The Quilt Show is back

The New Ulm Quilt Show is back. The show started Friday at the Royal Oak Event Center, but will continue from 9-4 p.m. Saturday and feature over 300 quilts on display. The Quilt Show is put on by the Prairie Piecemakers Quilt Guild and is unique in that it is held every other year instead of annually. In addition to the quilts on the display, visitors to the show will be able to shop at vendor booths for quilts and materials for making quilts. New Ulm has long been a gathering place for quilt enthusiasts. There are many talented quilters in the community and the quilt show is a great opportunity to showcase it.

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Bad news for Hermann Monument

For years, the community has been aware Hermann Monument was in need of restoration. Recent studies have confirmed the monument base is beyond repair. The city will need to disassemble and reconstruct the monument if it is to have a future in New Ulm. The cost of the tear down and rebuild is $11.6 million. It is not clear when the rebuild and reconstruction of the monument will begin. The city will need to find the funds to cover the large expense before the project starts, but even without deconstruction and construction, access to the monument could be limited. Based on the amount of deterioration of the monument it has been recommended that people climbing the stairs to the top of Hermann be limited. The Park and Recreation Commission will be reviewing a recommendation to restrict access during their Monday meeting. Prearranged private tours of the monument could be allowed, but going forward, access to Hermann will be limited until the full rebuild.

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Another wave of scammers

Brown County is again being hit by a wave of fraud and other financial scams. This time the fraud is specifically targeting drivers. Residents have reported receiving threatening text messages claiming to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) demanding payment for a fake citation. Law enforcement gave assurances these are fake texts since the Department of Driver and Vehicle Service (DVS) does not send out texts requesting payments. Though law enforcement has been made aware of the latest scams, it is something that has become too common. Currently, scammers are claiming to be with DMV, but soon the tactic will switch, possible fake IRS agents demanding funds for back taxes. Scammers have become an all too common aspect of life. Unfortunately, prosecuting scammers is extremely difficult. The only protection is to be aware of the scammers tactics and avoid sharing personal information online or through text.