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Elk River Star News
Library updates checkout policies
Great River Regional Library, which includes the Elk River Library, has made two updates to the library checkout policy. • The loan period for DVDs is increasing from a one-week (seven-day) checkout to a three-week (21-day) checkout. • Renewals increase from two to three times. Patrons may renew their items up to three times if they are not on hold for another patron. If you have other questions about borrowing materials, requesting materials, library cards, or more, visit GRRL’s FAQ page at https://griver.org/faq or call the library hotline at 1-833-438-4775.
Elk River police report: Jeep stolen from lot; fire engulfs vehicle; and cat activates a medical alert pendant
by Joni Astrup Associate Editor A white Grand Cherokee Trackhawk was reported stolen from a parking lot at Cornerstone Auto Resource, 17219 Highway 10, Elk River. The vehicle had been dropped off by an auction company, Adesa, to have work done, according to Elk River Police Capt. Joe Gacke. ...
Box truck on Highway 101 launches into Crow River
On Jan. 15, a 25-year-old was traveling northbound on Highway 101 in a Chevrolet box truck. The vehicle went off the roadway, struck the right guardrail, veered to the left, then hit the left guardrail and was launched into the Crow River. A good Samaritan, 46-year-old Christopher Kirk, of Otsego, assisted the driver of the box truck with getting out of the vehicle. The driver was claiming minor injuries and was transported to Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids. This crash remains under investigation.
Ask a Trooper: Can parents take a child's license away?
Ask a Trooper by Sgt. Jesse Grabow of the Minnesota State Patrol Question: I heard you on the radio the other day. You were talking about new, young drivers have some restrictions on their driver’s license. You mentioned something about a parent being able to take their license away. Could you explain more about that? Answer: Yes, I can. I was talking about graduated driver license (GDLs) laws, which support...
Elk River’s municipal liquor sales rank 8th in Minnesota
Total sales were at $8.5M in 2022, according to report by Joni Astrup Associate Editor Elk River’s municipal liquor operation is one of the top in the state when it comes to sales. The city of Elk River owns Northbound...
Jacket weather
Sullivan the dog was dressed for the cold in a jacket and booties as Kristin Prescott took him for a walk Monday along Main Street in Elk River while wintry weather gripped the region. The temperature that afternoon hovered around 0 degrees. Sullivan is a Chesador — a cross between a Chesapeake Bay retriever and a Labrador retriever. Photo by Joni Astrup
Gifts Anonymous, others benefit from grants
Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association (WH) members who participate in Operation Round Up (ORU) donated grants totaling $37,650 in December. ORU has awarded more than $5.1 million since it began in 1994. ORU participants allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest dollar. The rounded amount is then used for donations supporting local programs. Approximately 90% of WH’s members participate in the ORU program, contributing a total of almost $20,000 each month. ORU’s board manages the donated money, which is held in a...
CenterPoint Energy encourages Minnesota customers to lower thermostats to conserve energy during the extreme cold
In response to rising demand for natural gas due to the extreme cold across much of the country, CenterPoint Energy is encouraging its Minnesota customers to temporarily lower their thermostat settings to help conserve energy and save money. At least through Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, CenterPoint Energy is asking its customers, if possible, to reduce their thermostat settings to 65 degrees during the day when they are at home and lower the setting an additional 5 degrees when they are asleep or away from home....
Elk River's Nick Perbix returns home as Lightning beat Wild 4-1
In front of over 150 friends and family members, Elk River native and Elk River High School alumnus Nick Perbix had a happy homecoming on Thursday, Jan. 4. Perbix, a defenseman for the Tampa Bay Lightning, made four hits and played 21 minutes and one second in the Lightning’s (22-17-5) 4-1 win over the Minnesota Wild (18-20-5) at Xcel Energy Center. This was the first of two games this season between the Lightning and the Wild. Tampa Bay is in the Eastern Conference, while the...
A Look Ahead: New year will usher in final year of 169 Redefine Project
As we jump into 2024, Elk River residents will navigate the final year of the 169 Redefine Project. Corridor travelers have earned a respite from construction slowdowns since Ames Construction and MnDOT buttoned up Phase II of the project by opening crossings at 193rd Avenue North/Jackson Street and School Street in October. Phase III will begin in early spring for the final construction season as Main Street work begins. Highway travelers should experience their least troublesome season with only the Main Street intersection decreased to a single lane in each direction with no stop light. On behalf of the Elk...
A Look Ahead: Zimmerman readies for public infrastructure projects in 2024
2024 will again be a year of public infrastructure improvements in Zimmerman. Sherburne County will reconstruct a segment of CSAH 4, or Fremont Avenue, lying between CH 45 and 10th Street West. This reconstruction was proposed for 2023, but was delayed due to the county receiving additional federal funding, which required additional plan preparation and review. The purpose of the reconstruction is to replace the existing signalized intersection of CSAH 4 and CH 45 with a roundabout, as well as constructing a second roundabout at the CSAH 4 and 10th Street West (Casey’s) intersection. ...
Letter Gifts Anonymous makes Christmas special for area families
This past December, Gifts Anonymous celebrated 53 years of giving to families in need in Elk River and Otsego, and we would like to take the time to thank the businesses, civic groups and residents who helped make this year’s event a success and helped us carry out our mission of serving our neighbors during what can be a very difficult and uncertain time for many during the holidays. Thank you to all the generous donors who also dropped a gift in the barrels in Otsego and Elk River this year or who gave a monetary donation to our account at the Bank of Elk River. A special thank you to the Gifts Anonymous board members and numerous volunteers who provided us with countless hours of service. With all these volunteers and donations we were able to help make 259 families with a total of 671 children’s Christmas a very special one! We were also able to provide 125 gifts for seniors in our community working with Meals on Wheels and CAER food shelf. — Jessica Stockamp, Gifts Anonymous President
Letter: Residents must retain control of educational integrity
At the ISD 728 School Board meeting on Dec. 11, 2023, elected members John Anderson and Mindy Frieberg faced censure as part of what may be a concerning move towards their potential removal. It is crucial for the community to understand the motivations driving this censure. Superintendent Mr. Bittman appears focused on consolidating control over the board, with Anderson and Frieberg bringing attention to this issue. In ISD 728, the absence of a policy review mechanism allows policies, primarily crafted by the Minnesota School Board...
Letter: Getting the school representation residents deserve
What is the purpose of representative government? What does it mean for an elected official to “represent” their community? What must an elected official do to “represent” the voters’ interests? At the most recent ISD 728 School Board meeting, Director John Anderson presented some alarming information in his bid for board chair that indicates our currently elected school board has given its practical representative power to a non-elected administration, thus rendering the power granted to them under Minnesota statute, section 123B.09 mute and void. Unlike...
Anderson calls school district attorney a ‘hired gun’
Elk River School Board votes 5-2 to keep current legal counsel by Jessica Charpentier APG of East Central Minnesota At the Jan. 8 Elk River Area School Board organizational meeting before the school board meeting at 6 p.m., ISD 728 School District chose school board duties, official depositories, legal counsel and other appointments for 2024. ...
Otsego wayfinding project connects people and places in community
New signage will soon show its face in Otsego parks. They are the result of a multi-year Wayfinding Plan that began in early 2022, led by Otsego Parks and Recreation. Wayfinding is a system of signs, colors, and other design elements that can help people orient themselves and navigate to new places. Otsego Parks and Recreation partnered with the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) to make this a reality in the city. ...
Adopt-a-Hydrant program offered
Each winter, fire hydrants are left covered in snow and ice. This can make it difficult to access them during an emergency. Those seconds spent shoveling snow during a fire can cause significant damage. The Adopt-a-Hydrant Program in Elk River is an opportunity for a household, business, or organization to take ownership of a hydrant and help keep it clear of snow and ice all winter. Fire hydrants should have three feet of space cleared all around them. Learn more about the Adopt-a-Hydrant Program and how you can help: https://bit.ly/3un50qr
January is Radon Action Month; test kits are $5
January is Radon Action Month. Approximately 21,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer caused by radon exposure. Radon is a silent killer because it is a radioactive gas that forms naturally in the soil that is odorless and colorless and two of every five houses in Minnesota have high radon levels. Wright County Health and Human Services sells single-use radon test kits for $5. To learn more about radon go to the Minnesota Department of Health website at www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/air/radon.
Wright County Board names Vetsch chair for second year
by John Holler Special to the Star News At its Jan. 2 reorganizational meeting, the Wright County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Commissioner Darek Vetsch to serve as the board chair for a second consecutive year. Typically, the chairmanship is done on a rotational basis. There have been some exceptions. In 2022, Commissioner Christine Husom...
Elk River Police Report: Deer causes ‘major damage’ to windshield; Grave headstone is damaged by fish house; Dancing man was unable to perform sobriety tests
by Joni Astrup Associate Editor A woman was driving south on Twin Lakes Road in Elk River shortly before 8 a.m. Jan. 4 when a deer ran out from the side of the road. “(The vehicle) struck the deer and the deer went up and over the hood, onto the windshield, and then partially onto...
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Elk River Star News serves the Elk River, Otsego, Rogers and Zimmerman communities dating back to 1872. Published Saturdays by APG of East Central Minnesota. 24/7 local coverage found online at www.erstarnews.com
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