SWIFT COUNTY

A crashed car and no sign of Ted Dengerud for 43 years

Dale Morin — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 16:59:53 GMT

BENSON, Minn. — It’s been more than 43 years since a man from rural New London, Minnesota, disappeared, leaving behind only the wreckage of his car.

Most surviving family members of Ted Dengerud believe he is dead. Neither the family nor the officer who has been re-investigating the case believe the 30-year-old husband and father walked away on his own.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 3, 1982, Ted Dengerud was apparently on his way from a supper club just outside Sunburg, Minnesota, to pick up his wife from her sister's house southwest of Sunburg.

His vehicle was eventually found, unoccupied, with a dented front end and smashed windshield on the driver side after it had apparently crashed into a small tree at the intersection of Swift County Roads 28 and 87 — roughly 10 miles northwest of the city of Sunburg and six to seven miles from the home of his sister-in-law.

According to Chief Deputy Mike Hoffman, who is re-examining the case for the Swift County Sheriff's Office, the crash location “doesn’t make any sense." Dengerud's sister-in-law lived south of Minnesota Highway 9, and his car was found at an intersection north of the highway.

Ted's wife, Denise, when interviewed by the West Central Tribune shortly after he disappeared, said he could have become lost on the way to her sister's home. She recalled instructing her husband over the phone that if he lost his way, he should go back to the supper club and call her, according to West Central Tribune archives.

Denise said her husband had not sounded angry or depressed on the phone when they talked that night. If anything, she said, he would have been in a good mood because he had gotten the job he had sought earlier that day in the Twin Cities, according to the West Central Tribune news article published April 8, 1982.

The known facts are familiar to anyone who has read the news accounts over the years. Ted Dengerud and his friend Robert Nelson left Ted's home on Norway Lake for the Twin Cities to inquire about potential construction work.

Ted's wife was home with the couple’s 15-month-old daughter, Tenille, and later drove to her sister’s home.

When Ted and Robert returned, they stopped at the supper club located at the intersection of Highway 9 and Highway 104. Ted called his wife and said he would come to pick her up. He eventually left the bar alone.

The last confirmed sighting of Ted Dengerud was when he stopped at a nearby farm along Highway 9, about 2.5 miles west of the supper club, to ask for directions.

Chief Deputy Hoffman, when interviewed June 12, said he has his own theories as to what happened, including the possibility that someone in another vehicle might have picked up Ted after the crash, but said, for investigative purposes, he obviously could not share much more publicly.

“What I will say is that I don’t think he’s out there,” he said. “I don’t think his remains are around or anywhere near Camp Lake. … The place was searched very thoroughly … and a lot of people farm the area, hunt the area, walk the area, canoe the area, and just the fact nothing has been found since then, it’s hard to believe. If he’s not out there, he’s obviously somewhere.”

A thick investigative file filled with old reports, hand-written radio logs and photos sat on Hoffman's desk when he spoke with the West Central Tribune earlier this month. He first began reviewing the case file in 2024.

He had seen a Facebook post made several years ago by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on the anniversary of Dengerud’s disappearance, and he decided to do the same on the Sheriff's Office page on the 2024 anniversary.

He said all he did was essentially repost the short BCA summary of the case, knowing that most people within Swift County had at least some familiarity as Dengerud’s disappearance is “kind of an urban legend.”

The post ended up garnering more attention than he expected. Hoffman said he initially just read the comments, but as he began cross-referencing some of the more detailed accounts with the original reports, he began to notice that some of those names were not anywhere in the original case files.

He began contacting people directly and asking for as many details as they could recall. Hoffman estimates he has talked to close to 50 people, including Ted's family and friends, the officers who were involved in the original investigation, even the patrons and staff members who were at the bar that night.

Becky Dean, Ted’s sister, was 17 at the time. She told the West Central Tribune in a phone interview on June 13 that one of her most vivid memories is when her family was notified.

“They were supposed to come over on Sunday for dinner. They did that a lot at our house,” she said. “I can remember my dad sitting in this chair by the window that looks out to the driveway. He was just watching and sitting there all day waiting for him to pull into the driveway.”

Dean said it’s been a painful and emotional journey ever since Chief Deputy Hoffman notified the family he was re-examining the case, second only to those handful of days 43 years ago.

Hoffman feels fortunate to also have interviewed all three of Ted's brothers: Larry, Glenn and Les. Les died earlier this year, on April 12 at age 83, according to his obituary.

“When I first sat down with Becky and (Ted's) brothers, I told them that I’m not going to promise that I will solve this case," Hoffman said. " … But I can start the investigation from square one and fill as many blanks as I possibly can so that we have the most information possible that I can get from everyone still living.”

Dean and Hoffman remain in regular contact.

“The fact he picked (the case) up and decided to put time into it is huge,” Dean said. “It's sad for, you know, 40-some years with not a lot of action, so I’m very grateful to him for wanting to spend time on it.”

Hoffman has been constrained not only by the passage of time but also the challenge of “Norwegian silence,” a term he used to describe the Midwest mindset of minding one’s own business.

He pointed to the fact that Ted’s car is believed to have crashed around midnight, and the car remained planted against that tree, south of Camp Lake, for almost 18 hours. It was not until around 5 p.m. the next day on Sunday, April 4, 1982, that the vehicle was reported to law enforcement.

He was able to confirm that a lot of people passed by the crash scene throughout the day.

The likely assumption was "someone got drunk, (crashed) their car and then ran away because they didn’t want to get caught,” he said.

The chief deputy said he has come across new information and talked to others who didn’t initially make any reports to police, but he’s still looking to form a clearer picture and timeline of events.

Nothing promising or concrete ever came of the few tips from the public in the weeks immediately after Dengerud disappeared, according to Hoffman. But he believes he could be just one missing piece away from getting back onto the trail.

Whether it’s someone pointing him to another area he should look, a short exchange someone might have had with Ted or some other odd occurrence that could be relevant.

“The problem now is it’s been 40 years. And my own thought is I think that someone is sitting there who knows something and they’re probably thinking, ‘If I come out and say something now, I’m going to look (stupid or suspicious),’” Hoffman said.

“I want to think that person exists and I want them to come talk to me. If it’s to the point where you think you could have charges on you, grab a lawyer and come talk to us. We’ll figure it out,” he said.

Hoffman, early in his investigation, ruled out the theory that Dengerud, after the crash, may have taken the opportunity to run away. The family does not believe that either.

Dean said Ted might have come off as a “wild man” to those who didn’t know him well but that simply isn’t the case. He was described as soft-spoken but a goofy guy who was great to be around.

“He just loved to have fun. Everybody loved him,” she said.

Hoffman said he dug to "to get the dirt. ... A cold case of 40-plus years, I want to know everything. Even the not-so-good stuff." Did he rub people the wrong way, was there any turmoil in his life or in his marriage — but nothing of the sort has ever come up.

By all accounts, Ted was extremely family-oriented. He adored his daughter, and he and his dad were practically buddies, according to Hoffman and Dean.

“The theory of him skipping town, bailing on his wife and young daughter, and his dad … it doesn’t hold water,” Hoffman said.

Denise remarried a couple of years later and moved to Florida with her daughter. She now lives in Colorado, according to Dean.

Dean said she and Tenille, living in Florida with kids of her own, have been able to form a relationship.

“I talk to her on the phone often, and she comes home every year,” Dean said.

That’s one of the many reasons both Chief Deputy Hoffman and Ted’s family are wishing something will turn up this time around. They all want closure.

“That’s what keeps me going. … That’s the reason I want to get people talking,” Hoffman said.

The fact Tenille never knew her dad. Her kids never knew their grandfather. Hoffman said he hopes one day he'll at least have answers, good or bad, for Ted's family.

Dean told the West Central Tribune that most of the family at this point believes that Ted is no longer alive. She personally speculated that the crash was staged, and that he ran into trouble somewhere between the supper club and his sister-in-law's.

“He wouldn’t leave his family or friends. He had too many and they were too important,” she said. “That’s the hard part. If someone did kill him, I don’t know who that could be because I don’t know who would ever be angry at him."

Like Hoffman, Dean is confident that at least one or possibly more than one person knows what happened to her brother that night.

“If anybody knows anything, I would just plead with them to talk to Mike Hoffman,” she said, adding that after so much time, the family is no longer interested in “seeking justice” or putting someone behind bars.

“We just want to know where he is and what happened.”

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Click the image above to see a larger view of the April 8, 1982, clipping from the West Central Tribune.

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Click the image above to see a larger view of the April 20, 1982, clipping from the West Central Tribune.

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Click the image above to see a larger view of the June 14, 1983, clipping from the West Central Tribune.

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Western Minnesota's Swift County improving Appleton OHV, Swift Falls parks

Tom Cherveny — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 23:17:57 GMT

BENSON — With an eye toward attracting more visitors, and providing more recreation for residents, Swift County is moving forward with improvements to its two county parks, the Appleton Area Off-Highway Vehicle Park and the Swift Falls County Park.

The plans for the parks were outlined for the Swift County Board of Commissioners on Oct. 15 by Kody Fossum and Devon Savage with the county’s Parks, Drainage and Wetlands Department, and Jillian Reiner with Widseth Engineering.

The biggest improvements are coming to the Appleton Area OHV Park, thanks to a $1.03 million America Rescue Plan grant.

The improvements include developed parking areas, all-terrain vehicle washing stations and restrooms.

The plans also include developing a beach and picnic area on the small lake in the park, according to Reiner. The swimming and fishing area will be accessed by a path from the main parking area. The path will meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

The beach will be 200 feet long and 50 feet wide, she told the commissioners. A concrete pathway will lead to a fishing pier on the south end of the lake.

The lake was Appleton’s original swimming area prior to the park’s flooding in 1997, according to Commissioner Gary Hendrickx, of Appleton.

The 348-acre park offers 20 miles of trails. It is one of the few parks offering trails to accommodate all four classes of off-highway vehicles.

The park attracts visitors from around the state and beyond, but there currently is no way to count how many users it hosts. There is no admission charged.

It is a busy park, according to Fossum. Chief Deputy Mike Hoffman with the Swift County Sheriff’s Office concurred. It sees visitors all week long, and is especially busy on the weekends, he told the commissioners.

Overall, the improvements planned for the park are estimated to cost $1.25 million, according to Reiner. The county will be responsible for providing $250,000 in funds for the improvements based on the current estimates.

Plans and specifications for the improvements are now being reviewed by the federal Economic Development Administration, a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce responsible for administering the grant. Once approved, a call for bids can be made with expectations of awarding the project in the first quarter of next year.

Plans are moving forward to expand the park. Fossum said purchase agreements are in place to expand the park by approximately 280 acres.

He and Savage have been working with users of the park to determine what types of improvements are desired to attract more people. Large events held at the park this past summer brought large number of visitors to the parks and benefited the local economy, he pointed out.

Reiner described the park as a very unique park among the state’s regional parks. She said the Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Commission has encouraged the county to apply for additional funds toward improvements.

Swift Falls Park

Discussions with a committee of Swift Falls area residents and users of the Swift Falls County Park have led to a variety of suggestions on improvement to the quiet park on the Chippewa River in the community of Swift Falls.

Trail improvements, removing cattails and silt, and the possibility of removing the Swift Falls dam are among the suggestions raised at an initial meeting that attracted around 30 people, according to Fossum.

The county reopened and improved trails in the park this year due to the suggestions. The railings on one bridge have been replaced with plans to complete similar work on the other. Also, a grant from Countryside Public Health made it possible to install a picnic table and develop a viewing area overlooking the river on a park trail.

Improvements were made to the bathrooms, with textured flooring, graffiti-proof paint and LED lighting completed.

Park users and Swift Falls residents alike would like to see the cattails and sediment-choked upper basin cleaned out, said Fossum. Dredging would offer only a short-term fix, and would be extremely costly, he said.

A more viable option being explored is removing the 15-foot high dam. The concrete dam was built in 1967 in place of an original dam used for a mill at the site.

There is a good possibility of obtaining Minnesota Department of Natural Resources funding to remove the dam, according to Fossum. A series of rock riffles would replace the dam. The riffles and river continuity that the dam’s removal would make possible would improve fishing at the site.

There is not yet consensus on whether to remove the dam or not, Fossum told the commissioners.

There’s strong interest in seeing WiFi for internet access provided in the park, he said.

Commissioner Eric Rudningen said the meeting with residents and park users made it clear: There is immense pride in the community for the park.

The park is seeing increased usage by both campers and day users. Its 32 campsites were full virtually every weekend through the summer with 645 different parties registered at the sites, according to information from the county.

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Former Benson, Minnesota, teacher pleads guilty to criminal sexual conduct

Dale Morin — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 22:14:09 GMT

BENSON — A former Benson Public ��s teacher, accused of having sexual contact with male students in his classroom, pleaded guilty to four felony charges Tuesday, Oct. 22, the day his trial had been set to begin.

Roger Joseph Ebnet, 61, formerly of Benson, pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct at the Swift County Courthouse in front of a packed courtroom. Deputies from the Swift County Sheriff's Office brought extra chairs into the courtroom.

Under oath, Ebnet said that the inappropriate contact between him and four students was for his sexual gratification, as his attorneys reviewed the four charges with him.

Friends and family sitting behind Ebnet bowed their heads throughout most of the proceedings, while tissues were passed around by people seated behind the prosecutor's table after Ebnet admitted guilt to the first charge.

The plea hearing scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday before District Court Judge Melissa Listug began about an hour late after attorneys met twice in the judge's chambers.

Per the plea petition, which was filed Monday in Swift County District Court, five other counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in the same case will be dismissed.

In addition, a separately filed criminal case against Ebnet regarding decades-old allegations brought forward by two adult males will be dismissed.

According to the plea petition, the maximum sentence the court could impose for Ebnet is 25 years in prison.

A date for sentencing is yet to be determined as additional court proceedings are required to determine if aggravating factors will be applied.

As part of the plea agreement, Ebnet agreed to waive the right to jury determination of aggravating factors, sometimes called Blakely factors, that prosecutors put forward when seeking to justify a more severe sentence.

In the case of a jury trial, these separate arguments are made to a jury only after a guilty verdict is rendered. In this case, a court trial instead has been scheduled before Judge Listug, starting Friday.

She had earlier granted the state's motion to present to the jury two aggravating factors: particular vulnerability of the victims due to age — the boys were age 7 or 8 at the time of the charged contact — and that the victims were intentionally selected because of their sex or gender.

The prosecution and defense have agreed that forensic interviews of seven victims and social worker questionnaires from three witnesses are among the materials Judge Listug may consider.

According to the initially filed criminal complaint, Ebnet was observed in a surveillance video recorded on Dec. 1, 2022, having sexual contact between himself and three other boys aged 7 and 8. Ebnet allegedly had three separate minor males seated between his legs at various times.

Ebnet is observed in the video placing the boys’ hands behind their backs and under his own groin area as he moves behind them. The initially filed complaint describes one instance where Ebnet allegedly placed a boy’s hand on his groin for approximately four minutes while class was in session. The other children in the class have their eyes closed during this instance.

Ebnet was initially charged with three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct based on the video footage. However, the list of victims grew to at least nine former students as police began to follow up after Ebnet’s arrest.

Four other boys, aged 9 to 15 when interviewed, also told law enforcement about their own accounts of alleged inappropriate contact with Ebnet when each was a student in his class. All described Ebnet allegedly touching them or placing their hands on his own body, according to an amended criminal complaint filed in January of 2024.

Most of the identified victims are still currently minors, but two adult males also came forward to report that Ebnet had sexually abused them when he was their teacher.

The first adult male came forward to police almost immediately after news of Ebnet’s arrest. When prosecutors filed the additional charges in January, the second adult said he had read the charging document and then came forward himself.

Charges regarding those decades-old allegations from the two adults were filed in June of 2024 in a separate criminal case, charging Ebnet with two additional felony counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree.

Judge Listug had granted a defense motion in May to sever from the original file the charge involving the first adult. That charge was then refiled a month later, alongside a charge based on the second adult's allegation.

Near the conclusion of Tuesday's hearing, Meeker County Attorney Brandi Schiefelbein, who has served as special prosecutor, noted for the record that both of those men — and a third adult victim for which charges were not filed — had given their blessing to her to dismiss their cases entirely in order to "sweeten" the plea deal.

Schiefelbein said the adults had done so in the interest of the juveniles involved, sparing them from testifying. None of the families objected to the conditions within the plea petition, according to Schiefelbein.

Ebnet has resided in Morris since 2023, after posting $25,000 conditional bail.

The trial had been scheduled in Meeker County after Judge Listug granted a change of venue in July of 2023. According to court records, 18 witnesses would have been called by the defense, including Ebnet’s two adult sons. Four former educators, coworkers and friends were also listed as character witnesses for Ebnet.

Ebnet was a teacher for more than 30 years, and was previously named a 2017 Educator of Excellence by the Minnesota Rural Education Association.

According to West Central Tribune archives, Ebnet led a Northside Elementary effort that in 2013 brought a celebrity visit and more than $12,000 in prize money to Benson ��s through a "Give with Target" promotion. A concert by country music artist Luke Bryan headlined the event.

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10 felony sexual conduct charges filed against former Minnesota second-grade teacher

Tom Cherveny — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 00:41:10 GMT

BENSON — A former Benson elementary school instructor now faces 10 felony charges of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree.

Prosecutors filed an amended complaint on Jan. 25, adding seven new felony charges against Roger Joseph Ebnet, 61, of Morris, formerly of Benson.

The initial investigation by the Benson Police Department led to the Dec. 5, 2022, filing of three felony charges of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree. Those charges allege sexual contact with three male juveniles, described in the complaint as ages 7 and 8.

The amended complaint filed in Swift County District Court lists a total of eight alleged victims — the original three observed by police in a video recorded Dec. 1, 2022, and five other males interviewed by law enforcement after the initial case filing. One of the five, now an adult, contacted police the day after learning of Ebnet's arrest.

The adult told an investigator with the Benson Police Department that he had been a victim of criminal sexual touching by the defendant while he was an elementary student during the 1993-1994 school year, according to allegations in the amended complaint.

Identified as Victim A, the man said he experienced a “whirlwind of emotions” on learning of Ebnet’s arrest and “regrets not speaking out sooner,” according to the amended complaint.

The other four identified victims specified in the amended complaint are currently of juvenile age, ranging from 9 to 15. In interviews, they described alleged criminal sexual contact — the defendant touching them or placing their hands on him — when they were his students during the 2014-15, 2020-21, and 2021-22 school years.

Ebnet was employed as a second-grade teacher during all the time periods referenced in the charges, according to the complaint.

The investigation that led to the original charges began when a parent in Ebnet’s second-grade classroom contacted the school resource officer. Officer Paula Wilson placed a video camera in the defendant’s classroom.

The video is described in the complaint as showing the three minor males seated between the defendant’s legs separately and at various times. The complaint states that Ebnet appears to have the children close their eyes and face away from him.

He is observed in the video placing the boys’ hands behind their backs and under his own groin area as he moves behind them, according to the complaint.

Ebnet was arrested in December of 2022 on three felony charges of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. The seven new charges are in addition to the original three.

The court previously approved a change of venue to Meeker County. It also approved a restrictive order making most exhibits in the case confidential prior to trial in order to protect the child victims’ identities.

Ebnet, who has been free on bond, is scheduled to return to court on March 1 for a motion hearing. A jury trial is scheduled from Oct. 22 to Nov. 1 in Meeker County District Court. Meeker County Attorney Brandi Schiefelbein is serving as special prosecutor for the case.

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Appleton project adds to tradition of honoring veterans

Tom Cherveny — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 12:19:00 GMT

APPLETON, Minn. — Virgil Robertson served in World War II as a top turret gunner on a B-24 bomber with the 15th Air Force in Italy and had 15 combat missions behind him when he was reported missing over the Adriatic Sea on Jan. 20, 1945.

He never returned home. He was 19 years old.

Thomas Gunderson didn’t make it home, either. He lost his life at age 21 as a machine gunner with the U.S. Army's 9th Infantry Division in operations against enemy forces north of Dau Tieng, Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam, on Aug. 18, 1970.

Robertson and Gunderson are among 36 Appleton, Minnesota, natives who have given their lives in service of country since World War II. They are remembered by their hometown in a unique way. The streets and avenues of Appleton are all named after the community’s veterans who sacrificed their lives.

This has been the practice since May 22, 1947, when the Swift County community of 2,000 residents at that time renamed all of its streets and avenues for the 26 men from the community who were killed in World War II.

Now, two artists are working to make sure this legacy continues in a way that helps people not only remember these veterans, but also to know them by more than their names.

“People have to realize what we lost,” said Kerry Kolke Bonk, an Appleton native and the artist who came up with the idea for this project.

She and fellow artist Katia Andreeva, a native of Russia, are creating individual images of each of the 36 deceased veterans. Each sepia tone image is being created in acrylics on a 4-foot by 4-foot board.

The intent is to place the 36 portraits on a grassy triangle of land alongside Highway 7/59 near the southern entrance to town, which is located just before the community’s Flags of Honor Memorial. Each image will be mounted on the poles now holding the street signs bearing their names. The city will be replacing all of its weathered street signs with new poles and signs in the coming year.

The Street Signs of Honor project is at once an art project and a memorial. The artists want all of the veterans to be remembered, and for all people to learn from their sacrifices, they explained.

Kolke Bonk grew up well-aware of her community’s legacy of honoring its veterans. Her father, Erling Kolke, a Korean War-era veteran, had written a fictional book, “Streets of Honor,” telling the stories of veterans. He had collected the real-life oral stories from the surviving family members of veterans on cassette tapes, which Kolke Bonk still keeps.

She initially applied for a Minnesota Arts Board grant for this project, and received $10,000 to create 10 images. Additional funding from the local Martinson Foundation and individual contributions are helping make it possible to do all 36 portraits. To date, the project has received about $27,000 toward an estimated $33,000 for the overall project costs.

Kolke Bonk enlisted Andreeva’s support for this work, and they are now in the early stages of creating the images. They have taken over a room in the former Pioneer TV building now known as Preserving Appleton’s Heritage. Kolke Bonk is helping lead the community effort to restore this historic building in the community.

“You see the faces,” said Andreeva. “It tells you a lot about (the) young men.”

She will be creating the portrait of Appleton’s most recent veteran to have given his life, Jesse Lhotka. He died at age 24 on Feb. 21, 2005, while serving as a team leader with the 151st Field Artillery Battalion in Baghdad, Iraq.

Along with a collection of photographs of Lhotka, Andreeva said she will be visiting with surviving family members to help her get his image just right.

It is more difficult, of course, to strive for the same accuracy in the portraits of the veterans who died in World War II due to the quality of the black and white, 1940s-era photographs. The women have had help with a computer program to provide sharper images, and they have reached out to surviving family members and others for other photos that may exist.

Both artists are well-aware there are surviving family and friends who remember these deceased veterans as people they once knew and loved.

Their hope now is that more people can know them. While working on the images, both artists said they cannot help but think about how the community might be different today had these men not lost their lives.

The city of Appleton is committed to maintaining the art and memorial once it is erected. The artists hope its prominent location along a highway will attract people to stop and visit and learn about these men.

Interim City Administrator John Olinger said he hopes it does more. By visiting the portraits, he said he hopes it reminds everyone to do more to find peaceful solutions before putting individuals in harm’s way.

It’s the artists' hope that the portraits can be placed on public display by Memorial Day 2024. Donations toward costs for the project can be sent to the city of Appleton.

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Change of venue OK'd in sexual contact case against former teacher

Tom Cherveny — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:45:35 GMT

BENSON, Minn. — A district court judge has granted motions allowing for both a change of venue in the sexual contact case against former Benson elementary instructor Roger Joseph Ebnet and for the state to argue for an increased sentence if he is convicted.

Ebnet, 60, of Benson, was charged in Swift County District Court with three counts of felony criminal sexual conduct in the second degree on Nov. 30, 2022, for alleged sexual contact with three boys, ages 7 and 8, in his second-grade classroom in Benson.

In her ruling filed July 18, District Judge Melissa Listug approved a defense motion to move any pretrial hearing or jury trial for Ebnet to Meeker County. The judge concurred with a motion by defense attorney Daniel Mohs that it would be impossible to procure an impartial jury in Swift County due to pretrial publicity in the case.

The prosecution did not oppose the request for a change of venue. The judge stated in the ruling that the change of venue may also be approved due to the convenience it represents. The special prosecutor for the case is Meeker County Attorney Brandi Schiefelbein.

The judge also ruled that there is probable cause that aggravating factors may be present to allow the state to argue for an increased sentence if Ebnet is convicted on any of the counts. The judge agreed with arguments by the prosecution that the alleged victims present “particular vulnerability due to age” and that Ebnet allegedly “intentionally selected the victims because of their actual or perceived gender.” Both represent aggravating factors.

The ruling follows a May 31 hearing in Swift County in which the investigating police officer testified. �� Resource Officer Paula Wilson, who has 21 years of law enforcement experience, began her investigation after receiving a report from a parent with a daughter in Ebnet’s second-grade classroom.

The parent reported that her daughter was not getting help in school because the defendant allegedly “spends most of his time with his favorite student, a boy who sat on the defendant’s lap,” according to the court ruling.

The report reminded Wilson of a similar report from years prior, and she pursued the installation of a camera in the defendant’s classroom. The camera was installed without the defendant’s knowledge and focused on a rug and reading area.

Ebnet allegedly had three separate minor males seated between his legs at various times on Nov. 30, 2022. The complaint states that Ebnet appears to have the children close their eyes and face away from him.

Ebnet is observed in the video placing the boys’ hands behind their backs and under his own groin area as he moves behind them, according to the complaint.

The case is scheduled for a settlement conference on Sept. 18.

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Federal assistance OK'd for Minnesota recovery from April flooding

West Central Tribune staff report — Thu, 20 Jul 2023 20:26:07 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Minnesota communities affected by severe storms and flooding April 11-30 will now have access to federal disaster assistance in their recovery.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Thursday, July 20, that federal funding to repair or replace facilities damaged by the spring storms and floods will be available to the state, certain private nonprofit organizations, and eligible local and tribal governments.

The following counties will have access to the federal funds: Aitkin, Big Stone, Carlton, Chippewa, Clay, Grant, Houston, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Morrison, Norman, Pine, Pope, Renville, Roseau, St. Louis, Stevens, Swift, Traverse and Wilkin. The Prairie Island Indian Community will also be eligible.

According to the news release, Joseph P. Cirone has been named federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments.

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UPDATE: ND man killed in west-central Minn. crash

Forum News Service — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:41:45 GMT

BENSON, Minn. — A North Dakota man was killed Tuesday morning in a crash that forced the closure for several hours of Minnesota Highway 9 east of Benson.

At 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, the Minnesota State Patrol posted a report that the crash was a fatal accident.

According to the report, the fatal injury was suffered by 35-year-old Jordan Lee Robb Kuchera, of Grand Forks. He was the only occupant in the vehicle, he was wearing a seat belt, and alcohol was not involved.

According to the report, a Kenworth semi, driven by 64-year-old Jeffrey Robert King, of Spicer, was westbound on Highway 9 as a Volkswagen Tiguan, driven by Kuchera, was traveling southbound on County Road 31. The Volkswagen failed to stop at the intersection, and the vehicles collided.

King was uninjured in the crash. He was wearing a seat belt, and alcohol was not involved.

The roadway was closed for several hours by the Minnesota Department of Transportation before the accident scene was cleared and traffic was opened up again.

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Summer in Minnesota also means it's county fair season

Dale Morin — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 15:22:00 GMT

Summertime in Minnesota means it's prime time for county fairs to gear up with new acts and entertainment, but all the same special summer fun.

The events listed here are only a partial listing, and events are subject to change. Check fair websites or social media pages for additional information and updates.

Yellow Medicine County Fair

July 20-22

Fairgrounds in Canby

Free admission and free parking. Check the website for more information.

Website: ymcfair.org

Chippewa County Fair

July 26-30

Fairgrounds in Montevideo.

Gate admission is $10, ages 6 and younger are free. Excluding food, carnival rides and drinks, everything inside the gates, including grandstand events, is free. Check the website for more information.

Website: chippewacofairmn.com

Pope County Fair

Aug. 2-5

Fairgrounds in Glenwood.

A demolition derby featuring six derby and racing classes will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 6, after fair activities will be over. Admission for Sunday's derby is $15, kids 5 and under get in free. Check the website for more information.

Website: popecountyfair.org

Meeker County Fair

Aug. 2-6

Fairgrounds in Litchfield.

Admission is $5, ages 4 and under and over 70 will be admitted free. Gates open at 8 a.m. every day of the fair. Parking is free outside the fairgrounds. $30 parking passes for inside the fairgrounds will be available at the fair office starting Aug. 3 at noon. Passes are limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Featured grandstand events include a tractor pull, Motokazie supercross racing and a demolition derby. Check the website for more information.

Website: meekerfair.com

Kandiyohi County Fair

Aug. 9-12

Fairgrounds in Willmar.

Gate admission is $7 for adults, $3 for seniors on Thursday only, $2 for students 6-12; children 5 and under will be admitted free. Daily parking is $5 per car/truck. Season passes are $20 gate pass, $15 parking pass. A season ticket allows you to come and go as many times as you want during the four-day fair. Grandstand three-day wristbands are available for $20 per adult and $7 for kids 6-12.

Wednesday is Veterans Day and Thursday is Senior Day. Check the website for more information.

Website: kandifair.com

Renville County Fair

Aug. 9-11

Fairgrounds in Bird Island.

Gates are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Daily admission is $7 ages 12 and under are admitted free. Season pass available for $15.

Featured grandstand events include ATV barrel racing, bull-riding and a demolition derby. All day, every day events include an antique tractor show, 4H exhibits/animals and a petting zoo. Check the website for more information.

Website: renvillecountyfair.org

Swift County Fair

Aug. 16-20

Fairgrounds in Appleton.

Check the website for more information.

Website: swiftcountyfair.org

Lac qui Parle County Fair

Sept. 7-10

Fairgrounds in Madison.

Gates open at 9 a.m. daily, admission is $5 for ages 12 and over and includes parking; admission is free for ages 11 and under and for active military personnel with a military ID and law enforcement.

On Thursday, a performance by the White Sidewalls will be the featured entertainment. Friday through Sunday, magician Dr. Street and Caricatures by Jennifer will be at the fair along with a band each evening. Other events Friday include The AbbeyRoad Band and West Addison Blues. Saturday there will be a pedal pull, veggies races, diaper derby, demo derby and the Minnesota High �� Rodeo. Sunday’s events include a Minnesota High �� Rodeo and the Tom Bly Memorial Auto Race. Check the website for more information.

Website: lqpfair.com

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Appleton, Atwater offroading parks open to visitors looking to get dirty

West Central Tribune staff report — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 16:00:00 GMT

Summer is a great time to do any recreational outdoor activity. While off-road state trails are great, those looking for more thrills or simply wanting to get muddy can head to some dedicated off-road sites in Minnesota.

Area sites include Freedom Ridge in Atwater and the Appleton Area Regional park. The Meeker County OHV park will be closed until spring 2024, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Be sure to check the DNR's trail closures list before planning your visit.

Appleton Area Recreational Park

Located off of U.S. Highway 59 about two miles northeast of Appleton is 330 acres of park for ATVs, dirtbikes, and most any off-road vehicles. In what used to be an old gravel mine now lies 20 miles of trail with varying degrees of difficulty. The park also boasts two motocross practice tracks for beginners and more experienced riders.

The Appleton park remains open year-round from sunrise to sunset. Admission is free, but all off-road vehicles must be registered.

The city of Appleton does have a license free of charge that allows visitors to drive their ATVs on city streets. Information needed to obtain this license includes name, address, telephone number, a DNR license number for the vehicle, and a signature.

To get to the park, from Appleton, go 1 mile east on Highway 59. The park will be on the left. Parking is available within the recreational park.

Freedom Ridge

Address: 1130 195th St. SE, Atwater.

Located directly south of Atwater, Freedom Ridge offers a campground and live music venue in addition to a mix of trails, rock crawls, and a mud hole open from mid- to late summer.

According to its website, all vehicles with a wheel — and able to pass inspection — are welcome at Freedom Ridge. ATVs and dirt bikes aren't allowed at this time within the park.

Drivers must be at least 15 years old, and not be impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Past events at the park include the Rubicon Rendezvous and mud races. Visit freedomridgerocks.com for updates on upcoming events.

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