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Brown County board OKs ditch 16 pipe size, awards contract

NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved a low bid to repair broken tile in County Ditch 16, Branch 3 in Bashaw and Burnstown townships Tuesday. Approval of a $66,945 bid with 24-inch plastic tile from Lohrenz Excavating came on a motion by Commissioner Brian Braun, seconded by Tony Berg. Ellingson Drainage bid $157,850 for the project. “The bid difference is almost $99,000. A big win for taxpayers,” said Commissioner Braun. The project is proposed to begin in early July. Brown County Assistant Highway Engineer Andrew Lang said the tile road crossing is all ...

Semi tanker rolls in CR 12/Hwy. 14 roundabout

BLUE EARTH COUNTY — Blue Earth County deputies, Mayo Ambulance and Eagle Lake Fire Dept. personnel were dispatched to the County Road 12 roundabout at Highway 14 for a crash with injuries reported at 3:50 p.m. Tuesday. Hundreds of gallons of diluted calcium chloride (commonly used as a dust ...

Farm Bill will go through some changes, state ag commissioner says

SLEEPY EYE — Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Commissioner Katrina Kessler talked about the Farm Bill and agricultural issues over pizza and beer at Sleepy Eye Brewing Co. Tuesday. Several dozen farmers attended the ...

Wheaton woman dies in Redwood County crash

REDWOOD COUNTY — A 25-year-old Wheaton woman died in a two-vehicle crash reported at 12:35 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Highway 68 and Redwood County Road 6 near Wabasso. Morgan Lee Grunewald of Wheaton died in the crash, driving a 2016 Ford F150 northbound on County Road 6 that collided with a 2015 International tractor truck driven eastbound on Highway 68 by Steven Joseph Pohlen, 63, Redwood Falls, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. Pohlen and three juvenile female passengers in the Ford were transported to Redwood Falls Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. ...

Criminal sex charges against former SE pastor dismissed

NEW ULM — Three 3rd-degree felony criminal sex charges filed against a former Sleepy Eye pastor accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a teenage girl in 2019 and 2020, were dismissed earlier this spring in Brown County District Court. Former Trinity Lutheran Church pastor Nathan Van Alfred Luong, 38, of Rochester, was charged Dec. 9, 2022 with three counts of felony 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct-significant relationship, victim 16-17; during a religious advice meeting; and ongoing meeting for spiritual advice. After Luong was accused of having an ...

Brown Co. hiring DNR-certified mussel consultant

NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners unanimously approved selection of a certified mussel consultant Tuesday, required for a DNR permit for a Minnesota River stream bank stabilization project planned for 2025. Action came on a motion by Commissioner Brian Braun, seconded by Dave Borchert ...