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SE Council approves preliminary budget

SLEEPY EYE — Dealing with increased costs, the Sleepy Eye City Council unanimously approved raising the 2025 preliminary tax levy 9.17% Tuesday. Approval to raise the levy $155,443 over the 2024 final levy came on a motion by councilor Christina Andres, seconded by Scott Krzmarzick. The tax hike would raise monthly taxes on a home with a $150,000 tax value by $7.50; $12.50 a month on a home with a $250,000 tax value. Andres said this is the first time the City is funding Sleepy Eye Ambulance Service. The 2025 preliminary budget includes $105,950 for the ambulance ...

Three file for two Gibbon City Council seats

GIBBON — Two Gibbon Ciity Council seats and the mayor’s seat are open in the November general election. Incumbent city councilor Greg Hartmann and challengers Dave Theis and Shannon Zangel filed for election. Mayor Steve Klukas is running unopposed. Hartmann said he feels the city council has accomplished a lot the past several years and he looks forward to the future of Gibbon. “It’s been an honor, rewarding, challenging and interesting, all in one. The main project and goal is to make Gibbon appealing, to attract businesses and new residents,” said ...

Courtland discusses park improvements

Maintenance and Utilities Supervisor Dave Ubel brought forward a variety of issues to the Courtland City Council at their Thursday meeting. The new park equipment has been delivered to Courtland and work will begin soon to install it. Ubel has been removing the old playground equipment and questioned what should be done with the teeter totter that has a memorial plate on it. After discussion, Council Member Pam Rodewald suggested that he wait until the new equipment is installed to find a new spot for the teeter totter. Rodewald presented a sample of wood chips for the park. ...

A summer of extremes for southwest Minnesota

NEW ULM — It’s been a summer of extremes for much of southern Minnesota and weather data proves it. “We set rainfall records across most of the state this summer. Most heavy rains were in June,” said National Weather Service (NWS) Meteorologist Tyler Hasenstein. He said Mankato ...

Former NU public school teacher indicted for child porn

MINNEAPOLIS — A teacher with over 20 years of employment at New Ulm Public School was indicted for allegedly using using a messaging app to distribute and receive child pornography. According to court documents, between Oct. 14, 2023 and Jan. 29, 2024, Daniel John Janke, 54, used Kik, a messaging and chat application, to send and receive images and videos containing child sexual abuse material. Janke has been indicted on one count of one count of distribution of child pornography and three counts of receipt of child pornography. Janke made his first court appearance in U.S. District ...

Lower Sioux shows off industrial hemp campus

REDWOOD COUNTY — Joey Goodthunder had a wide smile on his face before he climbed into a tractor and began cutting industrial hemp just west of Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel Thursday. “Now, I’m going to do what I really love to do,” he said at the Lower Sioux Industrial Hemp Campus ...