Nicollet County Ledger February 9, 2023

February 9, 2023 | South Central News & Media

Courtland Baseball Page 6

Focus on Ag Page 2

Classifieds Page 4

Improvised Structures: Recent Sculptural Works GAC Feature Arts

By Robert Lawson Publisher 612-460-5851 info@nicolletcountyledger.com

Nicollet County Public Works.

County Administrator Says New Staff Learning Ropes

Two concurrent exhibits, Improvised Structures: Recent Sculptural Works by Nicolas Darcourt, and Elizabeth Catlett in the Hillstrom Museum of Art, will be on view at the Hillstrom Museum of Art from February 13 through April 23, 2023. There will be an Opening Reception for the exhibits from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Monday, February 13, 2023, with an Artist Talk by Nicolas Darcourt starting at 7:30.

Nicolas Darcourt has taught ceramics in the Art and Art History Department of Gustavus Adolphus College since 2012, and he serves as the studio and visual arts programs manager for the department.

Darcourt’s ceramic works use press-molded objects and handbuilt shapes to focus on a mix of architectural ornament, exposed

layers of earth, engineered forms, monument, and manufactured byproduct. These coalesce into accumulations that express abstract notions of the confluence of memory, geography, and society. The works in Improvised Structures all date from 2020 or later, including works from this year. Among the works on display are wall reliefs, threedimensional tableaux that combine multiple ceramic pieces, and garniture sets, for an examination, through repetition and rumination, of what the artist terms “the grand decorative object.”

An illustrated brochure for Improvised Structures will be available free of charge at the exhibit. A pdf version of the catalogue will be available on the Museum website at https://gustavus.edu/finearts/hillstrom/exhibitions.php, as will a link to a video walk-through tour of the exhibit that is being planned for inclusion on the College’s YouTube channel.

Most of the works on view in

Improvised Structures are available for purchase directly from the artist. A price list can be requested from the Museum attendant.

The concurrent exhibit, Elizabeth Catlett in the Hillstrom Museum of Art, considers African American artist Catlett (19152012) through works recently acquired by the Hillstrom Museum of Art and through new poetry by exhibition collaborator Philip S Bryant, a faculty member in the African/African Diaspora Studies Program and the English Department of Gustavus Adolphus College.

Catlett’s color linocut I Am the Black Woman (1946-1947) is featured in the exhibit. In some ways the image is emblematic of the artist, considered by many to be the most significant Black female artist of her period. The early years of her long career were spent in the US until she moved to Mexico in 1946, where

Continued on page 6

Landkammer Shares Stats and County Work Details

By Robert Lawson Publisher 612-460-5851 info@nicolletcountyledger.com

Nicollet County Administrator Mandy Landkammer spoke with KNUJ about what sorts of projects are underway in the county right now, with new staff to train and a series of weather challenges for county employees.

Landkammer said the new staff are learning the ropes of what goes into county government and operations in Nicollet County.

There are new commissioners as well. Both new commissioners have received committee assign-

ments and are learning many other new things.

“They’re learning pretty quickly so we’re excited to have them on board,” Landkammer said.

“They are taking full advantage of all the training opportunities and their own committee meetings that they are participating in.”

When asked if coming into the position is a challenge, Landkammer responded by explaining that there are different levels of challenge by individual basis.

“People really consider it an eye opener,” she said. “They don’t really realize what county ser-

vices are provided.”

There are many services and tasks that are unseen to the public beyond licenses and permits or things of that nature, she explained. She also explained that there are learning curves to understanding the county relationship with superseding agencies at state and federal levels of government, including unfunded mandates.

“There’s a lot more that goes into county government and lot of service industry behind it too,” she said.

Landkammer shared some sta-

Continued on page 5

Hwy 169 Lane Restrictions Coming

By Robert Lawson Publisher 612-460-5851 info@nicolletcountyledger.com

restrictions on US Hwy. 169 on Saint Peter’s southside. The restrictions are set to begin on Monday, February 13 if the weather permits. The area between Highway 99 and West Pine According to Minnesota St. will be impacted by northbound Department of Transportation and southbound lane and shoulder (MnDOT) officials, there will be lane closures. It will last two weeks and

the closures will be in place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to MnDOT. Nicolas Darcourt, Longacress Fields, 2021, red stoneware, underglaze, glaze, 16 x 18 x 2 1/2 inches MnDOT crews will be performing underground work in preparation for summer construction. A dual turn lane near Hwy. 22, a J-turn and additional lanes on Hwy. 169 are expected summer projects in St. Peter.

By Robert Lawson the power went out. He report- same day and caused the injury Publisher edly went to check the breakers to his face.

612-460-5851 in his home, but found the doors The alleged assault victim also info@nicolletcountyledger.com to be locked. Once he was ins- told law enforcement that Baker die, he found the breakers off was using methamphetamine, and restored power. According a stimulant drug that produces A North Mankato woman was to the complaint and reports, he intense euphoria but often results arrested and found hiding in her fond Baker in a closet holding in delusional and unpredictable alleged victim’s closet according a knife and walked toward the behavior by the user. to law enforcement. man with it pointed at him. He In the criminal complaint, Jaclyn Renee Baker, 38, of called police and left the home. it also states that Baker was North Mankato, was charged According to reports, Baker had sending texts to the same man with felony second-degree assault several weapons, including a while officers were on scene. with a dangerous weapon as well knife in her front pocket, four The report indicates that she as domestic assault and a gross knives inside her purse and even may have been “overdosing on misdemeanor 5th degree assault. a sword. The report indicated she methamphetamine” or aluding to According to the complaint, admitted to pointing the knife at it. According to reports in the initially reported by Alpha the man and threatening him. media, Baker has previously been Media, a man who Baker was Police also said the man had a convicted on charges of stalking in a romantic relationship with black eye and told an officer that and violating a restraining order was working in his garage and Baker threw a placard at him the or harassment order.

North Mankato Woman Arrested for Assault, Found in Closet of Victim Holding Knife

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Focus on Ag

2023 Crop Insurance Decisions

By Kent Thiesse

Farm management analyst kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com

During the next few weeks, farm operators will be finalizing their crop insurance decisions for the 2023 crop year. March 15 is the deadline to purchase crop insurance for the 2023 crop year. The 2023 spring prices for corn and soybean are likely to be similar to the base price levels last year, which should result in some favorable crop insurance guarantees again, and premium costs for 2023 should be comparable to a year ago for similar crop insurance products. Producers have several crop insurance policy options to choose from, including yield-only (YP) and revenue protection (RP and RPE) policies, Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) and Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) policies, and other private insurance options.

In recent years, most farm operators have chosen RP insurance options, which provide a guaranteed minimum dollars of gross revenue per acre (yield x price). This guarantee is based on yield history (APH) on a farm unit times the spring (base) price, which is the average of the CBOT prices during the month of February for December corn futures and November soybean futures. As of Feb. 6, the 2023 crop insurance spring prices in the Upper Midwest for YP, RP and RPE policies were estimated at $5.96 per bushel for corn and $13.60 per bushel for soybeans. The 2023 spring prices will be finalized on March 1. The current 2023 base price estimates compare to 2022 base prices of $5.90 per

bushel for corn and $14.33 per bushel for soybeans. The final 2023 crop revenue will be the actual farm yield times the crop insurance harvest price, which is the average CBOT prices during October for December corn futures and November soybean futures.

Another insurance option that is a lower premium than a typical RP policy with harvest price protection is a RPE (harvest price exclusion) policy, which functions similarly to a standard RP policy except that the guarantees on RPE policies are fixed at the base price level and are not affected by harvest prices that exceed the base price. The revenue guarantee for standard RP policies is increased for final insurance calculations if average CBOT prices during the month of October are higher than the February CBOT prices, which is what occurred for corn and soybeans in both 2020 and 2021, as well as for corn in 2022.

Producers may purchase RP and RPE insurance coverage levels from 50% to 85%, and losses are paid if the final crop revenue falls below the revenue guarantee.

An analysis for the past 16 years (2007-2022) shows that the final crop insurance harvest price for corn has been lower than the spring base price in 10 of the 16 years, including from 2013-2019. That trend has been reversed in the past three years (2020-2022) when the harvest price for corn has risen above the spring price by +$.11 per bushel in 2020 +$.79 in 2021, and by +$.96 in 2022 (from $5.90/Bu. to $6.86/Bu.).

The only other years that saw an increase in the harvest price were

See FOCUS ON AG, page 4

Thursday, February 9, 2023

100 Years Ago – Jan. 3, 1920 The home of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew M. Olson of New Sweden witnessed a pleasant gathering last Sunday afternoon and evening when all their children gathered with the old folks and celebrated a family reunion and in honor of their parents presented Mr. Olson with a fine upholstered rocker and Mrs. Olson with a gold ring. The meeting was a complete surprise to the old folks and it is needless to state that it was a most successful and pleasant one.

Clifford Landahl left Monday to attend Agriculture school.

W. A. Anderson visited at New Ulm Wednesday.

Oscar Lindquist was a business caller at Winthrop Tuesday.

Chas. Flygare and daughter, Mabel, left Monday for New Ulm where the latter had her tonsils removed.

Miss Edith Eckberg has been on the sick list with measles the past week, but is now improving nicely.

Miss Ethel Palmquist, one of the local teachers here last year, was a guest at the Rev. S. H. Swanson home last week. She left Saturday for St. Peter to continue her studies at the G.A.C. Hilding Swenson and Herbert Johnson enjoyed a very pleasant day at New Ulm Sunday.

Robert Johnson called at the county seat, Gaylord, Tuesday, and secured his citizenship papers.

His brothers, Ernest and Edwin Johnson, accompanied him.

Aug. Johnson and family have recently had a fine monument erected on their lot in the cemetery south of town.

Gutxke Bros. will be sporting a Ford, this summer, recently bought.

75 Years Ago – Jan. 12, 1945 Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Johnson entertained relatives and friends Sunday evening in honor of Sgt. and Mrs. Russell Malmberg.

Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Lindquist returned last week to Ames, Iowa, after a few days visit here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Lindquist.

Mr. and Mrs. Bernard J. Ulrich of New Sweden are the parents of a daughter, born at the Union hospital, New Ulm, on January 3.

The Ulrichs formerly resided in this village when he was the Case implement dealer.

The infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Simmet, residing three miles south of Lafayette, was baptized Sunday afternoon by Rev. Leo Krzmarzick. The name given was Gregory Richard.

The Lafayette-Bernadotte 4-H club will meet at the Henry Martin home this (Friday) evening.

Mrs. Kenneth Hagberg of here, accompanied by Miss Eleanore Kahle of New Ulm spent Monday and Tuesday in Minneapolis.

Rev. and Mrs. G. R. Morgan attended the Methodist Ministers group meeting at Redwood Falls, Monday. They also called on friends in Morton.

Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Swanson, Mrs. Harry E. Hedren and sons, Cpl. Merle and Thomas, of Winthrop, Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Swenson were entertained at dinner Saturday evening at the Ben Paulson home.

Miss Betty Karstad, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Karstad of Bernadotte, resigned her position at Powers in Minneapolis, after being employed there in the offices

for the past two years. On Friday 100 Years Ago – Jan. 10, 1920 she departed for California to be A son was born to Mr. and Mrs. employed.

Hubert Karpen of Swan Lake on Monday.

50 Years Ago – Jan. 15, 1970 Miss Anna Dorn of Minneapolis Those entertained Sunday eve- is the guest of relatives in town ning at the Walter Karstad home since Thursday. were Mr. and Mrs. Paul Eckberg, Rev. C. J. Albrecht of New Ulm, Mr. and Mrs. Christ Loock and visited at the Rev. F. Koehler home Mrs. Helen Karstad. the first of the week.

The Bernadotte Home Extension Otto Stege left on Tuesday for Group met Monday afternoon at Max, North Dakota, where he has the Douglas Webster home. The secured a position in a bank. lesson on Foreign Cookery was Chas. Sondag has purchased the given by Mrs. Duane Eckberg and old Wm. Sondag farm in Brighton Mrs. Kenneth Martens. There were township consisting of 173 acres. twelve members present.

Consideration $16,500.

The Lafayette Home Extension The seven-year-old son of Mr. Group will meet this Thursday at and Mrs. Louis Kettner slipped and the Leroy Rathmann home at 7:30 fell on Monday, sustaining the fracp.m. The lesson on Foreign Cookery ture of one of his legs. will be given by Mrs. Rathmann County Commissioners O. C. and Mrs. Melvin Hacker. Each is to Karstad and T. O. Haugen attended bring a German recipe. the annual session of the county Mr. and Mrs. Warren Johnson board, at St. Peter, this week. were Sunday dinner guests at the A number of ladies agreeably Fred Rodewald home in New Ulm. surprised Mrs. Fred Volk Tuesday Mr. and Mrs. Les Kowba of evening in honor of her birthday Minneapolis were visitors January anniversary and spent a pleasant 3rd at the Warren Johnson home. evening.

A baby girl was born Sunday The first annual meeting of the morning to Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Nicollet Electric Company was Sullivan of Lafayette. held on Thursday evening when the The Cornish Willing Workers met following officers were elected for for their home extension meeting at the ensuing year: J. C. Rabe, presithe Mrs. George Schmeising home. dent; J. C. Zins, vice president; Ed. The lesson was on Switzerland and C. Johannes, secretary-treasurer; Fondue Cookery. Twelve members Louis Dahms and A.P. Anderson, were present. directors. With the increased conPvt. Robert Hamann returned sumption of electricity during the to his base at Ft. Jackson, S.C. on coming year, it is hoped to put the Monday last week after spending company on a paying basis. a three week furlough here with Miss Rosina Dallmann returned his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Delton from New Ulm on Thursday after Hamann. a two weeks stay with her grandCarolyn Gieseke returned by mother, Mrs. Fred Becker, Sr. plane Monday to Bell Flower, Calif., after spending the holidays 85 Years Ago – Jan. 12, 1935 at the home of her parents, Mr. and Lester Vinson and Miss Martha Mrs. Elroy Gieseke.

Quast of Gaylord spent Sunday at Mr. and Mrs. Otis Mueller spent the Walter Wilking home. the weekend at Rochester with their Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Boerger and daughter, Mrs. Michael Hatch. daughter, Miss Jewel of Kasota, were Sunday visitors at the F. W. Muesing home.

NICOLLET LEADER John Doucet has returned to Minneapolis to resume his studies 115 Years Ago – Jan. 14, 1905 Wm. Ginkel has commenced at the Diesel Motor School after spending the holiday vacation with with his ice harvest this week.

C. F. Mason, of St. Paul, rural relatives and friends here.

Oscar A. Swenson left route inspector, was inspecting the Nicollet routes early in the week. He Wednesday for St. Paul to attend a predicted that Route No. 3 would be meeting of the Creamery Fire and Tornado Insurance Company. soon established.

Dr. and Mrs. M. C. Anderson A number of Nicollites enjoyed a sleigh ride to Hebron Thursday eve- attended the regular dental meeting ning. They attended the “Shadow of the Mankato District Study Club Social” given under the auspices of at Mankato Tuesday evening.

Miss Lydia Engel returned home the “Thimble Bee” at the home of last Sunday after spending a two Rev. and Mrs. Allen.

Our Marshal has had consider- weeks’ vacation with her sister, able trouble this cold weather to Mrs. Fred Schumacher of Redwood keep the water works in first class Falls.

Fred Stolz, Henry Epper, Anthony condition, it is no snap, any way you look at it, and especially in cold Epper and Jake Schuck were guests of the Skelly Oil Company at a weather.

A lady who has been visiting meeting and banquet given in the relatives hereabout was heard to Loyola club rooms, at Mankato, say the other day, that, if she lived Wednesday. in Nicollet she would advocate for Mrs. Lena Zins, son George and a curfew ordinance, seeing as there Miss Marion Juberien motored to are too many young people out at the twin cities Wednesday for a night when they should be in bed. couple of days visit. George attendWe back her up in that, and hope ed the Hardware and Implement that the City Dads will draft one Dealer’s convention held in this year.

Minneapolis.

A young fellow from St. Peter With all but some 70 checks was in our sanctum the other day being received, disbursements and made several complaints as to started last Friday on $46,548.08 the coyness of the feminine gen- in second installment payments to der out this way, saying that he corn-hog contract signers by the had been living at a farm near federal government. Nicollet is one the village for some three months, of 11 counties to receive the first and had not become acquainted checks on the second payments. with a single young lady. We could These checks form part of the first only theorize out that all the ladies million to be paid by the federal around there must have been mar- government on the second installried, or he must have kept himself ment of corn-hog money. up on the top shelf out of the reach of leap year inspirations.

LAFAYETTE NICOLLET

LEDGER

25 Years Ago – Jan. 12, 1995 After spending fall semester in China, Nicollet High School graduate Angie Stoffregen wouldn’t mind going back. The English secondary education college major would like to teach at the university where she studied.

Kari Grunst and Jeff Grommersch were chosen to reign over Snow Week festivities at Nicollet High School.

Mary Compart was elected president of the Trinity Ladies Guild at the annual meeting on Thursday, January 5. Janet Unnasch was elected secretary. Each office is for a two-year term.

Christmas Dec. 25th dinner guests of Delrose Bode were: John and Ingrid Bode of Hanska; Don and Judy Maas of Lake Crystal; Mrs. Ginger Grotham of Hanska, Jeff Bode of LaSalle and Scott and Janelle Flowers of Courtland.

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Gronholz, Joshua and Erin, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gronholz, Zackary and McKenzie of New Ulm and Jay Gronholz and friend of Worthington spent Christmas Eve with Mrs. Deb Gronholz and Jackie at Brooklyn Park. Deb’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ritz of Truman were also guests.

Dennis and Jane Rolloff of Shakopee and John and Ingrid Bode of Hanska are spending ten days sightseeing in Mexico.

Catherine Gjerde spent Christmas Eve with Jerry and Sandra Wersal and family at Mapleton.

Additional guests were: Gene and Corinne Wesley, Tim, Tara and Chris of Mankato, Mr. and Mrs. Randy Gjerde and family of New Sweden, Mr. and Mrs. David Gjerde and Megan of North Mankato and Rose Vetter of Mankato.

10 Years Ago – Jan. 14, 2010 Playing the Norseland Lutheran Church organ on its rededication day were: Lisa Quist, Margaret Annexstad, Lydell “Fred” Struck, Howard Nolte, and John Baumann.

Many from the area attended the Snowmobile Radar Run on Swan Lake Sunday afternoon. Warmer weather was the highlight of the weekend but the wind was still icy.

Marcie Flygare of rural Winthrop and Molly Erdman of rural Courtland were named to the Fall 2009-10 Academic year Dean’s List at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato. Flygare is the daughter of Duane and Carol Flygare and is a 2008 graduate of Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School. Erdman is the daughter of Dan and Sue Erdman and a 2006 graduate of Nicollet High School.

Even with snow blowing around outside, the Courtland City Council opened its January 7 meeting with a public hearing. A number of residents from Mary Lane and Riverview Drive were in attendance to hear plans for extending water and sewer service to their area. Joe Duncan of Bolton and Menk was present to explain how water and sewer service are to be expanded. He also touched on the benefits for both the residents and the city as a reason to go ahead with the project.

After way too much snow over the last month, the light snow that fell overnight – accompanied by fog and frost – made for some beautiful scenery.

Alan Thompson of Nicollet was named to the Dean’s List for fall semester 2009 at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Fulltime students with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher are eligible for the list.

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Thursday, February 9, 2023

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Nicollet County Ledger

From the Governor

Commission on Judicial Selection Recommends 4th Judicial District Candidates to Governor Walz Commission on Judicial Selection Recommends Fourth Judicial District Candidates to Governor Walz [ST. PAUL, MN] – The Commission on Judicial Selection announced today that it is recommending five candidates for consideration to fill two vacancies in Minnesota’s Fourth Judicial District.

These vacancies occurred upon the resignation of the Honorable Nicole A. Engisch and retirement of the Honorable M. Jacqueline Regis.

These seats will be chambered in Minneapolis in Hennepin County.

Dean Eyler: Dean Eyler is a partner at Lathrop GPM, where his practice focuses on litigating complex commercial and intellectual property disputes. He also is the firm’s pro bono partner and chair of the Trademark Law Committee.

He was previously a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Donald P. Lay on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and an associate attorney

at Dorsey & Whitney. His community involvement includes serving on the boards of the Advocates for Human Rights and Minnesota Urban Debate League. Eyler also volunteers with the Volunteer Lawyers Network and provides pro bono representation to parties seeking asylum before the asylum office and immigration court. He helped create a fellows program for highschool debaters and is a former Edina High School debate coach.

Matthew Frank: Matthew Frank is the managing attorney of the Criminal Division at the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, where he supervises a team of attorneys who handle criminal prosecutions, criminal appeals, civil commitments, civil matters regarding the predatory offender registration statute, and community notification risk level appeals.

He previously worked as an assistant county attorney in the Wright County Attorney’s Office, an assistant public defender in the Tenth Judicial District Public Defender’s

Vintage Photo

ASK A TROPPER Question: Last week there was an auto accident that left one adult and three children dead. There were no seat belts or child restraints used.

Who can be held responsible in this crash?

Answer: If there is a crash, the driver is ultimately responsible for the safety of everyone in the vehicle.

As a driver it is important to protect all passengers by simply making sure everyone is properly seat belted in the vehicle.

If stopped by law enforcement outside of the scenario of a crash, the driver or adult passenger not wearing a seatbelt will be issued a citation.

The driver will be issued the citation for any juveniles not wearing a seat belt or children who are not properly restrained.

Minnesota Car Seat Law and Steps In Minnesota, all children must be in a child safety seat until they are 4’ 9” tall, or at least age 8, whichever comes first.

Rear-facing seats: All infants and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car seat until they have reached the height and weight limits allowed by the car seat manufacturer.

Forward-facing seats with harness: Toddlers and preschool-age children who have reached the height and weight limits of the rear-facing car seat should use a forward-facing seat with harness until they reach the

weight limit of the harness allowed by the car seat manufacturer.

Booster seats: School-age children who have reached the height and weight limits of the forward-facing seat can sit on a booster seat. The booster must be used with a lap and shoulder belt.

Seat belts: Buckling up with a seat belt is for children 8 years old or who have reached 4 feet 9 inches. Your children are ready for adult seat belts when they can sit with their back against the vehicle seat, knees bent comfortably and completely over the seat edge without slouching, and feet touching the floor.

The Law is for Safety Minnesota law states that drivers and passengers in all seating positions must wear seat belts or be in the correct child restraint. Belts should be tight across the hips or thighs and should never be tucked under the arm or behind the back.

You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober. Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848. (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@ state.mn.us)

Mn Farm Bureau Molitor to Attend State of the Union Address Washington, D.C. – On February 7, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06) was accompanied by two distinguished guests from the Sixth Congressional District for the 2023 State of the Union address, retired Saint Cloud Police Chief Blair Anderson and fourth-generation dairy farmer Hannah Molitor.

“As Chief for the Saint Cloud Police Department, Blair built bridges between law enforcement and the Saint Cloud community, the result of which has been decreased crime and increased trust,” Emmer said.

“Hannah not only upholds four generations of her family farm’s legacy, but also works to bring young people into agriculture.

“Hannah and Blair have both dedi-

cated their lives to service,” concluded Emmer. “They represent the best of the Sixth District.”

Anderson said, “It is my privilege and pleasure to have been invited to tonight’s State of the Union address, and it has been even more of a pleasure to work with Congressman Emmer over the years. Congressman Emmer is the epitome of representation.”

“I am thrilled to attend the State of the Union address with Representative Emmer, and thank him for this special opportunity,” said Molitor. “It’s an honor to attend this event alongside him and recognize the work he has done in the district to support agriculture, especially young agriculturists like me.”

Office, an attorney in the Taylor Law Firm, and a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Allen Oleisky of the Fourth Judicial District. Frank’s community involvement includes serving on the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committees on the Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Special Rules of Procedure Governing Proceedings Under the Minnesota Commitment and Treatment Acts, the Minnesota County Attorneys Association Appellate Committee, and the Minnesota Child Mortality Review Panel. He also has volunteered as a brief and oral argument judge for the William E. McGee National Civil Rights Moot Court Competition.

Sarah Hudleston: Sarah Hudleston is an assistant United States attorney in the Violent and Major Crimes section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. In this role, she prosecutes a range of felonies, including child exploitation, bank fraud, kidnapping, armed robbery, firearms, narcotics, and government

program fraud offenses. Hudleston was previously a law clerk to the Honorable Ann D. Montgomery and an attorney at Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi and Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson. Her community involvement includes serving as a volunteer for the U.S. District Court’s Open Doors program, a mentor for students in the University of St. Thomas School of Law Mentor Externship Program, a volunteer with the Innocence Project, and a former board member of the Volunteer Lawyers Network.

Hudleston is a two-time recipient of Tubman’s Attorney of the Year Award for her pro bono representation of domestic violence victims and indigent family law clients.

Mariam Mokri: Mariam Mokri is a district court referee in the Civil and Criminal Divisions of the Fourth Judicial District, presiding over housing, harassment, and petty misdemeanor cases. She previously worked as a human services judge at the Minnesota Department of Human Services and as an assis-

tant public defender in the Fourth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office.

Mokri’s community involvement has included service as the chair of the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights and a member of the Minnesota Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers board of directors.

Sarah Walter: Sarah Walter is an assistant county attorney in the Adult Services Division of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

She has also handled child protection cases, primarily cases that are subject to the Indian Child Welfare Act. Walter was previously an assistant public defender in the Fourth Judicial District Public Defender’s Office. She is an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she teaches trial advocacy.

Walter’s community involvement includes volunteering with Loaves and Fishes of Minneapolis.

For more information about the judicial selection process, please visit the Governor’s Judicial Appointments webpage.

By Alleen Brown & John McCracken Grist

quarter million dollars for the cost of responding to pipeline-related human trafficking and sexual violence.

A treemap shows Enbridge’s reimbursements to agencies across Minnesota, amounting to over $8.6 million.

Reporters for Grist and the Center for Media and Democracy reviewed more than 350 records requested from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, pulling out totals described in invoices and receipts and dividing them into categories such as equipment, wages, and training. Each agency had its own method for tracking expenses, with varying levels of specificity. In cases where reporters were unable to cleanly disentangle different types of expenses, those expenses were categorized as “other/multiple.” Generally, totals should be considered conservative estimates for each category.

The $79,000 that Enbridge paid for the single day of arrests on June 7, which doesn’t include much of the Enbridge-funded equipment and training many officers relied on, displays the wide range of activities and agencies Enbridge’s money touched. The attorney’s office of Hubbard County, where the protest took place, even attempted to get Enbridge to reimburse $27,000 in prosecution expenses. In other words, the area’s top arbiter of justice assumed that Enbridge would be covering the cost of pursuing charges against hundreds of water protectors. (The stateappointed escrow account manager denied the request.)

Some of the most surprising Enbridge invoices were from institutions and officials associated with protecting Minnesota’s environmental resources and preserving a balance between industry and the public interest. No agency received more escrow account money than the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, or DNR, which is also one of the primary agencies monitoring Line 3 for environmental harms. Of the $2.1 million that the DNR received, the funds were mainly used to respond to protests and train state enforcement officers about how to wrangle protesters, in some cases before construction had even begun.

Conservation officers joined police on the front lines of protests, on the pipeline company’s dime.

A lollipop chart shows the top agencies to receive reimbursements from Enbridge. The Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources was the top recipient at over $2 million.

The Aitkin County-run Long Lake Conservation Center, one of the oldest environmental education centers in the U.S., provided facilities to police to the tune of over $40,000, which the sheriff’s office paid using Enbridge funds.

And a public safety liaison hired to coordinate among Enbridge, the Public Utilities Commission, and local officials was paid $120,000 in salary and benefits by the pipeline company over a year and a half.

The invoices also document, in unusual detail, the connection between fossil fuel megaproject construction and violence against women: Enbridge reimbursed a nonprofit organization for the cost of hotel rooms for women who had reportedly been assaulted by Line 3 workers. The pipeline company also helped pay for two sex trafficking stings conducted by the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigative Task Force, leading to the arrest of at least four Line 3 pipeline workers.

The state of Minnesota also considered police public relations to be expenses eligible for Enbridge funding.

John Elder, at the time spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department, put out police press releases and responded to journalist queries on behalf of the Northern Lights Task Force, which was set up to coordinate emergency response agencies throughout the protests. Enbridge ultimately reimbursed the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office

for 331 hours of his work at a wage of $80 per hour. (St. Louis County Sheriff Gordon Ramsay said he was not in office during pipeline construction and could not comment on Line-3-related work, and Elder did not respond to requests for comment.)

Investigation Finds MN Police Funded By Big Oil During Protests

This story was published in partnership with the Center for Media and Democracy.

The morning of June 7, 2021, Sheriff’s Deputy Chuck Nelson of Beltrami County, Minnesota, bought water and refreshments, packed his gear, and prepared for what would be, in his own words, “a long day.” For over six months, Indigenous-led opponents of the Line 3 project had been participating in acts of civil disobedience to disrupt construction of the tar sands oil pipeline, arguing that it would pollute water, exacerbate the climate crisis, and violate treaties with the Anishinaabe people. Officers like Nelson were stuck in the middle of a conflict, sworn to protect the rights of both the pipeline company Enbridge and its opponents.

Nelson drove 30 minutes to Hubbard County, where he and officers from 14 different police and sheriff’s departments confronted around 500 protesters, known as water protectors, occupying a pipeline pump station. The deputy spent his day detaching people who had locked themselves to equipment as fire departments and ambulances stood by. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter swooped low, kicking dust over the demonstrators, and officers deployed a sound cannon known as a Long Range Acoustic Device in attempts to disperse the crowd.

By the end of the day, 186 people had been detained in the largest massarrest of the opposition movement.

Some officers stuck around to process arrests, while others stopped for snacks at a gas station or ordered Chinese takeout before crashing at a nearby motel.

These latter details might be considered irrelevant, except for the fact that the police and emergency workers’ takeout, motel rooms, riot gear, gas, wages, and trainings were paid for by one side of the dispute — the fossil fuel company building the pipeline, which spent more than $79,000 on policing that day alone.

When the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission gave Enbridge permission in 2020 to replace its corroded Line 3 pipeline and double its capacity, it included an unusual condition in the permit: Enbridge would pay the police as they responded to the acts of civil disobedience that the project would surely spark. The pipeline company’s money would be funneled to law enforcement and other government agencies via a Public Safety Escrow Account managed by the state.

By the time construction finished in fall 2021, prosecutors had filed 967 criminal cases related to pipeline protests, and police had submitted hundreds of receipts and invoices to the Enbridge-funded escrow account, seeking reimbursement. Through a public records request, Grist and the Center for Media and Democracy have obtained and reviewed every one of those invoices, providing the most complete picture yet of the ways the pipeline company paid for the arrests of its opponents — and much more.

From pizza and “Pipeline Punch” energy drinks, to porta potties, riot suits, zip ties, and salaries, Enbridge poured a total of $8.6 million into 97 public agencies, from the northern Minnesota communities that the pipeline intersected to southern counties from which deputies traveled hours to help quell demonstrations.

By far the biggest set of expenses reimbursed from the Enbridge escrow account was over $5 million for wages, meals, lodging, mileage, and other contingencies as police and emergency workers responded to protests during construction. Over $1.3 million each went toward equipment and planning, including dozens of training sessions.

Enbridge also reimbursed nearly a

A year earlier, Elder had handled Minneapolis police PR when one of the city’s officers killed George Floyd, sparking an unprecedented wave of nationwide protests. Elder was behind the notorious press release stating that Floyd had “physically resisted officers” and died after he “appeared to be suffering medical distress.” Hours later, a bystander video went viral, showing that the medical distress followed an officer pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Fallout from the press release did not stop law enforcement agencies from choosing Elder to lead officials’ public relations surrounding the Line 3 protests.

Water protectors contend that the state of Minnesota’s arrangement with Enbridge trampled their constitutional rights. With 97 criminal cases unresolved across the state, five defendants in Aitkin County are pursuing motions arguing that the escrow account created an unconstitutional police and prosecutor bias that violated their rights to due process and equal protection under the law. They want the charges dismissed.

Attorneys with the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund’s Center for Protest Law and Litigation previously used the defense against charges filed by Hubbard County that were ultimately dismissed.

They’re now preparing a separate civil lawsuit challenging the use of the escrow account on constitutional grounds.

Winona LaDuke, an Anishinaabe activist and founder of the Indigenous environmental nonprofit Honor the Earth, is among those arguing in court that charges should be thrown out. Aitkin County, the jurisdiction behind the allegations she’s fighting, was reimbursed $6,007.70 for wages and benefits on just one of the days she was arrested. LaDuke believes the money amped up the police response.

“They were far more aggressive with us, far more intent on finding any possible reason to stop somebody,” she said. “Law enforcement is supposed to protect and serve the people. They work for Enbridge.”

LaDuke added that she believes the DNR’s Enbridge money represents a “conflict of interest.” In addition to its role in monitoring the pipeline’s full Minnesota route, the agency is directly responsible for the ecological health of 35 miles of state lands and 66 waterways where Line 3 crosses — and where Anishinaabe people have distinct treaty rights to hunt, gather, and travel. To date, the DNR and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency have charged Enbridge over $11 million in penalties for violations that include dozens of drilling fluid spills and three aquifer breaches that occurred during construction. LaDuke and others have criticized the agency’s response to the incidents, noting that it took months to publicly disclose the first of the aquifer breaches.

Juli Kellner, an Enbridge spokesperson, emphasized that the escrow account was operated by an independent manager who reported to the Public Utilities Commission, not the oil company. Kellner said the account was created to relieve communities from the increased financial burden that public safety agencies accrued when responding to protests.

“Enbridge provided funding but had no decision-making authority on reimbursement requests,” she said.

Ryan Barlow, the Public Utilities Commission’s general counsel, said the commission had no comment about the appropriateness of specific expenses:

“If expenses met the conditions of the permit they were approved; if they did not, they were not approved.”

In a statement, the DNR said that receiving reimbursement from Enbridge does not constitute a conflict of interest: “At no time were state law enforcement personnel under the control or direction of Enbridge, and at no time did the opportunity for reimbursement for our public safety work in any way influence our regulatory decisions.”

When asked why its officers were trained how to use chemical weapons ahead of the protests, the DNR said their peace officers’ overall mission is “protecting Minnesota’s natural resources and the people who use them” and that such equipment, while occasionally necessary, “is not used as part of conservation officers’ routine work.”

Hubbard County Sheriff CoryAukes said his agency’s response was dictated by the protestors and water protectors.

“If they want to block roads, threaten workers, and cause $100,000 worth of damage to Enbridge equipment, well, we have a job to do, and we did it,” Aukes said, adding that Enbridge is a taxpayer that officers have a duty to protect. “Enbridge is a big taxpayer in Hubbard county and we would be doing an injustice if we didn’t support them as well.”

“We were in the middle,” added Aitkin County Sheriff Dan Guida. “There were probably times when it seems like we dealt with water protectors in a more criminal way, but they were the ones breaking the law.” He added that officers had no knowledge of the reimbursement plan and that the funds spared taxpayers the cost of policing the pipeline.

Long Lake Conservation Center manager Dave McMillan, on the other hand, said he knew the money the Aitkin County Sheriff’s Office paid his organization for police officer lodging would come from Enbridge. “My concern was not wanting to become a pawn or a player in this political battle.

In the same token, we said if any of the organizations that were protesting said they wanted to come here and use our facilities, we would have said yes,” he said. Enbridge’s connection to the facility runs even deeper: The company’s director of tribal engagement sits on the board of the Long Lake Conservation Foundation, which helps fund the county-run facility.

With energy infrastructure fights brewing over liquid natural gas terminals in the Southeast, lithium mining in the West, and the Enbridge-operated Line 5 pipeline in Wisconsin and Michigan, the ongoing legal cases that have ensnared the water protectors will help decide whether or not the public safety escrow account will be replicated elsewhere.

“Our concern is that this now will become the model for deployment nationwide against any community that is rising up against corporate abuse,” said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, the director of the Center for Protest Law and Litigation, who is representing some of the water protectors. “It becomes very easy to sell this to the public as a savings for taxpayers, when instead what they’re doing is selling their police department to serve the pecuniary interests of a corporation.”

Long before Line 3 construction began, Anishinaabe-led water defenders promised they would rise up if the expanded pipeline was permitted.

Members of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission warily looked west to North Dakota, where in 2016 and 2017 public agencies spent $38 million policing massive protests led by members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. With global concerns about climate change and biodiversity reaching a fever pitch, building an oil pipeline now came with a hefty civil

Continued on page 4

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Page 4

Nicollet County Ledger

Gritz and CMDI Finds Oil Companies Paid MN Agencies and Police More Than $8M Continued from 3 disobedience bill, and the commission- September 2018 and consisting of law enforcement and other public officials ers did not want taxpayers to foot it.

According to the pipeline permit, final- from 16 counties along the pipeline ized in 2020, whenever a Minnesota route or otherwise hosting Enbridge public safety agency spent money on infrastructure, as well as representaalmost anything related to Line 3, they tives from nearby reservations and could submit an invoice, and Enbridge state agencies. Task force members met would pay it. Nonprofits responding to at least a dozen times before construcdrug and human trafficking were also tion began, the invoices show, and at eligible for grants from the account. To times Enbridge representatives joined. create a layer of separation between po- It didn’t necessarily matter, however, lice and the Enbridge money, the state whether Enbridge was physically in the hired an account manager to decide room, because the company’s money was always there: For the law enforcewhich invoices would be fulfilled.

Minnesota wasn’t the only state con- ment agencies that requested it, the corsidering this kind of account. In 2019, poration paid wages and overtime for South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem each Northern Lights Task Force meetpassed a law designed to establish ing attended. “the next generation model of funding David Olmstead, a retired Bloomingpipeline construction.” The law created ton police commander appointed by the a fund for law enforcement and emer- Minnesota Department of Homeland gency managers responding to pipeline Security and Emergency Management protests, paid partly by new rioting to fulfill the duties of the Line 3 pubpenalties, but also with as much as $20 lic safety liaison, coordinated between million from the company behind the Enbridge and public officials. Enbridge pipeline. Noem’s office collaborated reimbursed the homeland security on the legislation with TransCanada, agency Olmstead’s salary and benefits now known as TC Energy, which was as well as more than $20,000 in lodgpreparing to build the controversial ing expenses that Olmstead charged to Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. But a credit card, which included a room at with Keystone XL defunct after Presi- Duluth’s Fairfield Inn that was rented dent Joe Biden pulled a key permit in for two straight months at the height 2021, only Minnesota would have the of protests in June and July 2021, for a opportunity to fully test the new mod- nightly rate of $165.

Olmstead, who did not respond to el.

Even beforeLine 3 received its final requests for comment, helped set up permit on November 30, 2020, more a network of emergency operations than $1 million in reimbursement-eligi- centers to be activated when protests ble expenses had been spent. Sheriffs’ kicked off. He also worked with task offices were already buying riot gear force members as they arranged dozens and conducting crowd control trainings of training sessions. Although a large in 2016 and 2017, in anticipation of the proportion focused on crowd control tactics, others covered techniques for protests.

Key to coordinating it all was the North- dismantling lock-downs, responding to Thursday, November 24, 2022 ern Lights Task Force, established in weapons of mass destruction, policing

It wasn’t necessarily the counties with the heaviest protest activity that purchased the most equipment using Enbridge money. Among the top five local law enforcement equipment buyers was the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office, located in one of Minnesota’s southernmost counties. The agency’s only Enbridge-related expense besides equipment was for three officers to spend a two- to three-day deployment assisting other agencies along the pipeline route in the northern part of the state. (The office did not respond to requests for comment.)

A choropleth map of Minnesota shows counties where Enbridge invested the most in local law enforcement. Some counties are in the southern part of the state, far from the route of Line 3.

Grist / Jessie Blaeser 2021 was a year of unprecedented protest among Northern Minnesota’s pristine lakes and wetlands. Enbridge and law enforcement faced a drumbeat of road blockades, lockdowns to pipeline equipment, marches through remote prairie, and layered demonstrations combining Anishinaabe ceremony with direct action tactics refined by generations of environmental and Indigenous social movements.

The biggest Enbridge escrow account expense was more than $4.5 million in wages, benefits, and overtime for officials responding to perceived security threats during construction. More than just police and sheriff’s offices were involved: The Department of Natural Resources’ largest Enbridge-funded expense was $870,000 in personnel costs during construction.

And it wasn’t just calls for service that Enbridge paid for. Dozens of invoices mentioned “patrols,” where law en-

sex trafficking, upholding the constitu- Patrol, and over $170,000 for the Detion, understanding Native American partment of Natural Resources. culture, and using lessons learned from Bar chart with log scale shows reimpolicing the Dakota Access Pipeline. bursements from Enbridge for equipPublic officials spent over $950,000 of ment cost, specifically riot gear.

Enbridge’s money on training expens- Grist / Jessie Blaeser es, including meals, lodging, mileage, Enbridge also covered more than $325,000 in clothing — mostly cold training fees, and wages.

Three quarters of the Enbridge training weather apparel — as well as over money went to the Department of Nat- $55,000 for hand, foot, and body ural Resources. The agency’s enforce- warmers. Even the identification patchment division is not only responsible es worn on many deputies’ lapels were for upholding environmental laws and paid for by Enbridge — totaling more ticketing deviant poachers and recre- than $7,000. Another $2,000 went ational vehicle drivers, but it also has toward porta potty rentals, and over full police powers on state lands. While $12,000 more toward gear to protect riot control may not be in the typical police as they detached protesters who job description of a Minnesota conser- had locked themselves to equipment, vation officer, previously known as a including face shields and flame-proof game warden, dozens of them trained blankets to guard against flying sparks. to control crowds and use less-lethal Enbridge paid not only for the time the Sheriff’s deputies took to arrest water chemical weapons.

The Enbridge fund wasn’t supposed protectors and bind their hands behind to be primarily for stuff. To limit pur- their backs, but also for the handcuffs chases, Public Utilities Commission themselves, which were dubbed PPE members added language in the permit and paid for by the pipeline company. stipulating that public agencies could The state of Minnesota approved more only use it to buy personal protective than $12,500 in Enbridge funds for zip ties and handcuffs. equipment, or PPE. Over half of PPE funds went toward “Less lethal” weapons did not count riot gear valued at more than $700,000, as personal protective equipment, the which was purchased from police account manager decided, to the frusequipment vendors like Streicher’s and tration of some law enforcement leadGalls. For 13 county and city police ers. However, even though Enbridge forces, that meant more than $5,000 couldn’t buy these weapons, the comin riot suits, shields, and gas masks. pany did cover trainings on how to use The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office them. Several trainings were provided took over $70,000 for riot gear, and the by the tear gas manufacturer SafariPolk County Sheriff’s Office more than land, costing thousands of dollars. En$50,000. (Neither office responded to bridge also reimbursed over $260,000 requests for comment.) However it was worth of gas masks and attachments, state agencies that received more than including filters for tear gas, presumhalf of the Enbridge reimbursements ably to protect law enforcement from for crowd control equipment: more the chemicals they themselves would Nicollet County Ledger than $200,000 for the Minnesota State be deploying.

forcement would drive up and down the pipeline route or surveil places occupied by pipeline opponents.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office’s “proactive” safety patrol, described in an invoice, may help explain why that agency expensed far more money for response costs to the escrow account — over $900,000 — than any other county or city, despite facing fewer mass demonstrations than other areas.

Like Cass, Hubbard County at times instituted patrols as well as mandatory overtime shifts. The invoices confirm that sheriff’s deputies surveilled the Namewag camp, which was located on private land and used both as a space for Anishinaabe land-based practices and as a jumping off point for direct action protests. “On 3/6 and 3/7, Hubbard County Deputies observed roughly 30 previously unidentified vehicles arriving and periodically leaving the Hinds Lake Camp (Ginew [sic] Collective Camp) in Straight River Township, Hubbard County,” one invoice states.

It goes on to describe intelligence shared by an Enbridge employee, detailing the movements of various groups of pipeline resistors. “Migizi camp [another anti-Line 3 encampment] is empty at this time and intelligence suggests Migizi and Portland XR [short for Extinction Rebellion] are camping at a public campground,” the message from Enbridge stated.

Enbridge also paid for gas that fueled officers’ cars, hotels they stayed in when assisting other jurisdictions, and food they ate during shifts. During both planning stages and periods of law enforcement action, Enbridge covered at least $150,000 in meals, snacks, and

Page 7

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1

Thursday, February 9, 2022

Legal Notices NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Commissioners of Nicollet County, Minnesota (the “County”) will meet on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. at the County Government Center, 501 South Minnesota Avenue, St Peter, Minnesota, to hold a public hearing concerning (i) the adoption of a fiveyear capital improvement plan for the County prepared in compliance with Minnesota Statutes, Section 373.40. The purpose of the public hearing is the review, discussion and approval of the proposed 2022 – 2026 Capital Improvement Plan for Nicollet County. The plan identifies estimated capital expenditures

and funding sources for a five-year period. A copy of the plan is available for inspection at the County Government Center.

All interested persons may appear and be heard at the public hearing either orally or in writing, or may file written comments with the County Board Clerk before the hearing.

Mandy Landkamer County Administrator

MFU Member Calls for MinnesotaCare Public Option ST. PAUL – Today, Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) testified before the Minnesota House Commerce Committee in support of House File 96, Representative Jamie Long’s bill to expand MinnesotaCare with a public option.

“Unaffordable health insurance forces many family farmers to seek off-farm jobs in order to access affordable health insurance for their families,” said MFU President Gary Wertish. “Our members have consistently placed affordable health insur-

Focus on Ag Continued From Page 2 2010, 2011 and 2012. The range has been from an increase in the harvest price of +$1.82 per bushel in 2012 to declines of ($1.26) and ($1.27) per bushel in 2013 and 2008.

For soybeans, the harvest price has increased in seven years (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2021) and decreased in eight years (2008, 2011, 2014-2019, and 2022), while staying the same in 2013. The range has been from an increase of +$2.84 per bushel in 2012 to a decline of ($3) per bushel in 2008. In 2022, the harvest price was $13.81 per bushel, which was a decrease of ($.52) per bushel from the spring price of $14.33 per bushel.

SCO and ECO Insurance Coverage The SCO coverage is only available to producers that choose the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) farm program option for the 2023 crop year. The farm program and crop insurance enrollment deadlines are both March 15, 2023, which means that farm operators will need to consider both choices during the same time period. SCO allows producers to purchase additional county-level crop insurance coverage up to a maximum of 86% coverage. For example, a producer that purchases an 80% RP policy could purchase an additional 6% SCO coverage. The federal government subsidizes 65% of the premium for SCO coverage, so premiums are quite reasonable, making SCO a viable option for some producers.

The ECO provides area-based insurance coverage from 86% up to 95% coverage, with producers having a choice between 90 or 95% ECO coverage. Unlike SCO coverage, the purchase of ECO coverage is available with selection of either the PLC or ARC-CO farm program choice for 2023. Producers can utilize both ECO and SCO together, in addi-

Page 5

Nicollet County Ledger

tion to their underlying RP, RPE or YP insurance policy. SCO and ECO are county revenue-based insurance products that utilize the same crop insurance base prices and harvest prices as RP insurance policies; however, the biggest difference is that SCO and ECO utilize county level average yields, rather than the farm-level APH yields. As a result, the SCO and ECO insurance policies may achieve different results than the underlying RP policy. Interested producers should check with their crop insurance agent for details on SCO and ECO insurance coverage and premiums for 2023, as well as to compare SCO and ECO with other buy-up insurance products that utilize farm-level APH yields.

Enterprise Units and Optional Units Enterprise units combine all acres of a crop in a given county into one crop insurance unit, while optional units allow producers to insure crops separately in each individual township section. Enterprise units usually have considerably lower premium costs (approx. $8-$12 per acre) compared to optional units, for comparable RP and RPE policies. Producers should be aware that enterprise units are based on larger coverage areas and do not necessarily cover losses from isolated storms or crop damage that affect individual farm units, such as damage from hail, wind or heavy rains. Many times, producers automatically opt for enterprise units every year, due to the lower premium cost per acre for similar coverage, and probably not totally understanding the differences in coverage between enterprise units and optional units.

It is important to understand the difference in insurance coverage and to analyze the yield risk on each individual farm unit, when determining if paying the extra premium for insurance coverage with optional units makes sense.

Bottom-Line on Crop Insurance Decisions Given the strong crop insurance spring base prices for both corn and soybeans, most producers should be able to provide a very desirable level of risk protection for corn and soybean production in 2023. At current spring price levels, many producers will be able to guarantee near $800 to over $1,000 per acre for corn, and near $550 to over $750 per acre for soybeans by utilizing 85% RP insurance coverage level in 2023.

Producers can further enhance their revenue guarantees through buy-up crop insurance coverage that is offered by private insurance companies, as well as with wind and hail endorsements, or through the purchase of SCO or ECO insurance coverage. Crop insurance remains one of the best risk management tools that is available for farm operators to protect their annual investment in crop production.

A reputable crop insurance agent is the best source of information to find out more details about the various crop insurance products that are offered, to get premium quotes, and to help finalize 2023 crop insurance decisions.

To receive a free copy of an information sheet titled 2023 Crop Insurance Decisions, please forward an email to: kent.thiesse@ minnstarbank.com.

Following are some very good websites with crop insurance information: • USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA): http://www.rma. usda.gov/ • University of Illinois FarmDoc: http://www.farmdoc. illinois.edu/cropins/index.asp • Kansas State University Ag Manager: https://agmanager.info/ crop-insurance • Iowa State University Ag Decision Maker: https://www. extension.iastate.edu/agdm/

ance and accessible health care atop their list of policy priorities. This is the year to make it happen.”

MinnesotaCare provides health insurance coverage to people who do not have access to affordable health insurance. Most members pay a monthly premium and the premium is based on the member’s income. The public option allows all Minnesotans to buy-in to this health insurance. Farmers’ incomes are typically variable, rising when product prices are high and falling

when product prices fall. This means farmers may qualify in some years and not others.

Danny Lundell, who farms near Cannon Falls with his wife, Mary, said the rising cost of purchasing health insurance on their own forced them to seek other options.

“At one point, we had a $20,000 deductible and were allowed $100 to use for wellness visits,” Lundell said.

“That was a joke as it didn’t cover the doctor’s visit, let alone any lab fees.”

Now, Mary is employed off-the-

farm to provide health insurance coverage for the couple.

“Everyone needs and deserves health care, and it needs to be accessible and affordable,” Lundell said.

“A MinnesotaCare buy-in option would provide health care insurance that we and other farmers could actually afford to purchase and use while providing high-quality care. It would allow the next generation of family farmers the ability to live and work in rural communities. Let’s get this done.”

Police for Big Oil Continued From Page 4

drinks.The oil company bought bagels, Domino’s pizza, McNuggets, Subway sandwich platters, a Dairy Queen strawberry sundae, summer sausage, cheese curds, deep fried pickles, Fritos, Gatorade, and energy drinks, including one called Pipeline Punch.

From planning through construction, police and sheriff’s offices together received at least $5.8 million in Enbridge funds. For state agencies, the Enbridge funds represented a tiny proportion of massive budgets. However, for the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Enbridge money added up to the equivalent of more than 10 percent of the office’s 2021 budget. (The office did not respond to requests for comment.) Five other sheriff’s offices received reimbursements equivalent to over 5 percent of their annual budgets.

The range of choices law enforcement agencies made regarding what to invoice makes clear the discretionary nature of the Line 3 response. Clearwater County is home to one of two places where Line 3 crosses the Mississippi River and the site of a number of protests. Although 20 other law enforcement agencies billed Enbridge for assisting the local sheriff, Clearwater County billed nothing to the pipeline company.

The invoices also offer insight into the way the influx of pipeline workers translated into incidents of human trafficking and assault. “Since the Line 3 Replacement project has come to our area, we have experienced an increase in calls and need for services,” reads a grant application from the nonprofit Violence Intervention Project, or VIP, based in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, a community through which the pipeline passes, just outside the Red Lake Reservation. “We have provided services to several victims that have been

assaulted by employees working on the Enbridge line 3 project.”

Enbridge reimbursed the organization for two hotel rooms for assault survivors, since VIP’s shelter was full at the time. The company also paid $42,000 worth of hazard pay for shelter workers during the 2021 winter, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Enbridge’s biggest human trafficking grant recipient was Support Within Reach, a northern Minnesota organization that works with survivors of sexual violence, which used the money to pay for extra personnel costs during pipeline construction and to buy emergency cell phones for advocates.

Additional funds also went to public agencies: Enbridge reimbursed $43,551.96 to local law enforcement agencies working with the Minnesota Human Trafficking Investigative Task Force. The documents describe at least two multi-agency operations in Grand Rapids and Bemidji, and news reports from the time confirm that they led to the arrest of four Line 3 workers.

Kellner, the Enbridge spokesperson, said that any employee caught and arrested for human trafficking would be fired by the company. She added that the four workers who were arrested were subcontractors, not direct employees of the oil company, and were fired by the contractor Enbridge worked with.

The Link, a nonprofit based in North Minneapolis, received $36,870 from Enbridge and used it in part to assist the task force with sting operations and support survivors who were found. Beth Holger, the organization’s chief executive officer, said she did not feel conflicted about taking Enbridge’s money, because it was going to victims: “Yes we took money from a corporation that has caused harm, and we’re giving it to people to help with that harm.”

The Line 3 pipeline protests are about much more than climate change Alexandria Herr The $8.6 million in expenses covered by Enbridge by no means accounts for the full public cost of responding to opposition to the Line 3 pipeline.

Several sheriffs’ offices anticipated thousands more Enbridge dollars than they received. The sheriffs’ offices in Cass, Beltrami, and Polk counties each attempted to expense around $25,000 of equipment that was ultimately denied reimbursement.

Hubbard County Sheriff Cory Aukes said that it was unfortunate that the Hubbard county attorney’s request for prosecutorial funds was denied by the account manager, as Aukes sees the influx of charges and protestors as an undue burden on the attorney’s office as well as the sheriff’s office. He said that his agency had plenty of other expenses that weren’t covered.

He added that he believes it would be fiscally irresponsible to decline Enbridge’s funds. “Shouldn’t they have to fund that? Shouldn’t they be responsible to reimburse these additional costs?” Aukes asked.

To water protectors, however, the greatest costs of the pipeline are its consequences for the climate, water, and the Canadian forest ecosystem decimated by tar sands oil production.

The nonprofit LaDuke co-founded, Honor the Earth, issued its own invoice to Enbridge before the creation of the escrow account, estimating that Line 3 would cost $266 billion annually in environmental losses and social damages.

So far, she hasn’t received a response.

Jessie Blaeser contributed data reporting, visualization, and analysis to this story.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS 2023 Lift Station No. 2 Improvements City Of Nicollet Nicollet, MN RECEIPT AND OPENING OF PROPOSALS: Proposals for the work described below will be received online through QuestCDN.com until 10:00 am on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at which time the bids will be opened and publicly read at the office of the City Clerk, City of Nicollet, 401 Pine Street, Nicollet, MN 56074.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The work includes the construction of approximately: Perf PE Pipe Drain

2,730

LIN FT

8” Forcemain (Trenchless in Casing) 375

LIN FT

Air Relief Manhole

3

EA

Seal Manhole (Spectrashield Liner)

2

EA

8” Forcemain

3,085

LIN FT

Turf Establishment

1

LUMP SUM

8” Forcemain (Trenchless)

318

LIN FT

together with numerous related items of work, all in accordance with Plans and Specifications. This project is subject to Responsible Contractor Certification.

COMPLETION OF WORK: All work under the Contract must be complete by September 1, 2023.

PLAN HOLDERS LIST, ADDENDUMS AND BID TABULATION: The plan holders list, addendums and bid tabulations will be available for download on-line at www.questcdn.com or www.bolton-menk.com.

TO OBTAIN BID DOCUMENTS: Complete digital project bidding documents are available at www.questcdn.com or www.bolton-menk.com. You may view the digital plan documents for free by entering Quest project # 8368809 on the website’s Project Search page. Documents may be downloaded for $50.00. Please contact QuestCDN.com at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance in free membership registration, viewing, downloading, and working with this digital project information.

BID SUBMITTAL: A bid shall be submitted online no later than the date and time prescribed. For this project, the City will only be accepting online electronic bids through QuestCDN. To access the electronic bid form, download the project document and click online bidding button at the top of the advertisement. Prospective bidders must be on the plan holders list through QuestCDN for bids to be accepted.

BID SECURITY: A Proposal Bond in the amount of not less than 5 percent of the total amount bid, drawn in favor of City of Nicollet shall accompany each bid.

OWNER'S RIGHTS RESERVED: The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any irregularities and informalities therein and to award the Contract to other than the lowest bidder if, in their discretion, the interest of the Owner would be best served thereby.

DATED:

January 16, 2023

Published:

/S/

Vanessa Drill City Clerk

QuestCDN: January 19, 2023 Nicollet County Ledger: January 19, 2023, February 2, 2023, February 9, 2023

County Update Continued From 1 tistics and details on work service provided in the community even in challenging weather that we have faced this winter. She mentioned how those who work during typical business hours don’t have to contend with the same issues as law enforcement, public works personnel and other service providers in the county when the weather is bad. The public works director and engineer provided some statistics from the winter.

Out of 72 days between mid-

November to end of January, 54 days there were some type of winter maintenance in the county. More than 800 tons of salt and 1900 tons of sand was used during that timeframe. Public works also took care of more than 220 miles of paved roads. Including gravel, they worked on 308 miles of road. There were 20 consecutive days in December when crews were working on winter management.

“Our staff were working hard,”

Landkammer said. “That’s pretty impressive … We kind of forget what goes into maintaining those roads.”

Landkammer said the county is watching and working with lobbies to secure aid for county government to help keep taxes in check. They are also watching the movement toward paid parental leave. She said they strongly support measures for it but said there are details that need to be addressed to ensure costs and management are adequate.

Got a story idea to share? Let the Ledger know! info@nicolletcountyledger.com

Page 6

Nicollet County Ledger

Thursday, February 9, 2023

Fine Art Show at Gustavus Adolphus College Hillstrom Museum of Art From Page 1 she lived the rest of her life.

Catlett took her own culture as an African American woman as her primary subject matter, adding to it her adopted Mexican culture when she moved there, married Mexican artist Francisco Mora (19222002) and raised a family with him.

Catlett’s a r tworks and Bryant’s poetry are supplement-

ed by paintings by Catlett’s contemporaries, African American artists Jacob Lawrence (19172000) and Eldzier Cortor (19162015), lent by the Art Bridges Foundation.

Art Bridges is the vision of philanthropist and arts patron Alice Walton, also founder of the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The mission of Art Bridges is to

expand access to American art in all regions across the United States.

Art Bridges has also supplied a generous grant to produce a brochure for the exhibit, to support outreach for the exhibition, and to support the visit to campus by Catlett scholar Melanie Herzog, who will present a lecture titled Elizabeth Catlett: Kinship. Herzog’s lec-

ST. PAUL – Today, Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) testified before the Minnesota House Commerce Committee in support of House File 96, Representative Jamie Long’s bill to expand MinnesotaCare with a public option.

“Unaffordable health insurance forces many family farmers to seek off-farm jobs in order to access affordable health insurance for their families,” said MFU President Gary Wertish.

“Our members have consistently placed affordable health insurance and accessible health care atop their list of policy priorities.

This is the year to make it happen.”

MinnesotaCare provides health

insurance coverage to people who do not have access to affordable health insurance. Most members pay a monthly premium and the premium is based on the member’s income. The public option allows all Minnesotans to buy-in to this health insurance. Farmers’ incomes are typically variable, rising when product prices are high and falling when product prices fall. This means farmers may qualify in some years and not others.

Danny Lundell, who farms near Cannon Falls with his wife, Mary, said the rising cost of purchasing health insurance on their own forced them to seek other options.

“At one point, we had a $20,000

deductible and were allowed $100 to use for wellness visits,” Lundell said. “That was a joke as it didn’t cover the doctor’s visit, let alone any lab fees.”

Now, Mary is employed offthe-farm to provide health insurance coverage for the couple.

“Everyone needs and deserves health care, and it needs to be accessible and affordable,” Lundell said. “A MinnesotaCare buy-in option would provide health care insurance that we and other farmers could actually afford to purchase and use while providing high-quality care. It would allow the next generation of family farmers the ability to live and work in rural communities. Let’s get this done.”

ture will be coupled with a reading of poetry by Philip S Bryant in a program on Sunday, February 26, 4:00-5:30 p.m., Wallenberg Auditorium, Nobel Hall, Gustavus Adolphus College.

In conjunction with the Catlett and Darcourt exhibits, students in the Dance Composition II class taught

by Gustavus Adolphus College

Theatre and Dance Department faculty member Jill Patterson will present a series of dance works choreographed in relation to and drawing from the works on view.

This dance program, titled Move/MEANT, will be performed in the Museum Tuesday, March 21, 2023, from 1:30 to 2:30 and again from 5:30 to 6:30.

More information about the Hillstrom Museum of Art and its offerings can be found on its website at: https://gustavus. edu/finearts/hillstrom/.

Regular Museum hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m.- to 4:00 p.m. and weekends, 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.. All exhibitions and related programming are free and open to the public.

M I N N E SOTA STAT E MANKATO ANNOUNCES 2022 FALL SEMESTER DEAN’S LIST MANKATO, Minn. (February 9, 2023) - The Academic High Honor and Honor lists (Dean’s lists) for the past fall semester at Minnesota State University, Mankato have been announced by Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs David Hood.

Among 3,714 students, a total of 1,126 students qualified for the High Honor List by achieving a 4.0 straight “A” average, while 2,588 students earned a 3.5 to 3.99 average to qualify for the Honor List.

To qualify for academic honors, undergraduate students must be enrolled for at least 12 credit hours for the semester.

For additional information, please visit: https://mankato.mnsu. edu/academics/course-planninga nd-reg ist r at ion /reg ist r at ionand-academic-records/cur rentstudents-registration-resources/ grades/deans-list/ Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 14,482 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.

HOM ETOW N, STAT E; NAME, HONOR Courtland, MN Samantha Rist, Honor List Ethan Schmid, Honor List Lafayette, MN Courtney Dalluge, High Honor List Elise Swenson, High Honor List Nicollet, MN

Sophia Boden, Honor List Kenneth Fischer, Honor List Tayler Johnson, High Honor List Madalyn Kramer, High Honor List Kathleen Ristau, Honor List Madelyn Rosin, High Honor List MaKenna Thurston, High Honor List Kyla Truebenbach, Honor List Valerie Weber, Honor List SCC Fall Semester Academic Honors Announced (February 6, 2022) - South Central College (SCC) today released its President’s List and Dean’s List of students with exceptional academic performance in the 2022 Fall Semester, which ran from August - December, 20222.

The President’s List includes students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or higher and have completed at least 24 cumulative credits at SCC. The Dean’s List includes students who have achieved a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher and completed at least 12 credits that semester. Because the President’s and Dean’s Lists have different criteria, students may be named to both in the same semester.

The following students from the region were named to to the South Central College 2022 Fall Semester President’s and/or Dean’s List: HOM ETOW N, STAT E; NAME, HONOR Courtland, MN Ethan Matter, Dean’s List Lafayette, MN Kaylyn Broste, Dean’s List Kaylyn Broste, President’s List Spencer Rieke, Dean’s List

MFU member calls for MinnesotaCare public option Academic Achievments nicolletcountyledger.com

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