Local News

A Litchfield man now faces a 3rd charge of committing a violent felony in Meeker County within a year.  26-year-old Tre Ertl is accused of Attempted 2nd Degree Murder and other charges for allegedly helping attack a man with an axe and a baseball bat during a robbery in Litchfield in March of 2024.
 
Ertl is also charged with Attempted 2nd Degree Murder and other charges for allegedly beating and stabbing an Olivia man while trying to rob him near Litchfield last June, and he’s now charged with 3rd Degree Assault Causing Substantial Bodily Harm for allegedly beating a fellow inmate while in the Meeker County Jail on February 19th of this year. 
 
Ertl made his first appearance on the axe assault and jail assault charges Tuesday morning, and an omnibus hearing was scheduled for April 8th.  His next court appearance on the stabbing assault charge comes April 21st and he remains jailed on 4 million dollars unconditional bail.

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The Meeker County Board of Commissioners has moved to approve an Advance Construction Funding Agreement with Mn/DOT. The Public Works Department has acquired $3,280,000 in federal transportation funds for this summer’s County-State-Aid-Highway 3 project. The remaining funds for the $4.1-million project will come from the county-state-aid-highway construction account.

Federal transportation funds flow through MnDOT to Meeker County requiring an agreement with MnDOT. The project on Highway 3 will be from the Kandiyohi County line to Highway 22.
Also for the Public Works Dept. – the Commissioners approved of the purchase of a STPH-5.0 patch wagon from Stepp Mfg. of North Branch, MN for a not-to-exceed price of $170,000; and approved of the purchase of 2 Western Star 47X Plow Trucks from Boyer Trucks of Lauderdale, MN for a revised estimated total cost of $331,976.

The County Board has approved of a resolution authorizing Meeker County to act as legal sponsor for the Department of Natural Resources Off-Highway Vehicle Grant. The Board approved of a contract with Water Guards LLC for watercraft inspection services not to exceed $138,000; and approved of a donation to the DNR of $1,078.25 for a portable toilet to be located at Lake Manuella.

The Meeker County Commissioners also received a semi-annual report from Woodland Centers Director Dr. Ashley Kjos; and heard an annual report from Land Use Records Director Greg Schultz.

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The 19th annual Knights of Columbus PJ Casey Council 2029 Fish Fry will be on Friday, March 21st from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – or until the fish is gone – at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield. It’s dine-in or drive up – $17 per meal.

Dave Keeling says there is a reduced price for children ages 5-to-12 and nearly half of their customers prefer the drive-up option. He says the menu includes Alaskan Pollock, baked potato, baked beans, dinner roll, coleslaw, and cookie and it includes beverages for dine-in customers only. Deliveries of ten or more to businesses can be arranged by calling or texting Josh Carlson by noon today (March 18) at 320-221-1335.

Keeling says they’ve ordered nearly 2,400 pounds of fish this year, so hopefully they won’t run out by 7 p.m. Friday. He says they get most of their products for the fish fry in Litchfield and they’ve already spent about $13,000 on supplies.

Keeling says the Knights of Columbus uses the proceeds for all kinds of projects including Wintercade, scholarships, summer music in the park, coats-for-kids, Special Olympics, veteran’s organizations and much more. He says the Knights of Columbus has several fundraising events throughout the year, but the fish fry is the biggest, and it takes close to 200 people to put it on.

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