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Elk River Star News
Elk River police report: Engine trouble, smell of gas, and then vehicle is on fire; and driver, 13, has close call with squad
by Joni Astrup Associate Editor Police responded to a car fire in the rear parking lot in the 700 block of Main Street in downtown Elk River shortly before 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8. The owner, a 26-year-old Onamia man, said he was leaving the area after work when he experienced engine trouble and smelled...
Ask a Trooper: Can you talk about what to do to be ready for winter travel?
Ask a Trooper by Sgt. Jesse Grabow of the Minnesota State Patrol Question: The first snowstorm of the season seemed to catch a lot of us by surprise. Can you talk about what to do to be ready for winter travel? Answer: You are correct and it comes down to being prepared. While summer months are the deadliest on Minnesota roads, wintertime leads to the most crashes and poses safety...
Car, semi collide on Highway 10 in Elk River
One woman was taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash Monday, Nov. 13, in Elk River. A Lincoln Continental and a Volvo semi collided at the intersection of Highway 10 and 165th Avenue at around 9 p.m., according to the Minnesota State Patrol. The driver of the Lincoln, Latisha Smith, 34, of Houston, Texas, was taken to Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids with non-life-threatening injuries, the State Patrol reported. The driver of the semi, Lyle Makela, 68, of Elk River, was not injured. Both drivers were wearing seat belts and alcohol was not a factor, according to the State Patrol.
Anoka County Sheriff’s Office gets grant to set up cold case unit
by Peter Bodley APG of East Central Minnesota/Anoka Union A cold case investigations unit is being launched by the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office thanks to a $1.15 million federal grant. The Anoka County Board Oct. 24 approved a contract with the U.S. Department of Justice to receive the three-year 2023 National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative...
Anna and Marie’s heart-warming reunion rekindles friendship
The two grew up on neighboring farms Special to the Star News At Guardian Angels Care Center in Elk River, two lifelong friends, Anna Demars and Marie Corbin, found themselves reunited after an astounding number of years apart. Remarkably, Anna has celebrated her 100th birthday, while Marie has reached the impressive age of 102. Their...
Christ Church to be polling place for new Otsego precinct
by Joni Astrup Associate Editor The Otsego City Council is making changes to precinct boundaries to reflect changes in population. According to city documents, the city currently has four voting precincts and respective polling places. Precinct 3B with a polling place at Otsego Elementary School has approximately 6,000 registered voters, which is more than the recommended size. The new precinct map divides Precinct 3B and establishes Precinct 5B with a new polling location at Christ Church Otsego, 15849 90th St. NE. Precinct 5B is formerly part of Precinct 3B and a small portion Precinct 4B, which has a polling place at Guardian Angels. The Otsego City Council adopted a resolution establishing the precinct boundaries and polling places, in a vote Monday, Nov. 13.
Otsego fills street maintenance job
Jared Laumann has been hired for the Street Maintenance I position at the city of Otsego. It is an existing position and was vacant due to a resignation in the department, according to city documents. The Otsego City Council approved the hiring of Laumann at the Monday, Nov. 13, City Council meeting.
Otsego offices will close for employee recognition, training
Otsego city offices will be closed from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, for employee recognition and staff training events. There will be an effective communication and teamwork training session and the annual employee recognition potluck. The Otsego City Council approved the closure at the Monday, Nov. 13, meeting.
Superintendent seeks advice on potential timeline for repurposing elementary in center of district
by Maggie Stanwood Contributing Writer Superintendent Dan Bittman reported at the Nov. 13 meeting he has consulted with other superintendents who have considered repurposing a school. He said he wanted to learn what approaches have worked in other districts and what approaches have not worked so well to help determine a potential timeline for repurposing...
Senior facility breaks ground in Rogers
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Oct. 26 for NorBella Senior Living of Rogers. This 40-unit assisted living community, located at 21900 South Diamond Lake Road, is expected to be completed by June. Project partners include Vincent Companies, Great Lakes Management and Rachel Contracting. NorBella Senior Living of Rogers will be a single-story facility with 40 units of assisted living and memory care. This community will provide 24-hour support, private bedrooms, and bathrooms, home-cooked meals, physical and mental exercises, housekeeping and laundry services, social outings, and activities.
Rogers OKs purchase agreement for 3-acre city-owned property
The Rogers City Council on Oct. 24 approved a $300,000 purchase agreement from Structure Real Estate, LLC, to acquire a 3-acre portion of city-owned property on the east side of John Milless Drive and the County Road 81 intersection. The developer is proposing to build a new 14,000-square-foot small-bay warehouse building on the site, according to Brett Angell, Rogers Community Development director. The property, currently undeveloped, has “great visibility from I-94,” he said. He said the site will be geared to small-scale and start-up businesses. No complaints have been received from neighboring property owners, Angell said. Mayor Rick Ihli said the plan “will improve that piece of County Road 81 by Miller Chevrolet.” Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2024.
Local wins armor competition at Minnesota Renaissance Festival
by Jessica Charpentier APG of East Central Minnesota/Crow River News St. Michael resident Tony Allen Bernier has won numerous awards for his leather-working and won the armor competition at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival this year. Bernier handcrafted and designed the armor himself. Most of the armor was made around three years ago, but he finished...
Many hands make Rake the Town work light like leaves
Great River Faith in Action’s Annual Rake the Town effort got off to a great success in October. With a little coordination, there were 29 groups that were able to rake more than 43 yards in October. After a rare October snowfall, there were still more groups planning to go out in November. “We are grateful to our amazing community and God who has blessed this community event over the years,” said Maureen Baty, the executive director of the River Faith in Action. ...
Driver killed in Nowthen on Friday night identified.
One man is dead and three people — including two children — were hospitalized following a two-vehicle crash in Nowthen, according to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. The deceased was identified as Cole Richard Deiley, 32, of Zimmerman. An investigation into the crash is underway. Initial reports indicate shortly before 8 p.m. Friday a man driving a minivan on northbound Jarvis St. NW struck a “large piece of equipment” being towed by a pickup truck driving the opposite direction. The van’s driver was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office reported. The sheriff's department also reported an adult woman and two juvenile passengers were taken to the hospital. The man driving the pickup was reportedly not injured in the crash.
Driver killed in Nowthen on Friday night identified.
One man is dead and three people — including two children — were hospitalized following a two-vehicle crash in Nowthen, according to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. The deceased was identified as Cole Richard Deiley, 32, of Zimmerman. An investigation into the crash is underway. Initial reports indicate shortly before 8 p.m. Friday a man driving a minivan on northbound Jarvis St. NW struck a “large piece of equipment” being towed by a pickup truck driving the opposite direction. The van’s driver was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff’s office reported. The sheriff's department also reported an adult woman and two juvenile passengers were taken to the hospital. The man driving the pickup was reportedly not injured in the crash.
After reaching 100-win milestone, Elks head coach Steve Hamilton is grateful to be in Elk River
Elks head coach Steve Hamilton has been coaching football for more than 25 years. However, he doesn’t know what to expect each day. That’s because Hamilton said predicting the behavior of teenagers, even with all that coaching experience is difficult. Hamilton is the father of two teenage girls himself. “You never know what you’re going to get,” Hamilton said à la Forrest Gump. “Some of the things are so funny...
Update: Level 3 sex offender is not moving to Zimmerman area; Nov. 14 meeting canceled
The Sherburne County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that a Level 3 sex offender, Brent Murray Spafford, is not moving to Sherburne County at this time. Sheriff Joel Brott had earlier said that Spafford was moving to a residence in the vicinity of 245th Avenue NW, southeast of Zimmerman, in mid-November. A public meeting had been scheduled for Nov. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in Zimmerman to inform residents about him, but the sheriff's office said Monday that meeting has been canceled.
Energy City Commission has four openings, only two candidates
by Maggie Stanwood Contributing Writer The Elk River City Council interviewed two candidates on Nov. 6 for the Energy City Commission: Elk River residents Matthew Fomby and Mirdalys Tweeton. The Energy City Commission currently has four vacancies. Fomby was formerly...
Contract for high school ice time OK’d
As part of the consent agenda for a meeting on Nov. 6, the Elk River City Council approved a contract with the Elk River High School for practice ice time at the Furniture and Things Community Event Center. The district planned to appeal the contract to the Multipurpose Facility Advisory Commission but district representatives were unable to attend the Oct. 9 meeting. According to council documents, staff recommended approving the contract for multiple reasons including: ...
Two Elk River street maintenance employees hired
The Elk River City Council approved hiring two street maintenance operators at its Nov. 6 meeting. According to council documents, the city recently had two resignations in the street maintenance division. The council approved the hire of Samuel Sweat, who previously served in the Marine Corps and who has been working as a seasonal laborer for the city, and Kevin Boser, who previously was a subcontractor for the Dinius Fence Company.
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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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