Pavement removal continues on Hwy. 7

Pond installation and widening of the roadway between Highway 25 and Carver County Road 10 are the latest phase of the Highway 7 construction project, MnDOT Engineer Kelly Brunkhorst said during the weekly project update today. Neaton Brothers Erosion Control is installing erosion control measures throughout the project area. Pavement removal continues at the intersection of Highway 7 and County Road 10, where the first of two roundabouts will be built. Bituminous removal has been started from McLeod County Road 15 and Eagle Avenue, and this work is expected to continue through this week. Once the pavement has been removed and power poles are relocated, deep organic excavation (also described as “muck excavation”) will be started. Once this material has been removed, the area will be rebuilt with suitable fill.

Is it a fake Bible verse?

US Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has a favorite Bible verse. She likes to quote it in official statements about global warming and the environment, the budget, Martin Luther King Day and Christmas. She also cites this Bible verse as why she is a Democrat. Pelosi claims it is in Isaiah. Here it is: “To minister to the needs of God’s creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.” So far, no one has been able to find this verse, not even Old Testament scholars. I think she made it up, or someone made it up and told her it was in Isaiah. Either way, it’s probably fake, although I’m not a Bible expert. There are many Bible-based churches in the Herald Journal area. Does anyone recognize this verse?

Free concert tonight at Holy Trinity School featuring the band Lightswitch

A free concert presented by Higher Ground and Holy Trinity Parish and School will feature the band Lightswitch. The concert will be at Holy Trinity School gymnasium, tonight April 30, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There will be door prizes, and concessions available. Discounted Higher Ground tickets will be available, as well. Everyone is welcome!

Wright County recognizes Bill Augustin on his retirement

Senior Survey Technician Bill Augustin has retired after having been employed by Wright County since 1975. The county board presented a retirment plaque to Augustin and acknowleged his service to the county during the April 28 board meeting. Augustin was in charge of all Wright County surveyors, and was the county’s chief bridge inspector. He performed more than 3,000 bridge inspections on county, city, and township bridges during his long career, according to County Engineer Wayne Fingalson.

Hertzog’s attorney challenges search warrant

On Monday (April 28), the attorney for Bert Hertzog of Winsted challenged the probable cause for a search warrant executed at Hertzog’s residence last June, which resulted in charges of  inspection of commercial vehicles without certification, theft-by-swindle, and aggravated forgery.

Attorney Thomas Shiah of Minneapolis presented the challenge to the probable cause that led to the search last summer.  The search recovered unauthorized vehicle inspection stickers, as well as a letter that informed Hertzog that his inspector certification was suspended — something that Hertzog said he was unaware of.

The charges stem from Hertzog allegedly issuing fake inspection stickers to commercial vehicles even though he wasn’t licensed to do so.

The judge will take the matter under advisement and issue a decision after May 16, commented Assistant County Attorney Brian Lutes.  Both sides of the case submitted their legal arguments, and the judge will weigh both.

An initial investigation done by the State Patrol showed Hertzog did commercial vehicle inspections in 2006 and 2007. Hertzog issued vehicle inspection reports to owners and inspection decals, according to a formal complaint. The decal numbers issued with inspections were recorded and tracked. The decals appeared to be fake, because the actual decals were issued to other people by legitimate certified inspectors, according to the complaint.

Hertzog’s next court date is a pre-trial conference 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 27.

Shame on Vanity Fair, not Hannah Montana

Hannah Montana, a 15-year-old pop icon, is being attacked in the media for photos that Vanity Fair published of her taken during a photo shoot Vanity Fair conducted of the young girl. One picture, in particular, is being held over Montana’s head where she is posed in just a sheet covering the front of her. Shame on the person who told the girl to dress and pose such a way, and the photographer who took the pictures! A 15-year-old doesn’t have the maturity to decipher what will appear trashy and what will not. Montana told reporters that she thought the photo was “artsy.” I can see why she would think that, but by looking at the picture myself, I can’t see how the adult photographer could  justify taking such a photo, and how Vanity Fair could publish the image. The magazine had to have known that this was going to start a stir, which means more publicity and more copies sold. Shame on Vanity Fair.

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