1 Dead, 1 Injured in Monday Traffic Crash in Wright County
A two-vehicle crash in Wright County Monday afternoon claimed the life of one man, and left another seriously injured. Wright County Sheriff's Department officials say the accident happened around 1:30 PM at the intersection of Rhoades Avenue and County Road 31 near Collinwood Lake in Stockholm Township. A 19-year-old man from Cokato reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign at that intersection, and his car collided with an eastbound car driven by a 48-year-old Dassel man. The Dassel man died at the scene, while the young man from Cokato was pulled out of his vehicle by passing motorists after his car had erupted into flames. The young man was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in the Twin Cities. The names of the men involved in the crash have not yet been released. The Wright County Sheriff's Office is investigating. |
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Buffalo Fall Clean-Up Day Set
The City of Buffalo will hold a one-day fall clean-up later this month. Saturday, September 27th, the city will sponsor the annual city-wide clean-up, similar to the spring clean-up. City residents may drop off a number of discardable items including unwanted furniture, most appliances and miscellaneous items. There will be a nominal charge per load depending on volume, and an additional charge for some items including appliances and furniture. The clean-up day is for Buffalo residents only, and proof of residency will be asked for at the check-in site. The collection site is at the Buffalo Public Works building on the north side of Buffalo Lake, off Lake Blvd. For further information, contact the city offices, or access the city's website by Clicking Here |
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Buffalo Fire Department has Busy Wednesday
Buffalo firefighters were busy late Wednesday afternoon into the evening with several fires. A large pole barn style building used as a workshop and living quarters at the Larry Hance residence in Chatham Township caught fire around 5:30 PM. The fire apparently broke out in the workshop end of the building. Much of that side of the building was gutted by fire, but fire crews were able to save part of the opposite end of the building, along with some of the personal items and belongings in that portion of the structure. Sparks and cinders from the flames combined with gusty winds caused a few smaller grass fires near the site of the blaze as well. No one was hurt in the fire. The cause of the fire is unknown, and an investigation is continuing. |
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CSAH 42 Repairs Begin
Work is set to begin today on County State Aid Highway 42 in northeastern Wright County. County Highway officials say repairs will be made on a road embankment slide-out on the highway along the Mississippi River, about a mile sotheast of State Highway 101. Detours will be in place throughout the construction period, which is expected to last up to two months. |
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Coleman on War on Terror, Homeland Security:
U.S. Senator Norm Coleman reflected on where America has been since 9/11, and where she's going when he talked to reporters Thursday from the nation's capitol. Coleman says America's response to the dangerous realities of the world since the 9/11 attacks have so far kept the homeland safe. But, the senator says a lot of work still needs to be done to make sure that America's various agencies that deal with security and defense all work together to maintain the safety of its citizens. Coleman called the war on terror and maintaining homeland security "...a race with no finish line." |
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County Board OK's '04 Draft Budget and Levy
Wright County commissioners have approved the draft budget and draft certified levy for 2004. At their regular meeting this week, the board agreed on a draft budget of 71.61 million dollars, and a draft certified lefy of just under 28 million dollars. Though next year's proposed property tax levy will be up 12 percent, the actual tax rate will be down around 15 percent because of the significant growth in both residential and commercial development. |
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County Park Closings Announced
The annual closing date for Wright County's seasonal parks and campgrounds has been set for sunset on Sunday, September 28th. Parks Administrator Mark Mattice says county parks will be open to foot traffic throughout the fall and winter, right up to the re-opening date next May. Mattice says the county parks system has many miles of hiking trails that are perfect for fall color hikes. For more information on the county parks system, call the parks office at (763) 682-7693, or 1-800-362-3667. |
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District 877 Voters Pass Bond Referendum
Voters in District 877 have approved a major construction bonding referendum. 2023 voters said "yes", while 1473 voters said "no" to the 42.4 million dollar proposal for construction of a new elementary school in Buffalo, along with improvements, additions, and deferred maintenance at other school buildings in the district. Voters at the Montrose and Hanover polling places cast 51 more "no" votes than "yes", but in Buffalo, the "yes" votes outnumbered the "no" votes by more than 600. Officials in District 877 say they're pleased that voters have acknowledged the space issues, and have made the difficult choice of ok'ing the new building projects. Bonds are expected to be sold in October to take advantage of low interest rates, with construction likely to begin next summer. Some of the projects will be completed earlier than others depending on the complexity of the work. The new elementary school in Buffalo should be ready to open for classes in the fall of 2006. |
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Drought Prompts Governor to Ask for Federal Disaster Declaration
Governor Tim Pawlenty has requested a federal disaster declaration for many parts of Minnesota due to economic losses incurred by farmers because of this summer's drought. If the request is approved, farmers could get low-interest loans to help cover crop losses. Officials with the USDA expect that it could be several weeks before a decision is made on a federal disaster declaration. |
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Funeral Services for Monticello Businessman Today
Funeral services were scheduled for this morning in Monticello for a longtime area businessman who died in an auto accident in North Carolina over the Labor Day weekend. 47-year-old Jeff Erickson died in a crash on a North Carolina freeway near Charlotte. An S.U.V. went out of control on the opposite side of the freeway, jumped the median, and crashed into Erickson's rental car. Jeff's 17-year-old son, Kyle Erickson, suffered internal injuries and a severely broken ankle. Erickson owned and operated Moon Motor in Monticello, and was a Monticello Chamber of Commerce member. Funeral services were set for 10:30 this morning at the Monticello Community United Methodist Church. |
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Local Red Cross Seeking Board Members
Wright County's Red Cross Chapter is seeking new people to serve on its board of directors. The Red Cross is looking for people with an interest in helping the board to direct its involvement with disaster aid, emergency response training, and other functions throughout the year. For complete information, contact the Wright County Red Cross by calling (763) 684-0068. |
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September 11th Remembered
People in Wright County will pause with Americans across the country to remember the tragic events of two years ago today, when terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians. Sepcial ceremonies are planned today in many parts of the country. Here at home, many prayer services will be held as the 2nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks coincides with "World Day of Prayer" events. |
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Wright County Community Action to Hold Board Member Election
Wright County Community Action will elect low-income sector board members at a meeting later this month. W.C.C.A. will meet on September 16th at its Maple Lake offices to elect new board members to serve 3-year terms representing the estimated 15 thousand low-income persons in the Wright County area. For complete information on how to participate in the election, or if you have an interest in being considered to serve on the board, contact Community Action at (320) 963-6500. |
