News

Prairie Five Meals has gone through some changes over the last handful of years. They were able to purchase their first hot cold truck in 2018 after the Prairie Five Meals board approved the purchase, with the truck being put to use starting in 2019. This hot cold truck helped Prairie Five Meals distribute more food to rural and remote areas. Erick Hedon, who runs the meal program for Prairie Five, said, “We were now able to deliver hot, cold, frozen and shelf stable meals to older adults who live in the small towns and still on the farm sites.” Hedon also reflected on how their hot cold truck was able to really help during the pandemic and in 2020 Prairie Five Meals purchased a second hot cold truck that Hedon said was funded by a grant. This has helped the program deliver more meals.

Early childhood education workers had more incentive than ever to choose Ridgewater College to advance their careers this semester. A new partnership with the Southwest Initiative Foundation (SWIF) is providing up to $30,000 to assist with students’ tuition and program costs for a March-start cohort of 11 students.

Spearers, anglers and bowfishers will be allowed to keep up to 10 gar — the toothy, prehistoric fish native to Minnesota waters — starting March 1, when a new gar possession limit is in effect on all Minnesota inland and border waters. The limit applies to longnose and shortnose gar, which previously could be kept in unlimited numbers, and is among other new regulations in the 2023 Minnesota Fishing Regulations booklet.

Soto Lopez, Cessia Nohemy, Willmar; Offense date 01/21/23 Driving After Suspension (Misdemeanor); Plea 2/21/23 Guilty; Disposition 2/21/23 Convicted; Court Decision 2/21/23 Payable without appearance; $200 Fine. Guantello, Armando, Jr, Willmar; Offense date 7/19/22 DL - Driving Without a Valid License or Vehicle Class/Type (Misdemeanor); Plea 2/23/23 Guilty; Disposition 2/23/23 Convicted; Court Decision 2/23/23 Payable without appearance; $100 Fine.

The Lyon County Historical Society will host a book talk featuring Kandiyohi County native, Carolyn Mankell Sowinski. She has written a book about a 3-day blizzard which occurred 150 years ago. In her book, The Great Storm: Minnesota’s Victims in the Blizzard of January 7, 1873, Sowinski has identified 84 people from 31 counties in the state who died in this storm: men and women; children and babies; Civil War veterans and recent immigrants; homesteaders and villagers; state residents and visitors. Friends died together; neighbors died together; family members died together. Many died alone—suffering for one, two, or all three days. In her presentation Sowinski will share the stories of five Lyon County victims: Marvin Chase, Loren Fox and daughter Winona, Asle Olsen, Miss Oleson. Sowinski will read excerpts about the storm, highlight some historic documents about the victims, and provide helpful hints when doing research.

A group of professionals from several different safety- related disciplines meets as the need arises in Yellow Medicine County to review the fatal and serious injury roadway crashes that have occurred in our county. This committee discusses possible contributing factors to crash outcomes in order to make recommendations in each of four areas: roadway engineering, emergency response, enforcement and education. At our recent meeting the committee asked that the people who drive on our area roads be reminded about several safety issues: - Adjust speed according to current road/weather/traffic. The posted speed limits are maximum speeds at ideal road, weather and traffic conditions. Fog, rain, blowing snow and other weather can affect visibility and roadway surfaces with little to no warning.

Potential residents, future employees and local businesses are invited to learn more about the Montevideo Veterans Home at a Community Office Open House. The event will be held Tuesday, March 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Montevideo Veterans Home Community Office located at 202 North 1st Street, Montevideo.