The cheapest gas in the state is in Rochester and Stewartville, according to Josh Moniz of the Mankato Free Press. On Monday, Rochester’s cheapest gas included $1.89 per gallon at Costco’s gas station, $1.92 per gallon at Kwik Trip at 1990 Scott Road Northwest and $1.99 per gallon at the Holiday gas station at 3225 40th Avenue Northwest. Patrick DeHaan, Gasbuddy.com’s senior petroleum analyst for the Midwest, said those three gas stations had the lowest gas prices in Minnesota on Monday. In fact, they were among the lowest prices in the country.
Despite a very pleasant summer with a fair amount of rain, water levels are still below historic average, writes Julie Buntjer in the Worthington Daily Globe. While levels in Worthington’s four monitoring wells – which usually drop this time of year – are staying level, they are still significantly below historic average. For example, the water level in Well 26 is remaining static but is still more than 9 feet below average. That’s why the city won’t relax the water restrictions Worthingtonians have been under. While rains have eased the need for lawn watering and filled rain barrels, restrictions still remain in place.
Among corn-droppers at the Freeborn County Fair, Donald Trump is the candidate with the future. The Albert Lea Tribune outlines the specifics of this unscientific poll: More than 760 people dropped 4,600 kernels of corn into 18 mason jars over the six days of the fair. Each person was given an envelope of six kernels that could be placed in any jar that represented a Republican running for the party’s nomination. The unscientific poll was taken by the Freeborn County Republican Party.
The top 10:
• Donald Trump: 24.1 percent
• Scott Walker, 13.6 percent
• Mike Huckabee, 9.8 percent
• Ben Carson, 7.5 percent
• Jeb Bush, 7.4 percent
• Carly Fiorina, 6.9 percent
• Marco Rubio, 6.3 percent
• Rand Paul, 5.4 percent
• Ted Cruz, 5.2 percent
• Chris Christie, 3.4 percent
The Recall Ron Committee in Willmar thought they had everything all squared away to put a recall of Ward 2 City Councilman Ron Christianson on the ballot. However, the West Central Tribune reports that Willmar City Attorney Robert Scott determined Friday that the committee’s petition to recall Christianson is invalid. Scott said the recall petition doesn’t allege facts that, if true, would constitute “malfeasance’’ or “nonfeasance’’ in Christianson’s performance. The Recall Ron Committee can appeal the decision to the Kandiyohi County District Court. Committee organizer Wayne Nelson said the committee will meet and decide what to do next.
Crews are draining Quarry 8 at the Quarry Park and Nature Reserve in Stearns County in search of a missing man, the St. Cloud Daily Times reports. Chief Deputy Bruce Bechtold said the man likely took his own life. Crews will use a commercial pump to halve the depth of the 100-foot deep quarry so divers can conduct a search. The water will be pumped into a low area, and the quarry will refill over time with ground water, rain and snow melt.
So this is kind of a weird one. Jerry Smith of the Faribault Daily News writes about an Ohio woman whose body was found Friday across from Shager Park off Hwy. 60. Chelsea E. Martinez’s family had reported her missing and said she might be suicidal. Jason Robert Nisbit, 39, is in Rice County Jail on suspicion of second degree murder after information he and Martinez’s family provided led law enforcement to find her body. A Tuesday Star Tribune story has further details.
This is kind of a weird one too. Emily Welker of the Moorhead Forum writes about a guy who allegedly appeared at a court appearance on his current methamphetamine-dealing case with a meth pipe in his pocket. Nickolas Jorge Baumbach, 23, arrived 20 minutes late Friday at the Clay County District Court for his settlement conference in a meth-dealing case he was charged in last year. He set off metal detectors, looked at the sheriff’s deputies at the door of the courthouse, took a pipe out of his pocket and then ran away. Plainclothes North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation agents arrested him at West Acres mall.
A July 12 supercell thunderstorm flattened about 1,500 trees at Brainerd International Raceway. The place is cleaned up and ready for 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Aug. 20-23, writes Jeremy Millsop with the Brainerd Dispatch. BIR owner Jed Copham said the majority of the trees have been removed. Crews and volunteers have taken care of damaged or dangerous trees that remain. A new set of portable bleachers have been purchased and will replace those that were damaged. The Aug. 23 church service will have to be moved, but Copham said that shouldn’t be a problem and, while he’s exhausted, he is happy with the progress being made in preparation for the NHRA’s arrival. “We lost beautiful trees. At some point here, we’ll have to plant some new ones,” Copham said.
There’s been another twist in the story of Roc, the Austin pit bull that has terrorized city dwellers. The Austin Daily Herald says the City Council determined Roc was a dangerous dog on July 21 and finalized plans to euthanize him on Aug. 3. A New York organization called No Kill New York wanted to help Roc but couldn’t get its act together in time. Now Mayor Tom Stiehm says he found a shelter in Central Minnesota that may be able to help the dog. He hopes Roc can be rehabilitated and has previously said euthanizing a dangerous dog is a tough decision for the council, but he reiterated his commitment to public safety on Monday.
A historian has found the town of Palmer, Minnesota, and he’s looking for more information, reports Sam Weidgt of the Waseca County News. Robert Hagen grew up in Waseca County, and lives in Iosco Township. He was always curious about the town. A trip to the Waseca County Historical Society resulted in two pictures from Palmer, and a couple pieces of paper, he said. From there came very little new information. He scoured newspapers, county records, interviewing family friends and following every lead he could to find more information about Palmer’s history. His research led him back to 1877, when Palmer began as “Palmer Station,” a railroad station between Waseca and Waterville on the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad route through Waseca County. It was known as a “whistle stop station.” The town was platted and lots were sold in August 1915. At times it hosted general stores, a post office, a creamery, a stockyard, a schoolhouse, two different train depots, a blacksmith shop, a church and a grain elevator. Now it hosts nothing. Hagan wants more information. If you have some, call the Historical Society and they’ll put you in contact with him.
