Jackson man arrested on drug charges Aug. 22, 2008

JACKSON - A 53-year-old Jackson man was arrested on a drug charge following the execution of a search warrant Tuesday at a residence in the 300 block of State Street by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and Jackson Police Department.

Duane Badgley was arrested and charged with one county of a controlled substance crime in the fifth degree.

As a result of the search warrant, law enforcement officials seized approximately 4.5 ounces of marijuana. Found in close proximity to the marijuana was approximately $2,000 in cash and two handguns, which were also seized.

Badgley appeared in court Thursday and remains in custody under $10,000 bond.

Worthington man injured in auger accident Aug. 21, 2008

WINDOM - Around 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, the Cottonwood County Sheriff's Department received a report that 73-year-old Vernon Mews of Worthington had his arm caught in a grain auger while unloading beans from a bin located at 92198 500th Ave. in Christiania Township in Jackson County.

Responding to the scene were the Jackson and Cottonwood County sheriff's departments, Windom Fire and Windom EMS, Dr. Rodney Dynes and nursing staff from Windom Area Hospital. A North Memorial helicopter from Redwood Falls was also called to the scene.

Members of the Windom Fire Department, with consultation and care from Dynes and the nursing staff successfully removed the arm of Mews from the auger. He was then airlifted to the Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls.

Jackson County Sheriff Roger Hawkinson and Windom Fire Chief Dan Fossing credit all the agencies involved and the doctors and nursing staff from Windom for their professional and prompt response to the scene.

Iowa Lakes trustees meet Aug. 21, 2008

ESTHERVILLE - The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees convened on the Estherville campus and learned about the long-time success of the environmental studies program.

Professor Gary Phillips was introduced to the trustees by Executive Dean Mary Larscheid of the Estherville campus.

Phillips has led the environmental studies programs for approximately 26 years. Over that time, more than 1,000 students have been prepared for careers in the environmental and resources management fields. The sustainable energy resources management program is entering its third year next week.

While on the Estherville campus, the trustees got a mini tour of building projects on campus. Work on the new wrestling building is progressing toward a scheduled opening of Oct. 1 and the athletics training room will be completed in time for the start of classes next week.

In other business, the list of summer graduates was officially accepted.

The next meeting of the Iowa Lakes Board of Trustees will be held Tuesday, September 16th at the administrative offices of the college in downtown Estherville.

Patrol investigates one-vehicle accident Aug. 21, 2008

BLUE EARTH - The Minnesota State Patrol investigated a one-vehicle accident around 12:20 p.m. Tuesday in the westbound lane of Interstate 90 in Faribault County.

Meg Gardner of Pleasant Beach, N.J., 22, was driving a 1998 Subaru that drifted off into the median, hitting the rumble strips. Gardner was startled and overcorrected, losing control and hitting the median safety barrier.

Meg Gardner and her passenger, 20-year-old Graeme Gardner, also of Pleasant Beach, were both treated and released from the United Hospital Blue Earth.

Moderate damage was reported to Gardner's car. The Blue Earth Police Department assisted the state patrol at the scene.

Pearson Lakes Arts Center to hold open house Aug. 21, 2008

OKOBOJI - Pearson Lakes Art Center will hold an open house and recognition celebration from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Sunday. The event is being held to recognize and celebrate the major donations that were given to the Bud Pearson Legacy Endowment.

There will be a special dedication of a new naming plaque for members of 'Bud's Buddies', who are donors of $100,000 and more. There will also be the unveilings of new signs naming portions of the facility.

A special program with presentations will be held at 2:30 p.m., followed by a preview of the 2009 performance season. Light refreshments will be served.

Plenty of suggestions made for use of building Aug. 20, 2008

JACKSON - There were no decisions, but a lot of suggestions were discussed for the future use of the Chozen building at Tuesday night's Jackson City Council meeting.

In July, the Chozen family donated the downtown building to the City of Jackson.

Jackson Economic Development Coordinator Sue Pirsig told the council that a number of people have approached her about the building.

The retail and development groups in Jackson have expressed their desire that the building be used as retail space. It has been suggested that it could be used as an incubator for small businesses that might not be able to afford renting an entire building, but could afford renting space in a building.

Pirsig she has also been approached by parties looking for warehouse space, although she said she didn't know if that would be the best use for the building.

Councilman Ed Willett said a group has suggested looking at the building as a potential site for a senior citizens center. Willett brought up for discussion putting the issue to a public vote.

Voters could decide from four options, remodel the building for a senior center, have the senior citizens center be a part of the new county facilities building, remodel the present senior center or not do anything.

Mayor Mitch Jasper polled the rest of the councilmen on the idea.

Jerry Palmer thought it would be a pretty good idea in that everyone could give their input by voting.

Ken Temple said he'd be favor at looking at leaving the senior center where it's at.

Fred Bern said he liked the idea of using the building as a mall.

Tom Ambrose said that the new county facilities building is not a given. He said he's heard a lot of people saying about the building staying commercial. He said there have also been suggestions about the police department moving into the building.

Gary Willink said he thinks putting the matter to a public vote would be a fair way to do it.

Willink asked County Coordinator Jan Fransen, who was at the meeting if it would eliminate the option to have the senior center in the new county building if the matter is put to a vote. Fransen said she didn't think it would.

Jasper he would like to see the building remain as retail space. He said a fifth option for the senior center would be to build between the current center and the library building where both the library and senior center could use the space.

Jasper said if it was put to a vote, then one option should be chosen and the other would be to do nothing instead of having four or five options.

Bern asked how will the options be brought to the public. There would have to be a meeting to explain the options within the next two weeks to get the matter on the November ballot.

Jasper also asked how would you get the cost numbers on all the options in order for the public to make a decision. Jasper said he thinks the building is a great opportunity for Jackson for retail space.

Junior Councilman Tanner Hummel said he would be in favor of using building as a business incubator.

Police Chief Tony Legnani asked the council to consider using the building for the police department. He said it would get the department downtown allowing for more access to the public. He said there are space needs for the department. He said funding to move to a new location could be found through grants. Legnani said moving closer to the center of town would benefit the community policing programs and better serve the citizens.

Willett asked if Fransen could put cost numbers together of what it may cost for the city to have the senior citizens center in the new county services building to see if that's a viable option. Willink said incubator space for small businesses has been discussed for 20 years.

Willink and Willett volunteered to meet with Fransen to discuss what the costs may be for the senior center in the county services building.

Also, Jasper asked for ballpark cost figures for the other suggestions. Legnani will also research what grants may be available if the police department were to move.

The cost figures for the various suggestions and ideas will be brought to the council's Sept. 2 meeting.

Council holds first reading of ordinance Aug. 20, 2008

JACKSON - The Jackson City Council held first reading Tuesday night of an ordinance amending the ordinance created by initiative petition regarding the Des Moines River Dam project.

The amended ordinance is in essence, a compromise with the committee that wanted to save the dam. At an informational meeting last week, the Department of Natural Resources said even if a proposal to put rocks on the downstream side of the dam was pursued, the dam would still need to be lowered.

The ordinance authorizes the preparation of plans and specifications and will call for and receive bids for Option 4-revised-Stepped Rock with dam removal. That's more or less the same option approved by the council earlier this year.

However, the amended ordinance directs Barr engineering to include in the plans and specifications the use of concrete rip rap that has been deposited along the banks of the river for the riffles, authorizes the city staff to advertise for rocks and boulders of sizes specified by Barr Engineering for the project, and authorizes and directs the city staff to apply for additional grant funding as may now be available through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The second reading of the amended ordinance will be held on Sept. 2. After the ordinance is adopted, the Save the Dam committee has 10 days to express dissatisfaction with the ordinance. If four-fifths of the committee expresses dissatisfaction with the ordinance in a statement filed with the city administrator, the matter will be on the November ballot.

If the Save the Dam Committee members approve of the amended ordinance, then the matter will not go to a public vote.

Historic Arnolds Park group holds meeting Aug. 19, 2008

ARNOLDS PARK - About 30 members of Historic Arnolds Park, Inc. re-elected one board member and elected two others to the board at its meeting Sunday.

Former chair Becky Batcheller of Sioux Falls, was re-elected to her board seat, while Rick Berry and Deb Ditsworth, both of Spirit Lake, were elected to fill vacancies created by treasurer Joe Conover's retirement from the board and the recent passing of Mike Zenor. Each will serve a three-year term.

The entire board will elect a new chair at its September meeting.

Those attending the meeting were told that Lee Seeman of Omaha and Okoboji has gifted $250,000 to the group as an endowment, the income of which will be used for improvements to the park.

It was also announced that Historic Arnolds Park is in negotiations to more than double the size of the Maritime Museum. Tentative plans call for the 6,000-square foot space to be expanded by approximately 10,000 square feet in order to accommodate more exhibits, especially rotating more wooden boats through the facility.

It was reported that 2008 has been a very good year with more than 200,000 admissions, about half of them paid.

Weekend shows drew an average of 3,000-5,000 attendees, with the July 4 weekend drawing more than 12,000.

Treasurer Joe Conover explained that an appreciable increase in August revenues more than made up for slight declines in June and July income, adding that the group is now well ahead of last year.

Historic Arnolds Park, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the operation of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, the Queen II excursion board, the Queen Court Mall, and the Preservation Plaza concert space.

Terril elevator is burglarized Aug. 19, 2008

TERRIL - The Dickinson County Sheriff's Department is investigating a burglary that occurred over the weekend at the elevator in Terril.

Sometime during the early morning hours Sunday, the elevator office was burglarized.

Apparently, someone threw a rock through the glass on an entry door and let themselves in. Whoever reached through the broken glass to unlock the door cut themselves on the right arm, leaving behind valuable blood evidence.

An undetermined amount of cash was taken.

If anyone has any information regarding this felony crime, they are asked to call the Dickinson County Sheriff's Office at 712-336-2793.