NEW ULM — The Electric Distribution Department was authorized by the Public Utilities Commission to replace existing guy-wires for the 2018 downtown holiday lighting display. Utilities Director Rodney Marshall said the current downtown guy-wire holiday lighting system dates back to the 1930s and has seen limited improvements. In 2016, a short in the wiring contributed to a fire at 203 N. Minnesota St., and service calls due to system failure have increased. This action would replace all the cables with new hardware for the 2018 holiday season. The plan is to have a one-year ...