MORTON

New Ulm man killed in Renville County rollover crash

Staff reports — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:16:18 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — A New Ulm man died at the scene of a single-vehicle rollover crash Tuesday night in Renville County.

According to a Minnesota State Patrol accident report, Jacob Samuel Hawn, 36, was driving a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta along Highway 19 when it went off the roadway and rolled in the area of Brook Drive in the city of Morton.

According to the report, Hawn was not wearing a seat belt and it is unknown if alcohol was a factor in the crash.

The crash was first reported at 10:05 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19, near Minnesota Highway 19 and Monument Drive East in Morton. Road conditions were dry at the time.

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West-central Minn. man pronounced dead at scene of horseback riding accident

Staff reports — Mon, 15 May 2023 22:07:46 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — A man died Sunday, May 14, in a horseback riding accident along the Birch Coulee Creek near Morton.

According to a news release from the Renville County Sheriff's Office, 64-year-old Timothy J. Hennen, of Morton, died at the scene of the accident after suffering injuries from a fall from a horse. The Sheriff's Office received a report of the accident around 5:23 p.m. Sunday near 675th Avenue and 355th Street, approximately one mile northeast of Morton.

Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered Hennen at the bottom of an embankment along Birch Coulee Creek. According to the release, bystanders were providing lifesaving measures before emergency crews started resuscitation efforts. Hennen was pronounced dead at the scene.

An initial investigation found that Hennen was on horseback, riding along the edge of Birch Coulee Creek. According to the release, the horse lost its footing on a slippery surface and fell, causing Hennen's fall.

The Morton Medical Response Unit, Morton Fire Department and CentraCare Ambulance also assisted at the scene.

The accident remains under investigation by the Renville County Sheriff's Office and the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.

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Woman found dead after house fire in west-central Minnesota

Shelby Lindrud — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 19:34:16 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — A woman was found dead inside a home after firefighters put out a fire at the residence in the Lower Sioux Indian Community. The fire happened at approximately 8:13 p.m. Friday at a home on the 39000 block of Reservation Highway 1.

According to a news release from the Redwood County Sheriff's Office, firefighters were dispatched to the house fire and successfully put it out. Afterward, as they examined the residence, the body of the woman was discovered. No other information, including the woman's identity, has been released.

The fire is under investigation by the Redwood County Sheriff's Office and the Minnesota Fire Marshal's Office.

Also assisting at the scene were the Lower Sioux Tribal Police Department, Morgan Police Department, CentraCare Ambulance Service and the Morton Fire Department.

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New SW Minnesota cemetery will let veterans rest closer to home

Hannah Yang / MPR News — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 15:30:00 GMT

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. — The fourth state veterans cemetery in the state had its groundbreaking ceremony in southern Minnesota on Wednesday, Oct. 13.

Inclement weather didn’t stop state and local representatives, community residents and veterans from huddling underneath white tarp tents as the rain and wind blew across rural prairie land in Redwood Falls. Where the tents stood will eventually be home to an 81-acre resting place for military veterans.

The project was 12 years in the making for many families and veterans in southwest Minnesota, who would sometimes travel hundreds of miles to the closest cemeteries, at Fort Snelling in the Twin Cities or in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to pay their respects to loved ones.

Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Larry Herke said that the state has interred 10,000 veterans at its state cemeteries so far.

“I believe that the cemetery will be important for this community,” Herke said. It’s [the] last stop for many of our veterans as they go through their life. And it’s important those honors are actually given to each one of our veterans as we walk forward.”

Gov. Tim Walz, a veteran of the Army National Guard, said that the bipartisan support to get the veterans cemetery funding, as well as community leaders and officials working together to obtain the property, were critical to the project’s success.

“Veterans stick up for one another, veterans stand side by side,” Walz said. “All the differences we see, especially when you enter this special place, all those differences are gone. We lie in that perfect democracy, where we’re sisters and brothers in service to this nation. This community accepted the responsibility, and I would make the case that there are a few communities more ready than this one to accept it.”

Funding for the cemetery was boosted by an $11.2 million grant from the National Cemetery Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and $4.5 million from this year’s Minnesota Legislature.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, community members acknowledged the importance of having a sacred space for service members to rest. Among them was Navy veteran Lydia Conito, a member of Lower Sioux Indian Community, who has a family history of serving in the military.

“I’m so happy, it feels like the circle is coming close to an end,” Conito said. “Now our veterans will have a safe place to be and when they meet their Creator, they will all be so healthful, happy and they will meet all their relatives right here on this land.”

There are 10 total planning phases, beginning with a development phase of 21.7 acres of land. It will feature burial sites for caskets, in-ground cremation, and above-ground columbarium cremation. The state also plans to hire seven employees to help maintain the cemetery grounds.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, whose father was a Korean War veteran, said that it was important to continue supporting veterans and military service personnel in life and for after.

“We show them when they come home, not with tomatoes like what happened after the Vietnam War,” Klobuchar said. “You can have disagreements with war, but you don’t take it out on the warriors. We owe it to them and their families by giving them a beautiful, dignified place to rest. That’s what this place is.”

A dedication ceremony for the Redwood Falls cemetery is anticipated in spring or early summer of 2023.

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Morton man dies in ATV crash in west-central Minnesota

Shelby Lindrud — Sun, 13 Jun 2021 18:37:41 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — Richard Alan Oneil, 66, of Morton, was killed when his 2019 Polaris ATV was struck by a van around 10:32 p.m. Friday, June 11.

According to the Minnesota State Patrol accident report, the van, a 2007 Chrysler Grand Caravan driven by Conrad Lee Rainey, 46, of Red Lake, was headed southbound on U.S. Highway 71, about a mile north of Morton. The ATV, driven by Oneil, exited out of the west ditch toward the east, in front of the van. The two vehicles collided on the roadway, the report said.

The State Patrol said Oneil was not wearing a helmet.

Rainey, and his passenger, Tyrese Desjarlait, 18, suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening and were transported to Redwood Falls Hospital. Both were wearing their seat belts.

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Dakota tribe reclaims its land — and its story

Hannah Yang / MPR News — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 22:00:00 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — Robert Larsen has waited years for the Minnesota Historical Society to return 114 acres of land to the Dakota people of the Lower Sioux Indian Community. When the unanimous vote finally came this year, Larsen was watching on his computer. As soon as it was official, he drove to the spot off of County Highway 2, east of Redwood Falls.

He said a prayer, sang a song and made an offering of tobacco.

“Steps toward healing is what we need,” Larsen, the tribe’s chair, said. “And this is one of those steps.”

This land is part of the Lower Sioux Indian Community’s homeland and, until last month, it was controlled by the state.

The historic site commemorates the start of the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862.

The conflict began when the United States refused to distribute to the Dakota people the food and supplies stored there, violating its treaty.

The war between Dakota tribes and the U.S. government lasted six weeks. After it ended, President Abraham Lincoln ordered 38 Dakota men hanged in Mankato, the largest single-day execution in the country’s history.

“This land has been paid for over and over and over with the blood and the lives of our ancestors,” Larsen said.

The historical society bought the property from private landowners starting in the 1960s. Its return to Lower Sioux Indian Community was a culmination of talks that began in 2004. Local government officials were skeptical about the change, Larsen said.

The land transfer ultimately required the involvement of the state Legislature, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the federal government and 31 different tribal nations.

“Preserving our state’s history doesn’t always have to mean the Minnesota Historical Society is doing that all by ourselves,” said Ben Leonard, who oversees the historical society’s portfolio of sites outside of the Twin Cities and is pleased the Lower Sioux Community now controls the site. “That is their history. That is their story,”

Larsen’s family was involved throughout the long process of reclaiming the land. His father and great-aunt were there from the start, and he says many community members deserve credit for the achievement.

“If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here,” he said.

In February, tribal citizens accepted the transferred land on behalf of their ancestors.

“By reclaiming some of our traditional homelands, we’re expanding the opportunity for our generations to have a broader connection to their Dakota identity,” said Cheyanne St. John, the community’s historic preservation officer. “It was certainly a milestone within our nation's history.

The Minnesota Historical Society will still help maintain the interpretative trails on the site and for now, the tribe plans to leave the property mostly unchanged. Its goal is to encourage more visitors to visit and learn about Dakota history.

It’s an unusual move for the state to return a historic site to the tribe that once owned it, but Larsen hopes it is only the beginning.

“To get back to that relationship with the land is important to us,” he said.

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Minnesota's Lower Sioux Community restructures Police Department

Mark Wasson — Sun, 21 Feb 2021 11:12:00 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — The Lower Sioux Community Council has appointed Vince Merrick Sr. as a public safety director to lead and reshape community policing in the Lower Sioux Indian Community Police Department, according to a statement from the council.

According to the statement, Merrick, who has more than 30 years of tribal law enforcement experience, will oversee the 12-member department, which included a chief of police, assistant chief and eight licensed police officers.

“We have no greater responsibility than providing a safe Community for our members and guests, and our Police Department must play a central role in fulfilling that obligation,” Lower Sioux Community President Robert Larsen said in the statement. “Vince is committed to community policing, and his connection to this Community make him the right person to lead and reshape the department.”

Merrick will oversee the process of reorganizing the department to renew a commitment to protecting community members and guests, engaging with the community and preserving peace and protecting life and property.

Details of how the reorganization of the department will proceed have not been released publicly.

“Returning to Lower Sioux is like coming home to a Community that I consider to be family and a region that my family and I remember fondly,” Merrick said in the statement. “I have many personal and professional connections that I look forward to renewing. It’s good to be back.”

Response raises questions

The appointment of Merrick and the reorganization of the department comes less than a month after the disappearance and death of Quincy Schaffer, 21, in Morton and the concerns raised regarding the Lower Sioux Police Department's response.

After being reported missing Jan. 27, Schaffer was located deceased by community members Jan. 31 about 400 feet from where he reportedly disappeared.

While investigating the disappearance, the Lower Sioux Police Department was informed about an alleged attempted assault at a Lower Sioux Indian Community residence that caused Schaffer to flee the home, according to a news release. No individuals in the home required medical attention and the incident was not reported to law enforcement until the investigation of the disappearance began.

The Police Department released preliminary autopsy results that found hypothermia was a contributing factor in Schaffer's death.

Schaffer was found in a field next to the Jackson Junction Casino Hotel. An employee with the casino declined to answer a question about whether the Lower Sioux Police Department requested camera footage from the hotel near where Schaffer's body was found. The casino did not respond to a request for comment.

A Lower Sioux Government Center Facebook page post was made Jan. 31 about Schaffer's death and the community concerns about the investigation.

"We want to assure our Community that the details of their investigation from its onset will be reviewed and dealt with accordingly," part of the statement read.

The new leader of the Police Department began his law enforcement career in 1974, working for his tribe — the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska — for 14 years and becoming the captain of police. Merrick served another 14 years as an officer of the Bureau of Indian Affairs as chief of police at Standing Rock, Winnebago and Yankton Reservations. Merrick served as chief of police at Lower Sioux from 2002-2007, according to the statement.

“I’ve been a cop serving Indian Country my whole career. It’s in my blood,” said Merrick in the statement about his new appointment. “I’m eager to work with the Community and the Police Department to reshape our law enforcement efforts with a stronger commitment to community policing and community engagement, and a focus on meeting Community members’ needs and proactive crime prevention.”

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Hypothermia contributed to death of missing man within Lower Sioux Indian Community

Susan Lunneborg — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 16:00:00 GMT

MORTON, Minn. — Hypothermia contributed to the death of a missing man found dead Sunday, Jan. 31, within the Lower Sioux Indian Community.

According to a news release Tuesday evening, Feb. 2, from the Lower Sioux Police Department, the preliminary autopsy for Quincy Schaffer by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office found no significant physical injuries indicating assault or other cause of death.

The release did not indicate Schaffer’s age or address.

Schaffer was reported missing to the Lower Sioux Police Department on Wednesday, Jan. 27. According to police, his body was found in a wooded area behind a residence within the Lower Sioux Indian Community.

While investigating the disappearance, police were informed about an attempted assault at a Lower Sioux Indian Community residence that caused Schaffer to flee the home, according to the release. No individuals in the home required medical attention and the incident was not reported to law enforcement until the investigation of the disappearance began.

The Lower Sioux Police Department’s investigation into that incident is ongoing.

The Redwood County Sheriff’s Office, Redwood Falls Police Department, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office are assisting with the investigation.

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Redwood Falls man charged with attempted murder after stabbing at birthday party

Linda Vanderwerf — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 21:30:00 GMT

OLIVIA, Minn. — Two stabbings at an October birthday party in Morton, Minn., led to felony charges against a 29-year-old Redwood Falls man.

One of the people who was stabbed suffered a collapsed lung as a result of his injury.

Laroyce Tabais Taylor has been charged with attempted, premeditated first-degree murder; second-degree assault — dangerous weapon — substantial bodily harm; and second-degree assault — dangerous weapon.

Taylor had an omnibus hearing Thursday, Dec. 10, at which his defense attorney argued that the attempted murder charge should be dismissed. No decision was rendered at the hearing, and there is no date yet for his next hearing.

Taylor is in custody at the Renville County Jail on $500,000 bail with no conditions and $300,000 for release with conditions.

The stabbings occurred after birthday party participants threw some unexpected people out of the party after one of them struck a woman during a fight, according to court records. The fight occurred late on Oct. 24.

As the uninvited people were leaving, they drove recklessly around the property and struck a man with a vehicle before leaving, according to court records. About 4 a.m. Oct. 25, the uninvited man who had struck the woman returned and was trying to apologize. Taylor got involved in an argument with the man who had been struck by the vehicle, according to court records.

The man who had been struck by the vehicle suggested a one-on-one fight, according to court records, but Taylor allegedly pulled out a knife with a curved blade measuring 3 to 5 inches.

As the two men were arguing, the other man pushed Taylor away, and others tried to get between them to break up the fight. During the fight, a party guest allegedly fired a shot into the air to try to scare the uninvited people away.

According to court records, Taylor swung his knife and cut the right side of the other man’s lip, and stabbed another man in the side. The man with the cut lip then punched Taylor. While they fought on the ground, Taylor allegedly cut the man again, this time by stabbing him behind the shoulder, according to court records.

Taylor and the other uninvited people fled in their vehicles, according to court records.

The gunshot had caused a call to law enforcement who arrived at the scene and paged an ambulance.

The man who had been stabbed in the side was described as “gushing blood,” and he was found to have a collapsed lung, according to court records. The other man had a slashing wound to his back.

Witnesses described Taylor, and the victims identified him from photos, as did several other witnesses. A warrant was issued for Taylor, who made his first court appearance Nov. 17.

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Vanessa GoodThunder is revitalizing the Dakota language

Jaida Grey Eagle / MPR News — Tue, 10 Nov 2020 21:00:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — Vanessa GoodThunder, 26, is the director of the Cansayapi Wakanyeza Owayawa Ti, the Lower Sioux Early Head Start and Head Start Dakota language immersion program in Morton, Minn. She is from the Lower Sioux Indian Community, a Dakota community in southwest Minnesota described as "where they paint the trees red."

GoodThunder is Bdewakantuwan Dakota and Tódich'ii'nii Dine Navajo.

Editor's note:

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What does it mean to be an Indigenous Minnesotan right now?

When I thought about that, to be an Indigenous Minnesotan, or even Indigenous Minnesotan winyan (woman) ... It just means, you know my ancestors fought for me to be alive today and fought for me to know my language and my culture today. And so for me, that means that's my fight for the next piece.

And it's not all about fighting. That means we're beautiful. We have awesome practices, and we have awesome ways of life. So I'm very excited about that. And we are going to make some big movements, not for the state, but for the nation. Right now we're really thinking about voting so I think there's a reason why folks don't want Natives to vote because we have that power, and that ability. So, I'm excited about that coming up.

What figures have shaped you?

I always think about the wonderful women that helped to grow me up. We have this horse program called Sunktanka Wicayuhapi and that’s with the nonprofit Dakota Wicohan. There's all these awesome, strong, wonderful women who gave me the tools and resources to figure out who I wanted to be in life and what my mission was in my role. I think about those women a lot who helped shape me, as well as my community of Cansayapi. They helped to tell me that I could do whatever I want. And I believe that so I took that to hopefully help others and empower them to be whatever they want as well.

What's your vision for the future generations of Indigenous people in Minnesota?

My vision is that everybody will have the access and ability to speak their language. Thus, that will help heal them, their community, and thus tribal sovereignty as a whole. And with that, that means we are going to be able to have better health systems, right, because we're remembering, reclaiming, and reconnecting — or recovering, as I heard it recently. Those systems that we've always had — and because of the historical trauma we've had — it disrupted. So with language, I really believe that it can help heal our people. So that's what I see for the future.

Who you see as a changemaker in your community and who inspires you?

I see this little guy. He is 3 years old. His name is Marcus and he attends the school that we work at — Cansayapi Wakanyeza Owayawa Oti, the Lower Sioux Early Head Start and Head Start. We just opened doors so he's been there since he was like 1 years old. And now he's three and he calls me Sna Sna Win, which is my Dakota name and I've never had somebody only call me by my Dakota name. He doesn't even know my name is Vanessa in English.

I see him as being a changemaker because he's already changed my heart and shown everybody that this is what language can do to empower somebody and he doesn’t even know. He just thinks, “This is my culture. This is my language. We've always had it. You’re Sna Sna Win, that's the world, let's keep going.” And I'm like, “Yes Marcus, yes, let's keep going!” So that's one of them.

I also look to the elders and I look to my peers and I look to everybody because it's going to take all of us to make this change. That’s starting from birth all the way to the elders and to our ancestors in the past. We need to look at what they've done and learn from them.

Where are we, and why did you choose this location?

We are at Bdote, which is where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers meet and that is where the Dakota people came from. This is where our creation stories came from. But we are also at the spot where we had the internment camp or concentration camp during the U.S. and Dakota war [of 1862]. It’s also the place of our genocide.

So, I think of it a lot because it brings a lot of feelings up for me. It just keeps reminding me you know where I come from. Those are my people who fought so hard for me to be here and breathe today. And simultaneously they fought and so now I need to do my part to continue bringing back our language, thus our culture, thus our tribal sovereignty, thus our peoples’ prosperity. It’s a good place to think about that and really reflect on my purpose and why I’m placed on this earth.

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