Employee recruitment for our manufacturing, healthcare and other sectors is becoming a big problem in Southwest Minnesota.  On May 23th,  Hennepin/Carver Workforce Center in Minneapolis and Pioneer Public TV brought 55 job seekers to Montevideo and Granite Falls.  Cathy Anderson, Granite Falls EDA  Director and myself went along on the tour and directed the bus tours of Granite Falls, announcing the highlights of our town as we drove through.

The tour ended at Fagen Fighter's WWII Museum where the group was met by Mayor Dave Smiglewski and representatives from Granite Falls Health, Project Turnabout and Exit Realty.  They described job, lifestyle and housing opportunities.  The job seekers were a variety of backgrounds, ages and educational levels.  A group photo was taken and they all left with a goodie bag with gifts, Granite Falls Guides and area information.  Move here for a job and you get small town friendliness, river activities, great schools, reasonable housing and a great place to raise a family!

The Governor's Fishing Opener this year takes place on a river, the Mississippi River in St. Cloud.  This has been done in the past but on Lake Pepin, a wider lake on the Mississippi.  Our rivers deserve the same attention as our many lakes!

The fishing right in our backyard on the Minnesota River has improved since the Xcel dam was removed a few years ago. 

Check out this video from Pioneer Public TV 's Prairie Sportsman about fishing in the Minnesota River near Renville - https://www.facebook.com/1753263851366715/prairiesportsman/videos/

You can rent a canoe or kayak at Upper Sioux Agency State Park but it's also popular to fish along the bank at the riverside campground and other park locations.  Memorial Park is another great spot to try some shore fishing.  Both of these Minnesota River parks have campgrounds and you can even stay in a tipi at Upper Sioux!

Granite True Value has a great selection of camping and fishing supplies. Get your fishing license and bait at a Granite Falls institution, Willie's Korner Store.  Everything you need for a picnic lunch is also available here, as well as some great seafood if you don't succeed on your fishing trip!  Plan your next fishing trip in Granite Falls!

June Workshops
Sod House Theater will offer a series of free music and acting workshops led by professional theater artists and directors Luverne Seifert & Darcey Engen, and musicians Brian Laidlaw & Ashley Hanson in Granite Falls on June 8-10th. They will also hold an information session and call for performers & volunteers to participate in their August performance of Enemy of the People - a site-specific performance that will take place in Granite Falls August 18-20. The play will be presented at the American Legion, 60 6th St. with the first act outside (weather permitting) and the second act in the Legion's upper floor.  Tickets will include a hot dog or hamburger, chips and a drink.  Bar service will be available.
Friday, August 18 at 7:00pm
Saturday, August 19 at 7:00pm
Sunday, August 20 at 1:00pm
Tickets will be available starting June 1 at the chamber office, Legion and online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/  Prices are Tickets:  $18 Adults $15 for Seniors(free city bus included) and $12 for Children (17 and under)
 
 
Thursday, June 8th from 6:30-8pm
Hometown Ballad Songwriting Workshop - In this workshop, you will share stories about your community, discuss the craft songwriting, and start to turn stories shared into original songs. Open to all ages and levels of experience; singers, musicians, and writers encouraged to attend; instruments are invited, but not required. 
 
Friday, June 9th from 6:30-8pm
The Power of Your Voice: Developing Your Voice for the Stage - This workshop will introduce and encourage performers to develop the components of vocal production such as projection, dynamics, pitch, rate, resonance, variety, articulation as well as relaxation and breathing.  This workshop will help the performer increase vocal energy, strength, range, flexibility, and clarity and apply it directly into their performance.  No preparation is necessary. Dress to move comfortably.
 
Saturday, June 10th - Workshops During Market & Muse
10:00-11:30am - Kick in the Pants: Physical Comedy Routines - This workshop will introduce stage techniques of physical comedy; slaps, kicks, trips, falls, fixed points and awkward timing decisions.  Participants will develop a 1-2 minute comedy routine that they will develop and perform.  No preparation necessary. Dress to move comfortably.
 
12:00-1:00pm - Bag Lunch Information Session / Call for Performers & Volunteers - Bring your lunch and join the directors of Sod House Theater to learn more about the opportunity to be involved in a professional site-specific, musical theater adaptation of Ibsen's Enemy of the People that will be performed in Granite Falls this August. Open to all ages, abilities, and levels of experience! 
 
2:00-3:00pm - Music, Movement, and Muse
This playful workshop will incorporate elements of movement and improvisation mixed with live and pre-recorded music. Using physical theater and creative movement, participants will improvise scenarios based on the tempo, rhythm, and feel of the music. No preparation necessary. Dress to move comfortably.
 
4:00-5:30pm - Original Music Jam Session 
Local musicians are welcome to bring their original finished, half-finished, or barely started songs to experiment with arrangements in this open jam session. Recording equipment will be on hand to capture the magic. Open to all ages and levels of experience; singers and musicians workshops will be facilitated by professional musicians and songwriters Brian Laidlaw & Ashley Hanson.encouraged to attend; instruments are invited, but not required.

All workshops are free and open to the public. Granite Falls has a history of outdoor, "walking theater" and this will be an exciting addition to our history of productions.  Below is rehearsals from one of the productions that took place on and below the footbridge.