News

The Minnesota State Patrol responded to a fatal accident on Monday night at 9:51 on Highway 22 at Edgeton Road in Stearns County’s Munson Township.  A Ford F150 was northbound on Highway 22 – driven by 36-year-old Charles Wesley Mullins of Ellettsville, Indiana – went off the road, rolled and came to rest partially submerged in water on its roof.  Mullins was killed.  Also responding to the scene were the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, Mayo Ambulance, Cold Spring Police Dept., and Chain of Lakes Fire Dept.

The Litchfield Visitors Bureau is getting ready for the annual Light Up Litchfield event. Plans are already underway for the event on November 30th which is Small Business Saturday.

Janaye Prieve says the Visitors Bureau is partnering with the Chamber for the big day on November 30th with activities in Litchfield’s Central Park from 3-to-5 p.m. including carriage rides and a visit by Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus, and then the lighting ceremony at 5:30 p.m. She says there is also a business lighting contest that businesses can prepare for in the upcoming holiday season.

Prieve says the top 3 businesses will receive trophies. She says there was a house-lighting contest a few years ago which is no longer underway, but when people decorate their homes, it helps to attract more visitors to town. For more information, go to litchfieldmn.com or call the Chamber office at 693-8184.

A Legislative Forum will be held tomorrow evening (September 24th) from 7-to-8:30 p.m. at the Litchfield Opera House. State legislators Dean Urdahl, Glenn Gruenhagen and Andrew Lang will be speaking.

Ron Branster of Eden Valley will be moderating the meeting which will alert people to some of the issues that are coming up in the 2025 Minnesota Legislative session. He says he especially wants to focus on educational issues.

Branster says Minnesota used to be the number-one state in the nation in education and is now ranked #19. He says a 1400-page bill was passed in the final moments of the 2024 Legislative session and it’s especially concerning for teachers regarding the transgender agenda that they will be forced to teach in order to keep their teaching licenses.

Branster says it’s the responsibility of taxpayers to reach out to their representatives to make sure their voices are heard. He says a minority of the population seems to be dictating its views and shaping our legislation.

Branster says everyone’s welcome to attend the forum, but he’s hoping Democrats, Republicans, teachers and school officials especially will attend Tuesday’s forum. It will begin at 7 p.m. at the Litchfield Opera House.