Hundreds attend Becker County Museum Christmas Workshop on Saturday; Detroit Lakes Jaycees hold Gifts For Kids event

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Becker County Museum was bustling with holiday activity on Saturday as a Christmas Workshop, along with the Detroit Lakes Jaycees, Gifts For Kids event, brought in families large and small to Detroit Lakes for the festive gathering.

The Jaycees’ Gift For Kids event allowed parents and kids to select donated gifts broken down into different age categories to take home for Christmas.

Abigail Ferdon, a Jaycee’s member from Detroit Lakes, said the Detroit Lakes VFW donated six large plastic bags filled with stuffed animals from their kids bingo event to be distributed among the gift seekers and she estimated that more than 200 families made their way through the event that she described as “organized chaos.”

“Each of the Jaycees members, we’d go through with a group and take them through by age group to their table and help them pick one toy per kid,” said Ferdon. “And then they got stocking stuffers and a stuffed animal each.”

She added that it’s important for every child to have a good Christmas and events like Gifts For Kids or the Boy’s and Girl’s Club giving event try to ensure that becomes a reality for lakes area residents. She also said the Gift For Kids event was something former member Kate Spaeth championed during her time with the Jaycees and they are happy to continue the tradition she left. Spaeth passed away in January.

“Every child deserves a good Christmas and the joy that comes with that,” she said.”It’s definitely a team effort. We had a lot of funds donated in Kate Spaeth’s honor and we used that to give back to the community. That’s what the Jaycees is about and this allowed parents to give to their children when, maybe, they had a harder season to go through.”

The Gifts For Kids event wasn’t the only attraction at the museum on Saturday. Hundreds of kids and families made their way through the museum’s Christmas Workshop, which featured sugar cookie decorating, games, a hot cocoa bar and build-your-own Christmas stuffed animal.

Upstairs, just off the science center floor in a classroom, dozens of kids and parents were crafting their own Christmas tree ornaments.

Connie Wood, a museum volunteer stationed in the arts and crafts classroom, said there was a pretty steady flow of families who selected from a variety of ornament types and they worked on them together.

“They had a choice,” said Wood. “They got to pick things. The painting. It’s so fun to come and do this somewhere for a special event and you don’t have to worry about spilling on your carpet or anything at home. And the grandparents, and the little babies are along, it’s just wonderful.”

She also said it takes a lot of volunteers to ensure events like the Christmas Workshop go off without and any hiccups. Adding, she volunteers at the museum because she thinks it’s important to the community, not only the history aspect, the arts, science and technology benefits as well.

“I really think the Museum is an important place for us,” she said. “Certainly, the museum history aspect, but the art and the science and technology is so important. And just to make it accessible for everyone.”

And to cap off the event, in front of a holiday landscape in the museum’s lobby, families were able to take photographs with the big guy himself. Santa Claus posed for pictures with lakes area kids for hours during the event.

New York Mills woman injured during multi-vehicle crash near Wadena on Saturday afternoon

A New York Mills woman was injured in a three-vehicle crash west of Wadena on Highway 29 on Saturday afternoon.

On Dec. 9 at 1:19 p.m., a 2015 Chrysler 200, driven by 25-year-old Victoria Joy Tellers of New York Mills, was southbound on Otter Tail County Road 75 when it collided with a snow plow traveling west on Highway 29 and a 1996 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup traveling east at the county road 75 intersection.

Airbags deployed in Chrysler during the crash.

Tellers suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the collision and was transported to Astera Health in Wadena for treatment.

No other injuries were reported at the scene.

All three vehicle occupants involved in the crash were wearing their seatbelts during the incident and law enforcement believes alcohol did not factor into the collision.

MN Attorney General Keith Ellison charges 3 for defrauding Minnesota Medical Assistance Program

Three people are now charged in a scheme to defraud the Minnesota Medical Assistance program out of nearly $11 million.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the 24 charges Thursday in what is the largest ever Medicaid fraud prosecution by an Attorney General’s Office.

“Today, my office charged three people with stealing nearly $11 million from Medicaid,” Ellison said. “Minnesotans who receive Medicaid deserve dignity, respect, and quality healthcare, and taxpayers deserve accountability. That’s what we’re fighting for.”

One of the men charged is 48-year old Abdirashid Said of Fridley.

Said’s co-conspirators, Ali Abdirizak Ahmed and Said Awil Ibrahim, are also charged in Hennepin County district court with racketeering and aiding and abetting theft by swindle totaling over $35,000.

Said was convicted last year of Medicaid fraud and ordered to repay the state $77,000.

Four other people have been previously charged as part of this investigation. 

Additional charges are expected against other individuals, including owners and employees of other agencies, according to the attorney general who notes their investigation is continuing.

Story by Ryan Janke / KFGO

1 injured during Highway 10 crash in Hawley Friday morning

One person was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 10 in Hawley on Friday morning.

On Dec. 8 at 11:49 a.m., a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by 64-year-old Terri Lynn Fagerman of Walker, Minn., was eastbound on Highway 10 when it collided with a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, driven by 62-year-old Sharon Joan Haug of Hawley, as she was trying to cross the highway at 15th Street.

Airbags deployed in both vehicles during the crash.

A passenger in Fagerman’s vehicle, 38-year-old Jalyn Marie Fagerman of Walker, suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and was transported to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo for treatment.

All three vehicle occupants were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash and law enforcement believes alcohol did not factor into the incident.

2 truck drivers injured during Saturday morning crash near Barnesville

Two truck drivers were injured when they lost control of their semi-tractor trailer rig during icy conditions on Interstate 94 near Barnesville on Saturday morning.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol, on Dec. 9 at 10:04 a.m., a 2007 International Semi Tractor, driven by 30-year-old Hernandez Roberto Noel of Dallas, Georgia, entered the freeway median near mile marker 22 in Barnesville Township.

Both Noel and his passenger, 27-year-old Tejada Fiallo Hanfernee of Lynn Haven, Florida, suffered non-life-threatening injuries during the incident and were transported to Sanford Medical Center in Fargo for treatment.

Both Noel and Hanfernee were wearing their seat belts at the time of the crash and law enforcement believes alcohol did not factor into the incident.

Details emerge over death of ND sheriff’s deputy; Ian Cramer charged with multiple felonies including manslaughter

The 42-year-old son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota made his first court appearance Friday on manslaughter and other charges after he allegedly fled from authorities in a stolen family vehicle and crashed into a squad car, killing a North Dakota sheriff’s deputy who was reportedly taking cover behind the vehicle.

Ian Cramer, of Bismarck, was charged Thursday with multiple felony counts, including manslaughter, fleeing a police officer and reckless endangerment in connection with Wednesday’s pursuit and crash that killed 53-year-old Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin.

Cramer did not enter a plea on Friday, which will happen at a later hearing. 

He appeared in court remotely via videoconference from county jail and District Judge Bobbi Weiler set a $500,000 cash bond, and also ordered a mental health evaluation.

Cramer appeared in court without an attorney and one will be appointed for him. 

He did say during the proceedings that he had been receiving mental health treatment from Sanford Health before his arrest, and was working at a Bismarck pizza restaurant.

Mercer County State’s Attorney Todd Schwarz said he plans to file additional drug-related charges against Cramer for possession of methamphetamine, cocaine and baggies of paraphernalia.

The North Dakota State Patrol said, on Dec. 6, one of the Sen. Cramer’s daughters tracked Ian and the SUV he stole from his mother through a cellphone, and about an hour later deputies in Mercer County spotted Cramer in Hazen, about 70 miles northwest of Bismarck.

Cramer reportedly hit speeds of 100 mph during the pursuit and kept going even after an officer from nearby city of Beulah used a spiked device to flatten two of the Chevrolet Tahoe’s tires.

According to the criminal complaint, about 5 miles outside of Hazen, Beulah Chief of Police Frank Senn and Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Martin deployed more tire deflation devices and took cover behind their cars. Cramer swerved and then crashed head-on into Martin’s squad car, launching him about 100 feet from where he was seeking cover.

Martin was an 18-year veteran of the sheriff’s office and a married father of three. He was pronounced dead after being transported to a nearby hospital.

Cramer was evaluated at a hospital then jailed.

Martin’s funeral will be held on Wednesday at the high school in Beulah. Gov. Doug Burgum has directed government agencies to fly flags at half-staff through Wednesday in Martin’s honor, and he encouraged residents to do the same.

Story by AP

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