No one was injured after a semi and a snowplow collided in Kandiyohi County early this morning. The state patrol says just before 5 a.m. they responded to a head-on crash involving a semi and a MNDOT snow plow on Highway 12 near Atwater. The semi was eastbound on 12 when it crossed into the westbound lane, striking the plow. Emergency medical services were dispatched, but neither driver was transported for medical attention. The 48-year-old man driving the semi is from Blaine and was ticketed for failure to “drive with care.”
The Litchfield City Council met on Tuesday evening – due to the President’s Day holiday on Monday. It was a fairly short meeting.
Mayor Ron Dingmann says the Council approved of a variance request from Jeremy Lehr at 501 South Chandler Avenue for an addition to an existing detached garage. He says this will allow the building to be 218 square feet over the allowable square footage.
Mayor Dingmann says Administrator Czoik gave the Council information about the wastewater plant sand filters being shut off for about 10 days earlier this month, but they are back online now and the MPCA was notified. He says the Council approved of a resolution to take full advantage of its municipal state aid funding as there is currently about $700,000 in that account right now, but more will be needed to complete projects on Johnson Drive and on Swift Avenue and Ripley Street.
Mayor Dingmann says a neighbor to the property at 1002 South Armstrong Avenue is interested in buying it from the City, but the Council will have to analyze whether it would be best to keep it or sell it. He say the Council decided on Tuesday evening to have the property surveyed as a first step in deciding what to do with the property.
The Peanut Butter & Milk Festival Committee met on Tuesday evening and analyzed events from the recent 54th annual Festival. Some changes had to be made to the schedule this year, but the feedback seemed to be positive.
One of the events that was held on a different date was the chili and soup supper which was held on a Sunday evening rather than on Monday this year – with 100 people attending, and it seemed to fit well into the schedule. A game night was held on Wednesday evening this year at the Wheeler residence and the Alabama guests seemed to enjoy it. They also seemed to appreciate any free evenings that they had. The potluck banquet on Thursday, February 5th, had 128 attendees and the silent auction that evening raised about $900.
The Peanut Butter & Milk Festival Committee will be sending a group of delegates to Alabama in early November and applications are available for adults and FFA students interested in the trip. Meeker County Dairy Princess Claudia Frenchick is planning to join the group on the November trip. The next Peanut Butter & Milk Festival Committee meeting will be on March 17th at 7 p.m. in the Litchfield High School ag room. Everyone is welcome to get involved.
The Minnesota State Patrol responded to a 2-vehicle crash on Wednesday afternoon at 2:04 on Highway 15 near the intersection of County-State-Aid-Highway 4 in Collinwood Township in Meeker County. A 2015 Ford Explorer, driven by 46-year-old Martha Anne Gaye of Darwin, and a 2014 Ford Taurus, driven by 18-year-old Daniel Lee Wehseler of Hutchinson, were both traveling Southbound on Highway 15. The Taurus rear-ended the Explorer. Gaye received non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Dassel ER. Also responding to the scene were Meeker County Sheriff’s Office and the Dassel Fire Department.
