The Ostrander City Council held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 2, at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Stephanie Start called the meeting to order. All members were present, including DJ Start, Dan Hellerud, Jimmie Dean, and Lyn Massey-Mills. City Clerk Wendy Brincks was in attendance as well. Fire Chief Jason Rice reported that the Ostrander Fire Department assisted with … [Read more...]
Convicted Killer David Engle Ordered to Serve More Time; Parole Continued Until 2028
The Minnesota Department of Corrections Supervised Release Board voted 4 to 1 on August 29, 2025, to deny parole for David Brian Engle, continuing his case for another three years. Engle, now 49, has been incarcerated for nearly three decades after being convicted of killing his step-grandmother, 86-year-old Gertrude Bestor, in Fillmore County in 1995. Engle appeared by … [Read more...]
Harmony Man Pleads Guilty in Fatal Drunk Driving Crash
Brian Wayne Nelson, 51, of Harmony, has pleaded guilty to criminal vehicular homicide in connection with a crash that left one man dead in rural Fillmore County last summer. The plea was entered in Fillmore County District Court on Monday, August 18, before Judge Jeremy Clinefelter. The charges stem from an incident that occurred shortly after midnight on August 4, 2024. … [Read more...]
Nathan Gossman Faces Extradition After High-Speed Chase, Stolen Truck Recovery
A Canton man with a lengthy criminal history was arrested in Rochester after leading law enforcement on a pursuit in Wisconsin and later being tied to the theft of a municipal vehicle. Authorities identified the suspect as 40-year-old Nathan Randal Gossman. He was taken into custody on August 18 and is being held in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. Olmsted County … [Read more...]
Ostrander City Council Focuses on Hazardous Property, Budget Approval
The Ostrander City Council held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 12 at 6:30 p.m. Mayor Stephanie Start called the meeting to order with all council members present, including DJ Start, Dan Hellerud, Jimmie Dean and Lyn Massey-Mills. City Clerk Wendy Brincks was also in attendance. The first and most time-consuming item on the agenda was the condition of the … [Read more...]
Wykoff Council Approves Zoning Changes, Tree Removal, and Prepares for Fall Projects
The Wykoff City Council gathered for its regular monthly meeting on Monday, August 11, at 7 p.m. Mayor Ryan Breckenridge called the meeting to order, joined by council members Jeffrey Hare, Barbara Fate, Jane Baker, and Missy Musel. City Administrator Becky Schmidt and Administrative Assistant Luann Hare were also in attendance. The council quickly approved the agenda and … [Read more...]
Body of Missing La Crosse Woman Found Near Brownsville
The body of a missing La Crosse woman was located in the Mississippi River near Brownsville, Minn., on the morning of July 23, 2025. According to Houston County Sheriff Brian Swedberg, a fisherman spotted the body at approximately 10:28 a.m. and notified authorities. Houston County deputies responded to confirm the finding, but the recovery itself was handled by La Crosse … [Read more...]
Samantha Petersen Pleads Guilty in Buggy Crash That Killed Two Amish Children
Samantha Jo Petersen has pleaded guilty to two felony charges stemming from a September 2023 crash that killed two Amish children and seriously injured two others. The crash occurred north of Spring Valley on County Road 1 when Petersen drove her SUV into the back of a horse-drawn buggy. In a written petition filed June 11 in Fillmore County District Court, Petersen, 35, … [Read more...]
Wykoff Council Formalizes Street Work Payment, Tree Removal, and Backs Out of Library Grant
The Wykoff City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, July 14 at 7 p.m., with Mayor Ryan Breckenridge presiding. Council members Jeffrey Hare, Barbara Fate, Jane Baker, and Missy Musel were present, along with City Administrator Becky Schmidt and Administrative Assistant Luann Hare. The council heard from one visitor, who raised concerns about a neighbor’s property … [Read more...]
Wykoff Council Moves Forward with Street Project, Electrical Upgrades, and Library Grant Approval
The Wykoff City Council held its regular meeting on Monday, June 9 at 7 p.m., with Mayor Ryan Breckenridge presiding. Council members Jeffrey Hare, Barbara Fate, Jane Baker, and Missy Musel were present, along with City Administrator Becky Schmidt. Administrative Assistant Luann Hare was absent. A local resident addressed the council to express opposition to the city’s new … [Read more...]