Nicollet County Ledger April 7, 2024

April 7, 2024 | South Central News & Media

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Small Fire at Apartment Building Alarms Residents, Who Quickly Sprang Into Action

The North Mankato Fire Department Fire Department responded to a small fire at an apartment complex this week in Nicollet County. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Photos by Jamie Berg.

By Robert Lawson Publisher info@nicolletcountyledger.com

A small fire started near the corNorth Mankato Fire Department ner of landscaping at the front door was dispatched to the scene, but side of an apartment building in the fire was mostly extinguished by North Mankato on Saturday. residents of the building and who

were also evacuating by the time of some sort in all likelihood but no purchased by HOM Management they arrived. The fire crew assumed cause was immediately determined. from the Nath Companies, who ran the fire may have started from a The location was one of the the complex as a non-profit entity. loose cigarette, ash or small ember buildings at Colony Court, recently Continued on page 2

Hwy 14 & Highland Ave in New Ulm: 2024 Study, Construction Line Open house April 17 for Hwy 14/Highland Ave. roundabout project in New Ulm

MnDOT

New Ulm Municipal Airport, 1617 Hwy 14, to learn about the upcoming Hwy 14/Highland Ave. roundabout project in New Ulm in preparation The public is invited to attend a con- for construction expected to begin in struction open house on Wednesday, early May. There is no formal preApril 17 from 3:30 to 5:00 pm at the sentation planned, and attendees are

welcome to arrive anytime.

Staff from MnDOT and the contractor will be present at the open house to provide more information about the project and answer questions.

The project includes constructing

a single-lane roundabout at Hwy 14/ Highland Ave, new sidewalk and trail to connect to existing locations, and lighting. Construction on the project is expected to begin in early May and continue until early July, weather permitting. Traffic will be detoured

during construction. Visit the project website for detour information.

M.R. Paving & Excavating, Inc. was awarded the project with a bid of $2,265,772.52.

Visit the project website for more information.

Information will be shared on the MnDOT South Central Facebook group and on X @mndotscentral.

For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit 511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.

Front Street Speeding in Saint Peter Still a Concern Among Area’s Neighbors

Above: Planned roundabout construction. Images courtesy of Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

Bottom Left: New Ulm Section of Hwy. 14 Closure Beginning in April. Image: MnDOT. A local Saint Peter man returned to the Saint Peter City Council on March 25 to get an update on the efforts of the city to reduce the dangers of faster moving traffic on Front Street.

By Robert Lawson on Monday, March 25 at the Saint Approval, Sealcoat Bid Approval, Publisher Peter Community Center Governor’s Rebranding/Logo Review and info@nicolletcountyledger.com Room. The council discussed Approval, Fee Schedule Addition the Traverse Green Cullen Street and the Bid Award for the 2024 Pine Development Agreement, Front Street Improvement. They also held School and Roosevelt Elementary.

The Saint Peter City Council met Street Substation Equipment Bid Continued on page 5 So far, the most progress has been made at the Center for Learning facility. Groundbreaking at Dakota The ‘Continued’ on the front Distinction” story was continued on County Ledger on March 24, 2024 Meadows and the other two sites page of the March 24, 2024 Nicollet page 5, not page 2. had spelling errors: “The Saint Peter are anticipated to begin over the County Ledger for the “Wolters The image caption for the bottom School Board discussed the shortfall Continued on page 5 Named YWCA as Woman of right of the front page of the Nicollet Continued on page 5

Dakota Meadows Middle School in North Mankato Commences Construction on Referendum Project

By Robert Lawson Publisher info@nicolletcountyledger.com

endum projects at several schools in the MAPS district. One of those includes Dakota Meadows Middle School in Nicollet County. Other schools in the district that also Mankato Area Public Schools have projects ongoing are Center (MAPS) has commenced the refer- for Learning, Bridges Community

Corrections from Previous Editions of the Ledger

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Ad From the Past

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Local and State News Rep. Brand Works on Railway Safety State Representative for the Minnesota House Jeff Brand (DFL - Saint Peter) introduced legislation to improve railway safety procedures and the bill passed in the house. The 2024 House Transportation Policy Bill passed in the House on Thursday, April 4.

Included in the package is

legislation that was authored by Brand to expedite railroad safety procedures in the event of an incident involving the discharge of oil or other hazardous substances.

Currently, when an incident takes place such as this, crews are required to notify the local fire chief before contacting

emergency services. This bill changes the requirement and allows contact to be made through the local 911 call center, shortening the window between the incident and response times.

“In the face of an emergency, the first call should be for help,” said Rep. Jeff Brand. “By making this reporting adjustment,

we’ll save precious moments, potentially stopping a disaster from getting worse.”

Currently, Brand is carrying several other pieces of legislation to improve public and worker safety on Minnesota’s railways, including limiting train lengths, setting labor standards and investing in wayside detectors.

By Robert Lawson Publisher info@nicolletcountyledger.com

rants and approving of the commissioner warrants as presented for the following amounts: General Revenue Fund $192,980.04 Road & Bridge Fund $84,191.69 Human Services Fund $197,000.61 There were no public appearances.

The board moved on to Health and Human Services, where they discussed the South Central Community Based Initiative (SCCBI) and appointment of a Joint Powers Board alternate.

Director Cassandra Sassenberg and Child Protection/Intake Supervisor Angela Obermiller came forward to discuss the SCCBI Joint Powers Board with the County Board. Sassenberg recommended the appointment of Obermiller as Nicollet County’s alternate to the SCCBI Joint Powers Board, effective April 17, 2024. The board ap-

proved the appointment of Angela Obermiller as Nicollet County’s alternate for the SCCBI Joint Powers Board in a motion that was carried unanimously.

The board moved on to Property Services, where the topic of discussion was the Minnesota River – specifically the Mankato One Watershed, One Plan Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).

Environmental Specialist Kenny Famakinwa came forward to share the completed work plan, timeline, and budget for the Mankato One Watershed, One Plan Memorandum of Agreement with the board. The agreement will assist in managing water resources within the plan area.

The board unanimously approved the agreement.

The board moved on to Public Services to talk about the Aumentum Contract and Board Ratification Statement. Property & Public Services Director Jaci Kopet

brought forward the Master Agreement for the Aumentum tax program. The agreement is between Manatron (Aumentum Tech) and Minnesota Counties Computer Cooperative (MnCCC). The program was recently upgraded and will be implemented this year. The board unanimously approved the contract.

The board considered a resolution to apply for a Public Land Survey System (PLSS) grant. Kopet discussed the PLSS grant program, which allocates funding statewide for counties to complete land surveys and maintain historical survey information and data. The board approved the amended PLSS grant resolution unanimously on a roll call vote.

The board also covered the HRA meeting and heard the Commissioner Committee Reports The Commissioners reported on various meetings and activities.The meeting adjourned at 9:20 a.m.

clarity in numerous lakes and streams – including several highpriority sites across the Twin Cities Metro Area – and then report back to the agency. This is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in protecting our state’s natural resources.

Over 50 years of environmental stewardship When the University of Minnesota launched the Volunteer Water Monitoring Program in

1973, it would go on to become the second oldest, and still active, volunteer water monitoring program in the nation.

Transferred to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in 1978, it has since become a roaring success, empowering Minnesotans from all corners of the state to support the health of our beloved waters.

How does it work?

Volunteers conduct a simple water clarity test in a body of

water twice a month from AprilSeptember. We provide all the equipment and training, so no experience is needed.

The MPCA uses the data to help determine whether lakes and streams are meeting water quality standards, which are designed to protect aquatic life and recreational activities (like fishing and swimming). In some cases, the information gathered by volunteers is the only monitoring done on a particular lake or stream.

Nicollet County Board Approves Applying to PLLS Grant to Survey Land and Maintain Historical Data Archives

1920 — In Old Kentucky Duluth Herald January 1920

Volunteer Water Monitors Needed to Help State Track Water Quality Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Press Release

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The Nicollet County Commissioners meeting was held Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at 9 a.m. Commissioners Terry Morrow, Marie Dranttel, Jack Kolars, Marken Dehen and Kurt Zins were all present at the meeting as was County Administrator Mandy Landkamer, County Attorney Michelle Zehnder Fischer and Recording Secretary Sarah Frahm.

The board approved the consent agenda that included the following items: Citizen Appointment to the Extension Committee County Feedlot Officer (CFO) Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Annual Report End of Probations Approval of Bills The board passed a resolution acknowledging the auditor’s war-

As spring arrives in Minnesota, it’s time for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to kick off its popular program that relies on Minnesotans to monitor our 12,000+ lakes and 92,000+ miles of streams: the Volunteer Water Monitoring Program.

The MPCA is currently recruiting volunteers to measure water

Hwy 93 in Henderson: 2024-2026 Construction Line

Detour for the Hwy 93 Henderson project will begin on April 15

'

Focus on Ag

Little Change in Farm Custom Rates for 2024

By Kent Thiesse

Farm management analyst kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com

Due to the high cost of investment in farm machinery, an everincreasing number of farm operators are hiring other farm operators to provide some or all of their machinery resources for their farm operation. This is especially true with new and younger farm operators, as well as with children that decide to start farming with their parents. In addition, some land investors are choosing to operate a farm themselves rather than cash renting the land from another farm operator, thus hiring a farm operator under a custom farming agreement.

Custom farming agreements usually include tillage, planting, some weed control, harvesting, and delivering grain to a specified location.

Some farm operators also hire cus-

tom work for specific farm operations with another farm operator, such as planting, combining, or tillage. Many farm operators negotiate these types of custom rate and custom farming arrangements prior to planting each year, while others wait until harvest is completed.

One of the best resources for average custom rates is the annual “Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey” that is coordinated and analyzed

by Iowa State University. Earlier this year, 130 custom operators and farm managers responded to the 2024 survey, submitting over 2,800 expected custom farm rates for various farm operations in 2024. The survey summary lists the average and “median” custom rate, as well as a range, for various tillage, planting, fertilizer and chemical application, grain harvesting, and forage harvesting functions on the farm. The

See FOCUS ON AG, page 5

Image: MnDOT Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Press Release

Hwy 93 from Henderson to Hwy 169 will be closed, and traffic detoured, starting Monday, April

15, weather permitting, as crews begin construction on the highway.

Traffic will be detoured to Highways 169 and 19 during construction. Construction for the project will continue through 2026, weather permitting.

The project includes: Raising Highway 93 approximately eight feet, putting it one foot above historic high-water events Reconstruct 3.6 miles of Highway 93 from Highway 169 to Elm St. in Henderson Replace the Rush River Bridge Constructing an additional overflow bridge to allow for Rush River flood relief The public is invited to attend public construction meetings that will be held throughout

the project, or get updates online following the meetings. Visit the Highway 93 project website for more information. MnDOT will also periodically share construction progress via drone video on the project website.

For safety, MnDOT encourages the public to avoid going around barricades or enter the construction area.

S.M. Hentges & Sons was awarded the project with a bid of $30,606,833.65.

Learn more about the project, view periodic construction updates, and drone videos at dot.state. mn.us/d7/projects/hwy93henderson/index.html.

Join the MnDOT | South Central Minnesota Facebook group and follow us on X @mndotscentral.

For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit 511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.

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Local Sports

Sports Beat

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Local Sports News

Saint Peter Saint Rhyan Holmgren breaks through the New Ulm Eagles defense for a layup on the basketball court this spring. Photo by Robert Lawson.

Saint Peter Saint Rhyan Holmgren (Pictured Left) Plays in All-Star Game at Carleton College in Northfield, Will Play for Current National Champs, MNSU, Next Year Saint Peter Saints’ girls outstanding basketball player Rhyan Holmgren played in the 2024 Minnesota Girls Basketball Coaches Association’s All-Star Game at Carleton College in Northfield on Saturday, April 6. The game featured four teams made up of the top-10 senior players in each of the four classes from the state.

Holmgren finished as Saint Peter High School’s all-time leading scorer

for basketball in both girls and boys.

She capped her career by scoring more than 2,314-career points and leading the Saints to a fifth-place finish in the Minnesota Class AAA Girls State Tournament in mid-March this year. It was the Saints’ first time at state since 2019. It was also the highest state finish in more than 30 years for the girls program.

Holmgren, a senior, will move

on to the 2024 NCAA-DII national champion Minnesota State University (Mankato) next season. She was named a Class AAA All-State selection, a four-time All-Big South Selection, and a member of the Saints’ team that earned the Academic All-State Gold Award for having a team GPA of 3.86.

She also was recently named as the KNUJ Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

Holmgren is the first Saints’ girls basketball player to participate in the Minnesota Girls All-Star Game since Katy Kuiper after the 2012-13 season.

Sarah Conlon played in the All-Star Game after the 2019-20 season, but the series was canceled due to the COVID19 virus pandemic. It came back with a bang, offering Holmgren a chance to show her skills to another crowd of spectators in Southern Minnesota.

Caswell Park Sports in North Mankato Adult Softball & Sand Volleyball Leagues Caswell Park – 1875 Howard Dr. W. Is your team ready for softball or sand volleyball this summer?

Registration has been extended for softball and clos-

es April 10th, and fees are due by April 22nd*. Many divisions of play are offered including women’s, men’s, co-rec, church, and more! League play begins May 6th. Registration closes

for sand volleyball on April 22nd, women’s and co-rec leagues are offered. League play begins May 13th. Register now at www. caswellsports.com. *Please note, no team will be

scheduled until full payment is made.

Contact: 507-625-9189.

The Ledger wants sports stories. Submit tips to info@nicolletcountyledger.com

Caswell North Soccer Complex – 1875 Carlson Dr. Get out your cleats and shin guards, our Youth Soccer program kicks-off April 9th! This

recreational soccer program provides a safe and fun environment for players aged 3 yearsold through 4th grade to enjoy the game and is non-exclusion-

ary; all players who register are accepted and assigned to a team regardless of prior experience or skill level. Join the team at www.caswellsports.com/youth-

soccer.

Contact: 507-625-9189.

The Ledger wants sports stories. Submit tips to info@nicolletcountyledger.com

Caswell Youth Soccer

Rhyan Holmgren

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Housing Beat

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Business, Personal Finance, Credit and Investment News

Home Buyers Finding More Choices Amid Ongoing Signs of Recovery Real Estate News Minnesota Realtors

New listings up 34.8%; pending sales rose 12.6% The median sales price increased 4.4% to $329,000 Closed sales up 11.5% to 3,586 (Mar. 18, 2024) – According to new data from Minnesota Realtors®, home buyers and sellers were more active across the state with gains in both sales and listings. Home prices rose while homes sold more quickly than last February.

Market Activity

With a fifth consecutive year-overyear increase in new listings and a fourth consecutive year-over-year increase in pending sales, the market turnaround narrative is gaining traction.

Since the gains in listings have outpaced the gains in sales, inventory levels are also on the rise—most recently up 17.5% compared to February 2023.

During the month, sellers listed 34.8% more homes, and buyers signed 12.6% more purchase agreements. This activity bump partly reflects what some call “pent-up activity.” Sellers previously hesitant to list were ready to sell in Feb-

ruary. As a result, a backlog of inventory is being released. It’s a similar story for buyers. Many home shoppers delayed purchasing until mortgage rates cooled or listings increased, using that waiting period to save for a larger down payment or household income growth.

While supply and demand levels continue to stabilize and normalize, it will still take some time for activity levels to return to previous highs. These gains are coming off of low baseline periods seen in 2023. It’s not that activity has recently surged as much as activity declined last year due to the Federal Re-

serve’s inflation fight and ensuing rate hikes. Rates have cooled from around 7.8% last year to 6.6%.

In addition to a better rate environment, those out home shopping were met with more choices and inventory than last year. There were 10,555 active listings statewide in February, 17.5% more than in February 2023. Even though listings are on the rise, demand continues to outweigh supply, as last month’s median home price stood at $329,000—an increase of 4.4% from last year. If rates fall further, as many experts predict, we could see buyer de-

mand surge. If this happens, home prices are likely to follow suit. Homes also sold slightly faster than in February of 2023, averaging 52 days on the market.

And sellers accepted offers at 96.7% of their list price compared to 96.5% last year. “There’s been a lot of activity in the early spring market this year,” said Patti Jo Fitzpatrick, President-Elect of Minnesota Realtors®. “Buyers are benefiting from lower mortgage rates and more inventory, yet there’s still a real need for more supply. Affordability concerns haven’t gone away even as we’re seeing some good progress.”

The “affordability index” dropped below 100 to a measure of 96, meaning a family earning the median income cannot afford a median-priced home in Minnesota.

Regional Dynamics Market activity always varies across areas, price points, and property types.

The Detroit Lakes, Duluth, Alexandria, and Brainerd regions saw the largest gains in listing activity, while pending sales rose the most in the Detroit Lakes, Alexandria, and Grand Rapids regions.

Law Enforcement Beat (SPONSOR THIS SECTION)

Continued on Page 5

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Law, Crime, Courts, Fire and Emergency Services News ACLU-MN and Faegre Drinker Fight in MN Supreme Court to Preserve Right to Vote ACLU of Minnesota

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota argued today in the state Supreme Court that a special interest group’s attempt to invalidate a state law restoring voting rights to 55,000 Minnesotans should be swiftly and soundly rejected.

In 2023, a new state law restored the vote to people on felony probation, supervision and work release, following a Minnesota Supreme Court decision empowering the Legislature to take this action. The Minnesota Voters Alliance (a group that has consistently fought against restoring the vote) sued, alleging that the new law is unconstitutional in a last-ditch effort to stop these Minnesotans from voting in future elections.

The ACLU-MN and pro bono attorneys from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP are fighting to uphold the law and preserve these voting rights.

We intervened in the lawsuit on behalf of clients Jennifer Schroeder and Elizer Darris, who fought for years to regain the vote and were among the first in the state to register when voting became legal for them last year.

“The state Supreme Court clearly said that the Legislature had the power to act to restore the vote to these 55,000 Minnesotans, which is exactly what lawmakers did,” said ACLU-MN Staff Attorney David McKinney. “This special-interest group is using a meritless lawsuit to try to disenfranchise these voters and exclude them from democratic participation in our society.

We want to make it perfectly clear that Minnesotans with felony convictions who are living in our community can legally vote, and we’ll keep fighting to make sure they keep this fundamental right.”

“The Restore the Vote law furthers the governmental interest in electoral participation, improves racial disparities in voting access, and will further public safety by reducing recidivism,” said Craig Coleman, who heads the pro bono team from Faegre Drinker. “The law restored the vote to thousands

of Minnesotans who are living in the community, raising families, working and paying taxes, and they deserve to have their voices and votes count.”

ACLU Voting Rights Project Director Sophia Lin Lakin said: “Restoring the vote ended a discriminatory law that led to racial disparities at the voting booth and helped people rejoin their communities. Efforts to register people whose voting rights were restored are well underway, and stealing away this right would lead to heightened mistrust in our legal system that would ripple across the generations.”

Civil rights activist and ACLU-MN client Elizer Darris, who challenged the voting restriction in court, said: “Last year, I voted for the first time in my life based on legislation that we fought to get passed. After years of registering other people to vote, it felt good to finally take part in the electoral process that I and so many others were locked out of. It is dismaying to see this continued assault on our access to the ballot.

I look forward to the court protecting our newfound right to have our voices represented by our government.”

TIMELINE In 2019, the ACLU, ACLU-MN and Faegre Drinker filed the Schroeder lawsuit to restore the vote on behalf of Schroeder, Darris and others.

In February 2023, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in Schroeder, explicitly stating that government has broad discretion to determine how civil rights and the right to vote are restored following a felony conviction.

Shortly after, the Legislature passed the legislation; in March 2023, Governor Walz signed it into law.

June 1, 2023: People living in the community on felony probation or supervision could now register and vote.

June 29, 2023: The MVA sued to rescind this right.

August 31, 2023: The ACLU, ACLU-MN and Faegre Drinker filed a request to intervene in the lawsuit on behalf of Schoeder and Darris to protect voter restoration.

The ACLU-MN is part of the Restore the Vote Coalition and fought for 20 years to restore the vote. The ACLU-MN is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to protect and expand the civil rights and liberties of all Minnesotans through litigation, lobbying and community engagement.

Col. Matt Langer saying goodbye to the State Patrol Minnesota DPS April 4, 2024

One ride-along.

That’s all it took to cement in a young Matt Langer’s heart that being a trooper in the Minnesota State Patrol was his calling.

Fast forward 30 years. Langer, who spent his entire career with the State Patrol, knows he made the right decision to put on the maroon and gold uniform.

“It is safe to say I quickly fell in love with the organization and discovered a deep passion for our mission of traffic safety and what we stand for,” said Col. Langer.

That one ride-along paved the way to ultimately earning a coveted spot in the 1999 academy.

After walking across the stage at graduation and taking the oath, he was ready to get to work. His passion and dedication for helping others fueled his motivation for the

next 25 years as he worked his way through the ranks, eventually landing the top job of acting chief in 2014 and chief in 2015.

“Although serving as colonel for 10 years will certainly be one of the highlights of my life, I still believe my greatest accomplishment with the organization was earning the title state trooper and walking across that Camp Ripley stage during graduation,” Langer said.

While making his decision to join the State Patrol was easy, Langer said deciding to leave has been the opposite.

Langer accepted a position with the Internal Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) as their director

of global policing. Like the State Patrol, he has a strong passion for the IACP’s mission. He said it’s an opportunity that will allow him to continue serving in areas of traffic safety, leadership development and advancing the policing profession across the country and world.

While he’s sure to go on to make a difference, he’s leaving behind several accomplishments that have made the State Patrol stronger and our roads safer, including: Helping advocate for the passage of the state’s hands-free bill in 2019.

Growing an internal peer support team and re-establishing a chaplaincy program.

Helping focus the State Patrol’s education and enforcement efforts on preventing driving behaviors that cause fatal crashes. Minnesota’s roads are now the third-safest in the nation.

Signing a pledge to increase the number of female troopers and support staff to 30 percent by 2030.

Through all of the work and challenges, he’s still most proud of the work troopers do each day to keep the state’s roads safe and make a difference in the lives of Minnesotans.

“I am truly impressed with the work our employees do every day and am honored to have been able to lead them for the past 10 years,” Langer said. “Our greatest asset is the people within our organization and the millions of Minnesotans who support us in our work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Langer’s last day is April 5.

Lt. Col. Christina Bogojevic will serve as interim chief until a new colonel is named.

Saint Peter Man Sentenced for Groping Teenager A Saint Peter man was sentenced to five months in the Nicollet County Jail. He was found guilty of groping a 13-year-old girl.

Jeremy Alan Giefer, 49, was found guilty of second degree criminal sexual conduct, felony fourth degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and a fifth degree gross misdemeanor non consensual contact. He was acquitted of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct by use of force or coercion, according to sentencing documents. In midMarch, District Court Judge Todd Westphal sentenced Giefer to 150 Days in the Nicollet County Jail with 39 days credit for time served and was placed on 15 years of supervised probation. He was granted

a stay of adjudication on a threeyear prison sentence in St. Cloud.

Giefer was also fined $3,000.

According to court documents, On August 30, 2021 Giefer texted the teenager to visit his home in Saint Peter, even offering to drive her himself. The victim told law enforcement she didn’t want to ride with Giefer and arranged her own transportation.

After arriving, she and a witness in the case, a different 13year-old girl, headed to the second floor bedroom of his home, but when the witness went downstairs for snacks, Giefer entered the bedroom and closed the door. He allegedly pushed the girl onto the bed and grabbed her breast. He also allegedly rolled her onto her

back and slapped her buttocks. He then allegedly straddled her after turning her around on her other side.

Giefer allegedly laughed throughout the ordeal while the victim screamed for her friend to help.

The witness heard the screams, according to testimony, and she ran to the bedroom, where she witnessed Giefer on top of the other teen girl. Even before this incident took pace, in mid-July, Giefer started asking the witness about the victim and started texting her to see his new house.

The testimony from the minors involved allege that Giefer had previously engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior numerous

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times in the past involving the minor victim. In early August, Giefer entered a bathroom occupied by the victim and witness, who were undressing, showering and changing into different clothes. It escalated to the point that they would alternate changing clothes while the other stood guard outside the door to keep Giefer out. They even started using the closet to change clothes instead.

Giefer repeatedly told investigators at the time that he never touched the girl. The evidence and consistency of testimony told investigators, county prosecution and the district court a different story than Giefer that was sufficiently convincing to sentence him in the case.

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Nicollet County Ledger

Focus on Ag Continued Dakota Meadows Middle School in North Mankato From Page 2 Commences Construction on Referendum Project “median” rate means that half of the reported rates were higher and half were lower than the listed rate. The survey also includes custom farming rates for corn and soybeans, as well as many miscellaneous farming practices, average per hour farm labor rates, and includes a formula for calculating rental rates. The average custom rates for farm operations in most areas of the Upper Midwest tend to be very close to the Iowa rates.

Average 2024 farm custom rates for some typical tillage, planting, and harvesting practices, as well as custom farming rates, are listed in the adjoining Table. The complete 2024 “Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey” for all farming practices is available on-line at the following Iowa State University web site: https://www.extension.iastate. edu/agdm/crops/html/a3-10.html Based on the Iowa State data, most average custom rates for tillage, planting, and harvest operations in 2024 were fairly steady compared to the rates for similar operations in 2023. The 2024 custom farming rates for corn and soybean production are also expected to remain steady compared to a year earlier, following an increase of nearly 20 percent in the previous five years. The cost for new and used machinery has stabilized in late 2023 and early 2024; however, fuel costs, repair costs, labor charges, and interest rates remain quite high.

It should be noted that many of these factors could change by the end of 2024, which may result in custom operators adjusting their final custom rates by year-end to more fully reflect any changes in the expenses for custom operations.

All listed custom rates in the Iowa Survey results include fuel, labor, repairs, depreciation, insurance, and interest, unless listed as rental rates or otherwise specified. The average price for diesel fuel was assumed to be $3.92 per gallon. A fuel price increase of $.50 per gallon would cause most custom rates to increase by approximately five percent. These average or median rates are only meant to be a guide for custom rates, as actual custom rates charged may vary depending on changes in fuel costs, availability of custom operators, timeliness, field size, etc. There are also many other specific situations among farmers and family members that share farm machinery that could lead to adjustments in final custom rates.

Note — For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst, Green Solutions Phone — (507) 381-7960; E-mail — kentthiesse@gmail. com SELECTED 2024 FARM CUSTOM RATES Following are the “Median” custom rates for some common farming practices for 2024, as well as the (range) of custom rates listed, based on the “Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey” ……

Note — “Median” means that half of the reported rates were higher and half were lower than the listed rate.

Custom Farming Rates (includes tillage, planting and harvesting costs): Corn ———— $150.00 per acre (Range = $75 – $280 per acre) Soybeans ——- $140.00 per acre (Range = $71 – $280 per acre)

Tillage: Moldboard Plow ———$20.00 per acre ($15 – $22 per acre) Disk /Chisel —————$23.00 per acre ($12 – $29 per acre) V-Ripper (deep tillage) — $24.00 per acre ($10 – $30 per acre) Field Cultivator ———— $17.90 per acre ($7.60 – $32 per acre) Tandem Disk ————— $18.00 per acre ($10 – $27.50 per acre) Strip Tillage —————$22.00 per acre ($15 – $27.50 per acre) (add $4.50/A. for anhydrous appl.)

Chopping Cornstalks —– $14.50 per acre ($8 – $20 per acre) Planting and Spraying: Planter With Attachments ——- $26.00 per acre ($15 – $35 per acre) Planter Without Attachments — $24.75 per acre ($13 – $37 per acre) No-Till Planter ——————– $26.00 per acre ($13 – $42 per acre) Soybean Drill ——————— $20.00 per acre ($15 – $30 per acre) (no-till drilling) Cover Crop Drill —————— $19.00 per acre ($10 – $35 per acre) Crop Spraying (broadcast) ——- $10.00 per acre ($7 – $16 per acre) (self-propelled sprayer) Harvesting Grain: Corn Combine ——————$42.00 per acre ($30 – $80 per acre) (add $3/A. for GPS mapping) $44.00 per acre (with chopper head) ($65/A. with grain cart & truck) Soybean Combine —————$40.00 per acre ($25 – $70 per acre) (add $3/A. for GPS mapping) $43.00 per acre with draper head) ($63.50/A. with grain cart & truck) Small Grain Combine ———– $39.00 per acre ($32 – $45 per acre) Corn Grain Cart (in field) ——- $7.00 per acre ($.50 – $20 per acre) Soybean Grain Cart (in field) — $6.25 per acre ($.50 – $18 per acre) Hauling Grain (5 mi. or less) — $0.13 per bushel ($.08 – $.18 per bushel) Hauling Grain (5-25 mi.)

——– $0.20 per bushel ($.09 – $.30 per bushel) Grain Drying (cont. flow) ——- $0.05 per point per bushel (incl. fuel, electricity & labor) Farm Bin Rental —————– $0.15 per bu. per year ($.10 – $.20/ bu./year) (or $.03/bu./month)

Schools Continued From Page One

next couple months, in April and May. The projects are currently in the phase one stage.

The proposed new addition to Dakota Meadows includes building an 8-lane swimming pool with spectator seating and locker rooms among other renovations. The work also includes renovating space for

special education classrooms and student support services on adjacent ends of the structure from each other. There will also be a storm shelter addition. Lastly, the project involves incorporating a more secure entrance to the facility. Roosevelt Elementary School in Mankato will make similar renovations.

Bridges Community School will

add a secure entrance and renovate space to move special education out of the school’s basement, where it is currently located.

The most construction and renovation is planned at the Center for Learning, likely why construction started there first. The facility is a hub for district services. THey will renovate space for print services and

maintenance and for preschool classrooms, special education classrooms and before/after school child care.

There will also be a district warehouse there and a farm-to-school prep kitchen for Mankato Schools.

As part of the project, construction crews will convert space into two gym and court spaces for school and community use.

appearance in front of the council with neighbors. Mayor Shannon Noell shot back a response quickly.

“It was not on our last workshop agenda and so we haven’t had any chance to discuss it as a council yet,” Noell said.

She referred to City Administrator Todd Prafke and said she expects it to be discussed at the next one.

Prafke chimed in and said the city has been engaged in some data gathering in that area.

“There have been a number of squad cars in that area,” he said.

Prafke also said at least one of his neighbors noticed some of those things recently. He said in order to change signage, a consortium of people must work together including the police chief, city engineer and public works department to “suggest opportunities to do that” after looking at the data. Prafke said he

wanted to be clear about one thing, while also appearing to tell the man what he actually witnessed.

“It is very clear from an engineering perspective that stop signs are not to be used for speed control,” he said. “We would also want to gather data related to the amount of speed and as I’ve mentioned, you’ve seen squad cars hanging around in that area.”

Prafke said officers have been logging speed and that data must be collected to justify any actions to be recommended to the council. Prafke also said that it would be a challenge for the city to handle signage requests of any type.

“Because every neighborhood would like a stop sign on their block,” he said. “But that isn’t practical and frankly, is counterintuitive at times.”

He said it is a matter of where a sign should be placed to be most

effective. He said a number of engineering studies have shown that making roadways tighter has a greater impact on driver speed than does signage.

“Especially for locals,” he added.

“They [signs] just become part of the landscape.”

Prafke said the data will be shown over the next cycles of council sessions and workshops.

For his part, the man said, he’s not solely focused on stop signs and alluded to traffic safety data related to painted lines on the road.

“I’m up for anything,” he said.

Prafke interrupted the man at one point, telling him he would appreciate it if he could send him that data to have a look at with city staff because it might be helpful. The man agreed and thanked the council for their effort, ending his public comments that evening.

spelled.

The image caption below the NUCAT News image on the front page of the March 31, 2024 Nicollet County Ledger should have read,

“Image: NUCAT”, not “The Saint board will move forward.”

Peter School Board discussed the We apologize for our errors. shortfall in the adopted fiscal year 2024 Independent School District 508 adopted budget and how the -Nicollet County Ledger Staff

Metro home sellers got 97.5% of their list price after 59 days compared to 96.7% in 52 days statewide.

With 1.8 and 1.9 months of supply in the metro and state, respectively, the housing supply shortage—and related affordability challenges— are affecting every region of the state. Inventory levels rose both for the metro and statewide. Minnesotans are rightly concerned about rising monthly payments and keep-

ing up with maintenance costs, rising insurance rates, and taxes. These challenges are putting the dream of homeownership out of reach for far too many.

Insights and Anecdotes Reports from agents across the state mimic what the data tells us: that activity has picked up notably for both buyers and sellers. The luxury market remains strong and cash sales remain elevated as rates hover just

Council From Page One

a closed session to discuss union negotiations.

Prior to the start of the meeting a resident addressed the council with comments about traffic on Front Street. The man had been at a previous council meeting with neighbors to pressure the council to acknowledge and fix the problem. They are concerned with the increase in speed that motorists are now traveling along their street to avoid stop lights along Hwy. 169/Minnesota Avenue, particularly with children living in the area.

“I can look out my window at just about any time of day and see people zipping by and I know they’re not going 30 mph,” the man said.

The man wanted to know how serious the council is taking the Harvesting Forages: issue and questioned if the council Windrowing (Mowing) Hay had discussed it since the two weeks ——— $18.00 per acre ($14 – went by when he made the first $25 per acre) Hay Baling (large bales) ————- $15.50 per bale ($12 – in the adopted fiscal year 2024 $18 per bale) (with wrap) Corn Stalk Baling (large bales) Indepdent School Distrcit 508 —– $16.25 per bale ($12 – $18 adopted budget and how the board will move forward.” The words per bale) (with wrap) Si lage C h o p p i n g Independent and District were mis———————- $ 7.00 per ton ($6 – $8 per ton) Home prices rose the most in the BeFarm Labor Rates: General Far m Labor midji, Hibbing/Virginia, and Detroit —————- $20.00 per hour Lakes regions. The most balanced markets were Bemidji and Detroit ($16 – $30 per hour) Spraying & Harvesting Labor Lakes while the most undersupplied —– $24.00 per hour ($16 – $35 markets were Rochester, St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities. per hour) *** Table prepared by Kent Twin Cities Metro Overview Thiesse, Farm Management Price growth was even between the metro and the state overall. There Analyst *** was also no significant difference in the increase in sales and listings.

Mistakes From Page One

Home Buyers Continued From Page Three

under 7.0%. Overall, and perhaps surprisingly, it’s still a seller’s market—just not in every area, neighborhood, or price point.

For more information on statewide weekly and monthly housing numbers, visit www.mnrealtor.com All information is according to Minnesota Realtors® based on data from NorthstarMLS and other MN MLSs. Data is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

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Nicollet County Ledger

Sunday, April 7, 2024

Photos: Champions On and Off the Court

Joey Batt and Chase Bartlett showed up to Hoover Elementary in North Mankato to celebrate “purple and gold day” honoring the Minnesota State University, Mankato mens and womens basketball national championship. Photo by Scott Nelsen, Minnesota State University, YMCA, via Twitter. Also pictured is his son Nolan and his classmates at Hoover.

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