Local News

A 2-vehicle crash occurred at 6:20 this morning at the intersection of Highway 24 and 315^th Street – east of Kingston in Forest City Township.  A 1996 Kenworth Semi was travelling east bound on Highway 24.  A 2003 Saturn Vue was travelling north bound on 315th Street when they collided in the intersection.

The driver of the Saturn, 40-year-old Fredy Ismael Lumbi-Galeano, received non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the St. Cloud Hospital.  The driver of the semi – 41-year-old Joshua Lawrence Grotewold of Sioux Falls, SD – was not injured.  Also responding to the scene were the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office, Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service, Life Link Helicopter, Litchfield Fire Dept. and Litchfield Rescue Squad.

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Six residents of Hartford, Alabama – Litchfield’s sister-city – are in Meeker County this week for the 53rd annual Peanut Butter & Milk Festival. The Southern guests are learning about the dairy industry and enjoying some winter activities.

Ava Waldo is staying with Allie Kargas and she’s the FFA President at Geneva County High School where she’s also involved in FCCLA, track and National Honor Society. Waldo says she comes from a military family and used to live in Maine, but has still been shocked by the cold temperatures in Minnesota. She says she enjoyed seeing the dairy farms in Meeker County on Monday.

Waldo says everyone is so nice in Minnesota and she’s grateful to be here this week. Kaitlyn Harris is staying with Brooke Caron and she’s the FFA sentinel in Hartford and is also involved in cheerleading, National Honor Society and FCCLA. She says she enjoyed riding a 4-wheeler on a frozen lake on Sunday, and also seeing the dairy farms on Monday.

Harris says she likes it in Minnesota because everyone is so nice and kind. Kyleigh Saunders is staying with Riley Joyer this week. She’s involved in volleyball, FFA, FCCLA, FCLA, student government association, National Honor Society, and is the yearbook editor at Geneva County High School. She says she’s the third generation of her family to be involved in the sister-city program between Litchfield and Hartford.

Saunders says she’s been to a couple of northern states before, but nothing a cold as Minnesota. Brenda Skinner is one of the chaperones and she and her husband, Charlie, are staying with Russ & Lori Ratike. She says they were here in 2012 and stayed with Don & Sue Christofferson. Skinner says she enjoyed Dairy Day on Monday – especially seeing the robotic milking operation. She says they had 8 inches of snow in Alabama two weeks ago.

Brenda says it took 4 days for the snow to melt. She says she’s an instructional aide at the school in Hartford, and she enjoyed the tour of the Litchfield Schools on Tuesday. Charlie Skinner is a farmer and mostly raises cotton and peanuts. He says he’s noticed the growth in the industries in the Litchfield area since he was last here in 2012.

Charlie says his family is the first 4-generation family from Hartford to be involved in the sister-city exchange program. He says his family first hosted people from Litchfield back around 1975. Nathan Parker is the ag teacher and FFA Advisor at Geneva County High School in Hartford. He says he graduated from Auburn and then started his job in Hartford in August of 2021. Parker says this is his first time in Minnesota and Saturday was his first time on a plane.

Parker says he had been as far north before for the National FFA convention in Indianapolis. He says he was surprised at how big ag is in Minnesota and at the size of the farming operations. He says he loves it in Minnesota and is enjoying the hospitality. Parker is being hosted by Mak & Anna Lokken and is staying with Vaughn & Joan Euerle.

The Alabama group enjoyed a tour of the State Capitol in St. Paul and shopping at the Mall of America. After some more tours in the Litchfield area today – including Towmaster, GVL Poly, the G.A.R. Hall and the Forest City Stockade, they will be guest of honor during tonight’s potluck banquet at St. Philip’s Church. They will go tubing and skiing tomorrow at Powder Ridge – compliments of Meeker Cooperative, and will return to Alabama on Saturday.

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The District 7 American Legion oratorical contest was held in Willmar on Sunday, February 2nd. Rueben Nathe of Litchfield conducted the contest.

Nathe was assisted by District 7 Commander Carl Wilson of Brandon and by members of the Willmar American Legion. First place went to Alyson Johnson – a senior at Willmar High School. She received an $800 scholarship. Alyson will represent District 7 in the state contest on February 22nd – hosted by the Osseo and Anoka American Legion posts.

Second place went to William Pennertz of Litchfield. William is a senior at Litchfield High School and received a $400 scholarship. Third place went to Alison Sarsland – a senior at New London-Spicer High School. She received a $200 scholarship.

The purpose of the oratorical contest is to develop a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution. It also helps the students develop leadership and speaking qualities. The winner of the state American Legion oratorical contest qualifies for the national contest which will be held in May in Hillsdale, Michigan which has a first place scholarship prize of $25,000.

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The Eden Valley-Watkins School Board unanimously voted to select its next superintendent yesterday during a special board meeting.  Joel Baumgarten, who is currently serving as superintendent and elementary principal in the Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart school district, will be the next EV-W superintendent.  Negotiations will be taking place and a contract is expected to be approved at the February 19^th board meeting.

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