Archive for News

The great Ash Wednesday Blizzard of 2023 or was it?

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The Ash Wednesday Blizzard of 2023 brought the Herald Journal area to a standstill as snowfall rates exceeded two inches per hour for several hours.
From Tuesday, Feb. 21, through Thursday, Feb. 23, the area saw 16 to 20 inches of snow, making it one of the most significant snowstorms in recent history.

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Lester Prairie School Board approves several policy revisions

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The Lester Prairie School Board approved several revisions to its school handbooks for the 2023-24 school year at Monday night’s regular meeting.

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Mayer Lutheran High School to add middle school

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The Board of Directors of Mayer Lutheran High School (MLHS) voted unanimously to add grades six through eight beginning with the 2024-25 school year at its meeting Feb. 15.

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Dragon recently spotted at Howard Lake residence

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A couple of weeks ago, a dragon was spotted in Howard Lake that drew the attention of several locals who saw it.
However, these individuals knew they faced no danger, as the dragon was simply a snow sculpture created by resident Jonas Phil

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Use of deadly force in police shooting of Brent Alsleben deemed justified

New Aubrun, MN–The Sibley County Attorney determined that three officers who shot and killed a man who family members say was suffering from a mental health crisis were justified in their use of deadly force.

Officers Taylor Fenrich, Phillip Mielke, and Tyler Schmeling shot and killed 34-year-old Brent Alsleben Dec. 15, 2022, after paramedics and law enforcement negotiated with him for hours to go to the hospital.

The family  has said that Alsleben was diagnosed with bipoloar schizoaffective disorder and was off his medication. His mother and sister were granted legal guardianship earlier in the week to get him help.

His mother called the sheriff’s office in the afternoon of Dec. 14 to assist in convincing Alsleben to go to the hospital. Around 5 p.m., emergency personnel determined that he was unable to refuse transport, and grabbed him, County Attorney Sam McGinnis said. At that point Alsleben stabbed one of the EMS workers in the stomach with a knife, and attempted to stab a deputy.

He barricaded himself in his apartment, and shortly after midnight, five officers forced open his apartment door. Officers smelled fire coming from the apartment, and saw Alsleben with a “large knife,” McGinnis says.

Officers tried to take him into custody but there was a struggle, and two officers tried to use their Tasers.

Alsleben then started to stand up with the knife still in his hand, and Fenrich, Mielke, and Shchmeling fired their weapons, McGinnis says.

Documents said Fenrich fired his handgun multiple times into Alsleben’s back, Mielke fired two rifle rounds into Alsleben’s front, and Schmeling fired his rifle two to three times into Alsleben’s back.

McGinnis determined that the officers were all able to “specifically articulate the threat of death or great bodily harm” under the conditions outlined by Minnesota law , and concluded the use of deadly force was necessary and justified.

“The loss of life is always tragic, but the officers involved were reasonably put in immediate fear for their lives and the lives of others,” McGinnis concluded. “The use of deadly force by officers Fenrich, Mielke, and Schmeling was lawful.”

Winstock Early Bird Deadline Quickly Approaching

SPONSORED POST – The year is off to a fast start and the Winstock early bird deadline will be here before we know it! Secure your tickets and camping passes now to save big before prices increase March 15. Winstock is the festival that kicks off the summer right, and you won’t want to miss a moment of the fun with Miranda Lambert, Cody Johnson, Jordan Davis, Gabby Barrett, Jo Dee Messina, and so many more.

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VIP and campgrounds A, B, C, and D are all SOLD OUT, but you can still get best-available camping and tickets HERE. Very limited reserved seating remains, and these seats will sell out, so do not delay on getting your guaranteed spot at Winstock ’23.
OTHER NOTES
- The complete Winstock performance schedule was recently released and may be found HERE.
- Organizers are also finalizing this year’s Rumble on the Road stops, with dates and locations to be announced soon.
MORE INFORMATION
For additional announcements, ticket information, and everything Winstock, go to WinstockFestival.com and sign up for Winstock Email news. Be sure to follow the festival on Twitter @WinstockMNFacebookInstagram, and Snapchat.