KARE-11 Chief Meteorologist Belinda Jensen announced earlier this winter that she would be retiring. Her last evening weather reports will air tomorrow night and her final “Grow With Kare” show will be this Saturday, May 2nd, from 8-to-10 a.m.
Jensen was born in St. Paul – one of 5 children in her family, living in Apple Valley, and then her family moved to the Prescott, Wisconsin area – along the St. Croix River. She says she was planning to be a teacher, and ironically, she had to do a term paper when she was a sophomore – so she called meteorologist Paul Douglas to interview him for her paper and got an “A” on it.
Jensen says she went to Mankato State, and then finished her atmospheric science degree at the University of Wisconsin, then decided to get her masters at the University of Utah since her parents had moved there. She says she worked as a producer at a TV station in Salt Lake City and when the weatherman for the morning show vanished, she filled in – with no intention of ever being on TV, and ended up there for 3 years.
Jensen says Paul Douglas called her to say that there was an opening at KARE-11 for a weekend weather person, so she filled that role for 13 years – and worked with Ken Barlow after Paul Douglas left the station for Chicago, and then when Ken moved to Boston, she became the Chief Meterologist at KARE-11 nearly 21 years ago. She says the Minnesota weather has made the past 33 years very challenging, but it has been a rewarding career.
Jensen says she will be spending her time speaking – as she loves to talk to young people about science, and will continue to promote her “Bel, the Weather Girl” books. She will also be leading a travel group to Italy this fall. She will also be inducted into the Minnesota Broadcasters Hall of Fame this fall.
Renville County Sheriff Scott Hable has announced his candidacy for re-election as Sheriff. He is pledging to continue his focus on community partnerships and excellence in public safety.
Hable says serving the people of Renville County as their Sheriff has been the absolute honor of his lifetime. He says significant progress has been made by working together – leveraging innovation, building trust, and supporting the dedicated professionals at the Sheriff’s Office.
Hable says he’s seeking another term to continue that work and keep the communities in Renville County safe, strong and connected.
During his tenure, Hable has advanced community policing efforts, expanded training and technology, and strengthened jail programming – including advocacy for specialized treatment in lieu of incarceration of those with significant mental illness. He has also taken an active role in shaping statewide public safety policy through Legislative testimony in St. Paul.
Under his leadership, the Sheriff’s Office has emphasized fiscal responsibility and the utilization of modern tools and equipment to improve emergency response, solve crimes, and serve residents effectively. Hable says he’s proud of what’s been accomplished, but looking ahead, there’s more to do – such as further strengthening community engagement and trust; investing in staff training, wellness, and retention; and expanding the use of technology to improve service, efficiency and transparency.
Hable has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and has served as Renville County Sheriff since 2011. He currently chairs the Minnesota Violent Crime Coordinating Council, served as President of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association in 2024, and was named “Sheriff of the Year” in 2024 by the Small & Rural Law Enforcement Executives’ Association. He also remains active locally as a volunteer paramedic and firefighter.
The Litchfield School Board met in the Litchfield High School Commons area last night. The Board had a demonstration of the CNC mill in Tyler Burgess’ room and also had a tour of the newly renovated swimming pool.
Burgess explained that the CNC (Computer Numatic Control) mill would normally cost around $80,000, but they got their equipment for $40,000 and it’s helping students learn how to produce precise parts – skills that they can use in the real world. Emmett VanDerBill demonstrated the engineering part of the process and Grant Dengerud demonstrated how the machine works as he produced precise components as school officials looked on.
The Board also got to see the renovations that have been made to the swimming pool at Litchfield High School – including behind-the-scenes – in the pump and filtration room.
The Board approved of new rates of pay for both the aquatics and Dragons Kids Club programs – following a presentation by Litchfield Community Education Director Grant Solem. The Board also approved of a resolution denying a Litchfield Education Association Minnesota Paid Leave grievance.
Also last night, the Litchfield School Board approved of a resolution accepting donations including: $800 from the Litchfield Eagles Club for the Litchfield High School Adaptive Bowling program; $1,000 from Marsh & McLennan Agency for LHS for After Prom; and a donation of labor from Brandon Nagel of the Litchfield Youth Baseball Association for Jurassic Park for the Electronic Scoreboard.