Program aims to outfit vulnerable people with tracking bracelets

Mario Cortolezzis, who has an autistic son, Dante, has met with officials in Carver County to promote Project Lifesaver which outfits vulnerable kids and adults with a radiowave-emitting bracelet. Cortolezzis is working to get his 5-year-old Dante a bracelet. They found Dante knee-deep in a pond earlier this month when he wandered from their Waconia backyard, according to the Star Tribune. Read more

New dentist joins staff

Dr. Sarah J. Jorgenson has joined the staff of Winsted Gentle Dental Care in Winsted.  She is originally from Fridley.
Dr. Jorgenson attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter  where she received her BS Degree in Biological Science.  Afterwards, she attended the University of Minnesota Dental School and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery on May 16, 2008.
Dr. Jorgenson is an active member of the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, and the Minnesota Dental Association.  She enjoys all aspects of dentistry, especially working with children (Pediatrics), root canals (Endodontics), and implants.  She strongly believes in educational and preventative dentistry.
Dr. Jorgenson enjoys running, biking, swimming, cooking, photography, and traveling.  She will be getting married this October and will be changing her name to Dr. Magnuson after the wedding.

Big Don’s Carthedral announces winners

Big Don’s Carthedral, located at 601 Central Avenue in Lester Prairie, announced the winners in drawings at the shop’s grand opening recently.
Elda Westermann – $50 gas card
Dave Bert – $20 gift card
Elmer Hoernemann – $20 gift card
Shirley Dibb – $20 gift card
Stephanie Radtke – $20 gift card
Ron Schrupp – $20 gift card
Marv Nelson – $20 gift card
Brenda Merriman – $20 gift card
Jerry Hoese – $20 gift card
Jane Dietel – $20 gift card
Larry Roth – $20 gift card
Betty Machemehl – coffee tumbler
Audrey Litzau – coffee tumbler
James Kiekhaefer – golf balls
Doug Birkholz – hat
Jason Wagner – hat
Ralph Machemehl – hat
Gregg Trittabaugh – hat

2008 Winstock raffle winners announced

The winners of the 2008 Winstock raffle were recently announced.
• Grand prize of $16,000 cash – Dan Fisher of Winsted
• $500 cash – Dennis Heimerl of Plato
• $100 cash – Paul Neaton of Watertown
• $100 cash – Donald Jackson of New Germany
• $100 cash – Paul Reiger of New Ulm
• $100 cash – Marc Fasching of Winsted
• $100 cash – Warren Schmidt of Lester Prairie
• $100 cash – Dorothy Holmers of Howard Lake
• $100 cash – Kevin Fleischacker of Winsted
• $100 cash – Natalie Gutzke and Shaeld Gutzke of Belle Plaine
• $100 cash – Wendy Remer of Winsted
• $100 cash – Virgil Scherping of Winsted

LP Fire Dept. Relief Assoc. announces raffle winners

The raffle conducted by the Lester Praire Fire Department Relief Association in conjunction with the Prairie Days celebration went well and was considered a success, according to Fire Chief Jim Hoof.
The group sold tickets for $10 each, with a maximum of 500 tickets sold.

The winners included:
• First place, $1,000 Herb Watry of Litchfield (Watry is a former LP resident and firefighter).
• Second place $500 Keith Redding of Lester Prairie.
• Third place $250 Marla Birkholz of Lester Prairie.
• Fourth place $150 Craig Jackson of Lester Prairie.
• Fifth place $100 Devan Stoltenow of Lester Prairie
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Bert Hertzog charged with trying to ‘escape taxation’

Bert Hertzog of Winsted was once again the center of attention, in a legal sense, as two more charges were leveled against him last week pertaining to his ownership of a Mercedes.

Hertzog was charged with two counts – one gross misdemeanor intent to escape taxation and a misdemeanor vehicle registration infraction related to a 2007 Mercedes SL600. “The paperwork didn’t add up right,” commented Liet. Dan Anselment of the Wright County Sheriff’s Office.

The vehicle was obtained by Hertzog via a Minnetonka dealer, who in turn bought it from Germany.

Hertzog’s first court appearance on these charges will be 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 29 at district court in Buffalo.

His last court date was Friday, pertaining to more serious, but unrelated, charges of Hertzog allegedly issuing fake inspection stickers to commercial vehicles even though he wasn’t licensed to do so.

Hertog’s attorney, Thomas Shiah of Minneapolis, argued that since Hertzog made his inspections remotely – that is, at different locations where he would drive to – the search warrants of Hertzog’s vehicle and house were in admissible because it wasn’t the actual scene of the offenses committed. The judge did not accept this and the search warrant stands.

The searches made last June were where authorities found 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.

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 is charged in Wright County with theft-by-swindle (a felony), aggravated forgery, (a felony) and inspecting vehicles without certification.
His next court appearance for the fraud related charges is set for Tuesday, Aug. 5.

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