S. Senator Tina Smith on April 9 at New Richland’s City Hall, to provide information about the status of emergency health care in south central Minnesota. Smith’s staff informed leaders she intends to use the information they share as she defends a new law she is co-sponsoring, the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-Scene Care and Support (EMS ROCS) Act.
Present at the meeting were three members of Smith's staff – Southern Minnesota Outreach Director Jeanne Poppe, Miranda Morgan Lilla, and Sara Silvernail; directors from three area ambulance services – Sarah Sundve of New Richland, AJ Gengler of Dodge Center, and Tyler Wilson of Blooming Prairie; Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas; Freeborn County Commissioner Bill Groskreutz; Waseca County Commissioners Brad Milbrath and Doug Christopherson; Blooming Prairie City Administrator Melanie Aeschliman; and EMS educator and volunteer member of New Richland Ambulance, Jennifer Lacey.
Currently, Medicare does not reimburse EMS providers for their services when the patient is not transported to a hospital, which Senator Smith's office posits leaves rural EMS providers, who are often called upon to provide care on the scene without transporting, “struggling to balance budgets and stay afloat.” This would change under the EMS ROCS Act, allowing for reimbursement in more cases, and, Smith claims, aiding struggling agencies and expanding access to care for Medicare patients who may hesitate to call for an ambulance under current billing and reimbursement structures.
The meeting began with a summary of the current state of EMS in the area. Reports provided the call and transport statistics for Wells, Blooming Prairie, and Dodge Center. All three agencies estimated that between one third and one fourth of their calls did not include a transport, with 40 to 70 percent of those calls being for Medicare patients. Ambulance directors estimated their average call took 2 to 2.5 hours.
As discussion continued, there was a clear consensus that EMS departments are not sufficiently funded. Staffing is one important way this shortage manifests itself. The ambulance services represented at the meeting are run largely on a volunteer basis – in some cases there are stipends paid or a few paid positions, but according to Sundve, “It doesn't add up.” Blooming Prairie would like to create a paid director position to help address its staffing issues, but doesn't have the funding to do so. Volunteer departments in general, it was said, help people get their start in EMS by supporting them through training, then lose those people in short order to full-time paid positions or higher hourly pay in better-funded departments. New Richland Ambulance is one such volunteer department, and asks that anyone interested in learning more about volunteering contact City Hall.
Gengler pointed out another financial shortfall follows from billing people who cannot pay; he said the Dodge Center ambulance service sent out about $1.5 million in bills for its services, but ended up writing off about $900,000 of that amount–the portion that Medicare would not cover. The remaining $600,000 represented most of the operating budget for the year in Dodge Center, a circumstance that was echoed by other ambulance staff at the meeting. Subsidizing through local government is also a complex issue – each of these rural ambulance services provides coverage for a multitude of small towns and townships, which leads to problems coordinating funding efforts. “We're trying to handle locally what is a state or federal issue,” one of the directors said in summary. “We operate and are funded like a business,” said Gengler, “and are viewed as a public service. And it should be.”
Bevcomm Bash
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By DEB BENTLY
Staff writer
Waseca County learned in March that its application for a $4.38 million grant to install fiber internet in four of its townships had been approved. It was a triumphant moment, given that the county had twice previously completed the lengthy and demanding application process, but had not received any funding.
Under the grant, Byron, Freedom, Vivian and Wilton townships–essentially the southwest third of the county–will be having fiber cable installed.
Like the two before it, the successful application was supported, completed and submitted by county leaders–including commissioner DeAnne Malterer and county administrator Michael Johnson–and staff of the Blue Earth based telecommunications company Bevcomm. Aside from area residents who wrote letters of support, relatively few people in the 500 homes and businesses within the affected townships were aware of the application or the possibilities it presented.
With the promise of the grant secured, Bevcomm began the process of public outreach by holding a “Bash” at the Waldorf Community Center the evening of Thursday, April 4; about 125 people attended.