Detroit Lakes City Council to hold 5 public hearings during regular meeting on Nov. 14
Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The Detroit Lakes City Council will be holding a series of five public hearings during their regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. at the Becker County Courthouse.
The first will be to receive public comments on a possible partial vacation of a public road right of way on 1200 block of East Shore Drive.
The city describes the public parcel as “excess” right of way and not needed for road purposes. The city plans on retaining a utility easement over the entire vacated portion of roadway.
The second hearing will take public comments concerning special assessments over the proposed Terry Street and Dandrew subdivision.
Under the current proposal, the developer and future property owners would cover nearly $415,000 of the total special assessments for the project and the city of Detroit Lakes would be responsible for about $150,000.
The third public hearing will be to receive public comments for the 2023 diseased and hazardous tree removal assessments.
In total, 13 different properties were listed for tree removal assessments that total more than $12,000. A complete list of the affected properties can be found on our station’s website, or by using the Lakes Area Radio app.
Each property owner’s assessment for tree removal is proposed to be between $470 to $1,587.
The fourth public hearing set for Tuesday evening will be to receive public comments for the 2023 bituminous, curb, gutter, approach and sidewalk improvements special assessments.
The assessments will affect 57 different Detroit Lakes properties and total nearly $194,000 in repairs. The city of Detroit Lakes will be covering more than half of the assessment costs, about $100,000, while property owners will be on the hook for about $94,000 of the special assessments concrete repairs.
And lastly, the fifth public hearing on Tuesday will be to receive public comment on unpaid service charges for snow removal and lawn care for 2023.
The special assessments for those service charges total more than $4,200 and affect 9 different Detroit Lakes properties.
Public hearings will begin at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at the Becker County Courthouse.
M State selected to Top-150 list of best community colleges by Aspen Institute
Minnesota State Community and Technical College (M State) has received an Aspen Institute recognition for the eighth consecutive time as one of the top 150 community colleges in the United State.
With the Aspen Insititute’s recognition, it positions M State as a contender for the prestigious $1 million 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
The Aspen Prize, presented biennially by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, stands as the nation’s premier acknowledgment of outstanding achievement and performance among community colleges.
Since the initiation of the Aspen Prize program in 2011, M State has consistently been recognized as a top 150 institution in every awards cycle, making it one of only two colleges in Minnesota to achieve this distinction.
M State President Carrie Brimhall expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating: “We consider it a great privilege to be recognized as a college of excellence by the Aspen Institute. To receive the honor eight consecutive times is a testament to our deep and consistent commitment to student success, and a humbling reminder that the good work we do here, in service of our students, does not go unnoticed.”
The 150 institutions eligible for the Aspen Prize are selected from a pool of over 1,000 community colleges, placing them in the top 15% nationwide.
The colleges selected by the Aspen Institute all vary in size, location, and scope, serving diverse student populations ranging from as few as 169 to as many as 49,619.
M State is one of only six colleges in Minnesota to receive this prestigious honor in the current awards cycle.
The colleges are chosen based on outstanding achievements in teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, equitable access, and equitable outcomes for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.
Josh Wyner, the executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, said the importance of colleges, “walking the walk” in fulfilling their core mission amid challenges such as enrollment variations and pandemic-related learning loss.
He said: “The best community colleges are continuing to focus on advancing the core mission: making sure as many students as possible graduate with credentials that lead to fulfilling careers and reflect the development of diverse talent that communities, states, and our nation need.”
As an Aspen Prize-eligible college, M State has been invited to submit student success data for the next phase of an in-depth review process.
This process will culminate in the announcement of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2025, following the narrowing down of the pool to 25 semifinalists and then 10 finalists in spring and summer 2024.
For additional information, visit: aspeninstitute.org.
17-year-old killed in officer involved shooting in Bismarck early Sunday morning
A 17-year-old male was killed Sunday morning after an officer-involved shooting took place in the Kirkwood Mall parking lot in Bismarck.
Three Bismarck Police Officers were involved in the shooting, and they were uninjured.
On Nov. 12 at around 12:15 am, officers responded to the area around 900 S 3rd St. In Bismarck regarding a report of gunfire in the area.
Multiple calls were received regarding the gunfire, and officers were able to determine a shooting took place around Everspring Hotel.
That shooting led police to investigate 17-year-old Nicholas Bruington of Bismarck, for allegedly shooting at another juvenile. That juvenile is not believed to be injured.
Officers conducted a traffic stop around 1:50 a.m. on a vehicle that Bruington was a passenger in near Scheels in the Kirkwood Mall Parking lot.
Bruington had a firearm, did not follow commands, and was shot at by three Bismarck Police Officers. After securing the scene, officers began life-saving measures until he was transported to a local hospital.
Bruington was pronounced deceased after arriving at the hospital.
The investigation has been turned over to the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, which is standard protocol for the Bismarck Police Department.
All three officers have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation by NDBCI.
Ogema Elementary fire cancels classes for PreK-3rd grade on Monday
A fire in the mechanical room of Ogema Elementary on Sunday afternoon caused a response from five lakes area fire departments and has canceled classes on Monday, Nov. 13 for grades pre-K through 3rd Grade at Ogema Elementary.
In a school district 435 social media post to families and staff, they confirmed the fire was extinguished quickly and confined to the mechanical room, however, due to the smoke spreading throughout the building, the district will be keeping Ogema Elementary closed on Monday.
The Waubun campus that includes grades four through 12 will keep their regular schedule.
School District 435 Superintendent Jordan Spaeth said, quote: “While we understand this may be a major inconvenience for many, please know that the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We are thankful for the quick response and efforts of the Ogema Fire Department, Waubun Fire Department, White Earth Fire Department, Callaway Fire Department, Mahnomen Fire Department, White Earth Police Department, White Earth Ambulance, Ottertail Electric, and ACE Electric.”
The school district said they will provide additional building updates and updated scheduling information as it becomes available.
Juvenile injured in hunting accident in Douglas County Saturday morning
A juvenile male accidentally shot himself in the leg during a hunting accident in Douglas County on Saturday morning.
On Nov. 11 at 4:03 p.m., the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for a hunting accident on County Road 74, near Nelson, Minn.
The caller said that a juvenile male accidentally shot himself in the leg while hunting, and he was able to walk to a nearby property to ask for assistance.
Upon arrival, first responders treated the juvenile and then he was flown from the scene via Life Link helicopter.
The injury does not appear to be life-threatening and the incident is still under investigation, however, nothing criminal is suspected.
Ottertail man charged with first-degree property damage after breaking-in, trashing rural Otter Tail County home
A man has been charged with felony first-degree damage to property stemming from a destructive incident at a residence in rural Otter Tail County
On Nov. 8 at 1:58 p.m., authorities responded to a report of vandalism and a break-in at a residence on Beverly Hills Rd, in rural Otter Tail County, part of Star Lake Township.
The caller reported the discovery of a neighbor’s mailbox that was forcibly removed from the ground and two windows on the attached garage that were shattered.
Upon further investigation by law enforcement, it was discovered that the extent of the damage was far more severe.
According to court records, 32-year-old Adam Roger Gronseth of Ottertail entered the residence without permission.
The damages allegedly caused by Gronseth were estimated to be in the multiple thousands of dollars and included multiple broken windows, a sliding door, light fixtures, a toilet, and numerous glass items.
The destructive spree involved tearing out electrical boxes, destroying various items, and throwing them down the stairs.
The Sheetrock was kicked in, and the ceiling was also stabbed and broken.
Upon arrival at the scene, law enforcement found Gronseth asleep in the residence. He claimed the damage was caused from him having a “bad reaction to drugs.”
The home owner was suspected to be away on vacation and attempts to contact them were unsuccessful.
Gronseth was arrested for first-degree criminal damage to property and is currently being held at the Otter Tail County Detention Facility (OTCDF).
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency discovers benzene in Raymond groundwater near trail derailment site
A state agency is telling the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad to track groundwater contamination following a derailment earlier this year in west central Minnesota.
The state’s Pollution Control Agency found benzene in groundwater in Raymond after 23 BNSF tanker cars derailed there in March. A spokesperson for the agency said there is no risk to the community because the contaminated water is not being used, but there is some concern locally because the MPCA didn’t notify officials in Raymond about the benzene.
The railroad will monitor the extent of the contamination to determine if there is a risk that the benzene could reach a nearby creek.
Man sentenced to more than 5 years in prison for ‘ghost gun’ sale gone wrong
A St. Paul man was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison stemming from a March 2022 shooting involving a “ghost gun” sale gone wrong in Avon, Minn.
A ghost gun is assembled with individually purchased parts from the internet, so the gun is not able to be traced.
According to court records, 21-year-old Emmanuel “Smurf” Johnson of St. Paul pleaded guilty in October to first-degree aggravated robbery with a gun in Stearns County District Court and had two other counts dismissed in a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Johnson met an 18-year-old buyer on March 8, 2022, on the 300 block of Char Avenue Northeast in Avon. The victim got into the backseat of a vehicle, and after $800 was handed over as agreed, Johnson allegedly demanded more money and shot the victim in the chest.
The victim fled the car and went to a nearby home for help.
Johnson was sentenced on Nov. 9 by Judge Andrew Pearson to just over five and a half years in prison. He was given credit for 78 days in jail and was ordered to pay $1,800 in restitution.
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