Independent News Herald Online

Young boy dies from accidental electrocution

by Karin L. Nauber

INH Staff Writer

According to a report from the Todd County Sheriff's Office, on Monday, June 22 at 8:34 p.m., an 8-year-old boy, Wendel Lamor Fox, son of Laurence and Arlene Fox, was electrocuted on his family's rural Browerville farm.

Todd County deputies responded to the scene and performed CPR on Fox until the Browerville Ambulance arrived and transported him to the Long Prairie Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Fox had been near a large barn fan and was standing in a puddle of water when the accident happened.

Sheriff Peter Mikkelson called the incident "an accident and a terrible tragedy for the little boy and his family."

The fan was at the entrance to one of the barns on the property. Due to the recent rainfalls in the area, the ground was wet and several puddles of water were present.

"The ground is really moist and there is a lot of standing water so we need to educate people and let them know that water is definitely a conductor and can cause problems," Mikkelson said.

His father said, "He was barefoot at the time that he touched the fan. He hardly ever went barefoot. He had just gotten a new pair of boots and wore them everywhere. We are just trying to accept this and move on. That is all we can do."

The Todd County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the matter. The initial investigation indicated that the accident was caused by faulty electrical wiring in the fan.

Mikkelson said that Fox was the first person to be electrocuted in Todd County in nearly 20 years. The last incident was when a man hit a power line and was electrocuted when exiting his car.

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A beacon of light and hope...

by Jason Nelson

INH Staff Writer

In recent years, since 9-11 and the trade towers collapsing, more police officers in the United States have died due to suicide than hostile fire. In the law enforcement field, the divorce rate is the highest and the rate of divorce exceeds all other professions. This is a very stressful occupation and makes it difficult for officers to stay focused on protecting the public.

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How the weather is affecting crops

by Taalyr Egeness

INH Staff Writer

The cold weather has really affected the plant growth this year.

Twyla Piepho, owner and operator of Sisty's Greenhouse of rural Eagle Bend, said, "The cold is bad for everything. There were so many late frosts. The things that are already planted are not growing. The plants are a month later than the past years, and it's not nearly as big.�

Although her business had a good year it has just been a poor year for plants.

"The warm weather this past week and rainfall was really needed."

Living on a farm myself, and with parents both planting flowers and crops we felt the effects of the cold weather as well. Tanya Egeness stated that, "The perennial flowers are two weeks behind what they usually are."

We also plant beans and they are not growing as well as in the past. We plant corn and that didn't come up after two weeks during the cooler spring planting season, so it will need to be re-planted.

Steve Leiser with Central Ag Services was very helpful and shared his knowledge of crops. He said, "I would say that the drought affected the crops more, and if anything the cold weather was a blessing because heat would have burned everything up. The coldness delayed hay cutting, and the corn and beans are behind, but the recent heat is getting them caught up and is turning things around."

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New sales tax rate effective July 1

by Jason Nelson

INH Staff Writer

Whether you like it or not a raise of Minnesota's sales tax is headed our way. Taking effect on the first day of July, sales tax in Minnesota will increase 3/8ths of one percent. It will jump from 6.5% to 6.875%.

The constitutional amendment to increase the sales tax rate was passed by voters in November of 2008. The resulting revenues are said to be for the following purposes:

� 33% to restore, protect and enhance wetlands, prairies, forests and habitat for fish, game and wildlife;

� 33% to protect, enhance and restore water quality in lakes, rivers and streams and to protect groundwater from degradation (at least five percent of this amount must be spent only to protect drinking water sources).

� 14.25% to support Minnesota's parks and trails;
� 19.75% for the arts and cultural heritage purposes.

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Freedom Days 09 in Lil' Chicago!

Eagle Bend to celebrate July 4

by Jason Nelson

INH Staff Writer

Little Chicago's Freedom Days 09 is going to be here this weekend! From bean bag tosses to tractor pulls, it's going to be a great and fun filled time.

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Egeness is new INH intern

by Karin L. Nauber

INH Staff Writer

Taalyr Egeness is a self-proclaimed over-achiever. If you know her at all, you quickly find this to be true. She is a hard worker and does her best to be accurate and dedicates herself to whatever the task is that is at hand.

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Silbernagel recovering . . .

Former newspaper owner hospitalized

by Karin L. Nauber

INH Staff Writer

Diane Silbernagel, who along with her husband Ernie formerly owned the Independent News Herald which was a combination of the Eagle Bend News, Bertha Herald and the Clarissa Independent, has been in the hospital since Thursday, June 18 when she had surgery to remove two cysts/tumors (which have been found to be cancerous) from her pancreas.

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What Taa has to Say...

by Taalyr Egeness