business

Lake City Federal merger effort ends

Jun 7, 2023

A merger between Lake City Federal Bank and East Wisconsin Savings Bank has been abandoned. Lake City Federal Bank published a notice on its website that efforts to merge had been discontinued. On Tuesday, June 6, the bank issued the following statement: “By mutual agreement, Lake City Federal...

Heffernan’s half century celebration open house is Friday at dealership

Jun 7, 2023

A guy who’s been known to joke that he only works half days (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) is inviting the public to join his celebration of a half century in business in Lake City. Tom Heffernan founded Tom Heffernan Ford in Lake City in 1973. On Friday, June 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. he’s celebrating his...

July hearing set for PMI TIF proposal

May 17, 2023

The Lake City City Council has set a public hearing date of July 10 for a tax increment financing (TIF) proposal for Pepin Manufacturing, Inc. According to the Lake City Port Authority, the company is planning a roughly 6,800 square foot expansion of its Lake City location on Highway 61 South as...

Acrotech makes 500th machine

Apr 5, 2023

Lake City manufacturer Acrotech hit a milestone recently with the production of its 500th machine since the company’s formation in 1984, the company said in a news release. Acrotech machines employ a two-roll process, unduplicated in the United States, that has only a couple competitors offshore,...

Ford presents Tom Heffernan with 50-year anniversary plaque

Mar 29, 2023

Catrina Dunleavy (left), Ford Motor Company Regional Manager - Twin Cities, presents Tom Heffernan of Tom Heffernan Ford with a plaque celebrating the 50th anniversary of his Ford dealership in Lake City. Heffernan founded the dealership in 1973.

Port Authority announces programs for businesses

Mar 29, 2023

The Lake City Port Authority has funding tools available to businesses in Lake City: a Revolving Loan Fund Program and a Facade Improvement Program, according to a news release. The Revolving Loan Fund is intended to assist entrepreneurs with startup funds and existing businesses with expansion...

Two legacies continue at Johnson Jewelers of Lake City

Feb 1, 2023

Longtime family-owned business Johnson Jewelers is expanding and adding a second location in Lake City, Minn., becoming the fifth jeweler to set up shop in the 145-year-old building on Center St. Karen Johnson-Leonard becomes the second female jewelry store owner to operate in this beautiful,...

State asks for CenturyLink to be ordered for fix ‘service deficiencies’

Dec 21, 2022

Prompted by continuing service complaints from Minnesota consumers, the Department of Commerce has asked the Public Utilities Commission to order telephone service provider CenturyLink to submit plans to fix a pattern of service deficiencies and to upgrade processes for responding to outages,...

A new bin rises at Ardent Mills

Dec 7, 2022

Ardent Mills in Lake City is building a new bin for the animal feed the company says is a co-product from milling wheat. The project to construct the 86-feet-tall, 34-feet-in-diameter bin began in September. The goal is for it to start operating in the summer of 2023. McCormick Construction is the...

Hoffman leaving Chamber

Oct 26, 2022

The executive director of the Lake City Chamber of Commerce, Ed Hoffman, has announced his intent to step aside, effective Dec. 1. “It has been an incredible honor to serve as the Lake City Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. I’ve grown to love Lake City and the people I get to work with on a...