Annandale Man Re-Elected to Chair REMA
A Wright County man will serve another term as the chair of the Rural Electric Managers Association. Mark Vogt of Annandale, the President and C.E.O. of Wright-Hennepin Co-operative Electric Association was recently re-elected to serve a third term at that post. The group keeps managers up to date on issues that impact the industry, and monitors management trends. |
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Civil War Veteran Grave Marker to be Placed
A civil war veteran from Buffalo will finally receive a proper grave marker at a special ceremony this weekend. Buffalo resident, landowner, postmaster, Wright County Commissioner, and state legislator Jackson Taylor served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 2nd Minnesota Battery of Light Artillery in the civil war until poor health forced his resignation from his office. He returned to Buffalo where he lived out the rest of his life, dying in the spring of 1910. For unknown reasons, a civil war veteran grave marker was never placed marking Taylor's final resting place. A special ceremony will be held Saturday at 1 PM at the Lakeview Cemetery in Buffalo to mark Taylor's gravesite. The ceremony will feature people dressed in civil war era clothing and uniforms and a 3-round cannon volley. The Buffalo American Legion Color Guard will also be on hand for the event. |
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Dist. 877 School Board Race Heats Up
School districts across Wright County will be electing school board members on November 4th, though the number of board seats up for election varies from district to district. In the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose district, 9 candidates are vying for 4 open seats on the board. 3 incumbents are among the 9 candidates. District 877 Superintendent Tom Nelson says that he's pleased to see the interest from candidates, and he says he hopes people will attend candidate forums, or at least review the candidate profiles in the district newsletter. The Buffalo Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor a school board candidate forum Friday morning at 7:30 at the Discovery elementary school library in Buffalo. |
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Four Arrested in Auto Drug Bust
A routine traffic stop last week in Wright County resulted in four people being jailed on drug charges. Sheriff Gary Miller says a patrol officer stopped a car on equipment related violations October 15th. When statements from passengers didn't seem to make sense, the deputy ran a warrant check, finding that one of the passengers had an outstanding warrant from Beltrami County on a driving after suspension charge. A search of the vehicle turned up a small amount of what appeared to be marijuana. A more extensive search found five pounds of marijuana, several tablets of what appeared to be the drug nicknamed "ecstasy", and ammunition for a semi-automatic handgun. All four young adults in the car were arrested on possession charges. The Wright County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division is still investigating. |
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Grass Fire Danger High
The unusually warm, dry fall weather means tinder dry conditions, creating a high danger for grass fires. Local fire departments have been responding to numerous grass fires throughout the area in recent weeks. Minnesota DNR officials say grass fire danger is high all across the state. Though no burning bans are in effect, permits are required. Area residents are asked to use common sense, and extreme caution when it comes to flammables outdoors. |
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Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted School Bond Informational Meeting Tonight
Another informational meeting will be held tonight to give Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted residents an opportunity to hear a presentation and ask questions regarding the upcoming bond referrendum vote. District residents will vote November 4th on a major referrendum which will determine whether or not the district will move forward on plans for a new school campus. Tonight's meeting is scheduled for 7 o'clock at the Winsted Elementary School gymnasium. A similar meeting will also be held next Monday at 7 PM at the Waverly Elementary gym. |
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Jacob Wetterling Abduction Remembered Today
14 years ago today, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted from a rural road near the central Minnesota community of St. Joseph. Since that time, Jacob's parents, Jerry & Patty Wetterling have been active in helping to push for new laws that cover child abduction situations. A statewide test of the AMBER alert system which utilizes the help of broadcasters to notify listeners and viewers of a possible child abduction will be held at 1 o'clock this afternoon. An open letter to Jacob's abductor from Patty Wetterling is running in many papers across the state today. You may also view the letter on the Jacob Wetterling Foundation website at www.jwf.org. |
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Kennedy Supports Disabled Veterans Bill
Congressman Mark Kennedy says he's pleased the U.S. House and Senate have agreed on a new plan that would end what he calls gridlock on resolution of unfair penalties on payments to disabled veterans. The new concurrent receipt bill would allow most disabled military retirees full payments, and would remove a barrier that would allow all retired National Guard and Reservists who are disabled from combat full disability benefits. Kennedy calls the comprimise plan fair, responsible, and a huge step forward. |
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Residential Fires in Minnesota up in 2002
Firefighters were busier in Minnesota last year. A new report from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety show that residential fires in Minnesota jumped by 20 percent last year. The new report also shows a 17 percent jump in fire-related deaths. Complete information can be found on-line at www.fire.state.mn.us. Fire officials urge Minnesotans to check smoke alarms and plan home evacuation routes during the month of October, which is noted as fire prevention month. |
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Safe & Sober Campaign Resumes This Weekend
Law enforcement officers will be patrolling extra hours the final two weekends of October during the next wave of the "Safe & Sober" campaign. The Wright County Sheriff's office and individual police departments from Annandale, Buffalo and Howard Lake will be monitoring for impaired drivers October 24th and 25th, and again on Friday, October 31st, Halloween. The saturation patrols are federally funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. |
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Seal Up and Save
With the winter heating season just around the corner, many Minnesotans are bracing themselves for higher heating bills due to higher natural gas costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, most households spend 44 percent of their yearly utility budgets on heating and cooling their homes. E.P.A. EnergyStar Program Administrator Kathleen Hogan says sealing even small cracks where heat can escape can not only save you money, but also helps the environment by cutting the emission of greenhouse gasses due to unnecessary extra heating. |
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September Unemployment in Wright County Up
Wright County saw a jump in jobless numbers last month, the first rise in two months. New statistics released this week by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development shows Wright County's non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in September was 4.6 percent, up 6/10ths of a percent from August. Overall, jobless rates in Wright County have been down slightly from the same time last year. M.D.E.E.D. Commissioner Matt Kramer says even though unemployment percentages were up slightly last month, there were increases in several key industrial sectors including manufacturing. Kramer says those indicators show signs that the fragile labor market is recovering. |
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Teachers Hit The Roof
Some teachers at St. Francis school in Buffalo will literally "hit the roof" this afternoon after students and their families met and exceeded a fundraising goal challenge. Students raised nearly 5 thousand dollars above and beyond the goal of 35 thousand dollars that was set for the annual 3-mile walking marathon held earlier this month. The school's principal had students take turns shaving off his beard earlier this week, and today, the faculty "pays up" in the challenge by taking to the roof of the school for several hours after class. Everyone is encouraged to stop by and wave to the teachers, and congratulate the students for their accomplishment. |
