The case of an Owatonna teenager killed in a car crash in May is heading to federal court.
The parents of Olivia Flores have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, accusing former Minnesota State Trooper Shane Roper of violating their daughter’s constitutional rights and wrongfully causing her death.

Dodge County Commissioners have approved the 2025 budget of $36,602,407, which includes a tax levy of $17,941,264. The levy is an increase of 3.5% over 2024. The total budget number, however, is 7.1% lower than last year.
The 2024 budget was $39,410,986 with a tax levy of $17,334,555.

My education began in a one room school in rural Northeast Wisconsin. It was the same school my grandfather and father attended. This one room school was typical of so many rural schools across the upper Midwest.

Christmas is over and we are only days away from the New Year.
Looking ahead to a new year always brings questions about what it will bring. As is always the case much, if not most, of what will happen is all speculation.

Despite the holiday rush at the close of the year, I like to pause and reflect on the work of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) across our 20-county region. In no particular order, I would like to recognize some of the activities I am most proud of in 2024:

South Country Health Alliance has announced the recipients of $2.16 million in grant funds through its South Country Cares Community Impact Program. The grants are for initiatives that will benefit South Country members and other community members and help address the challenges and health disparities of living in rural Minnesota.

Shortly after the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem of Judea, a righteous man named Joseph took his wife Mary and the Baby Jesus and fled to Egypt. Why? The man who ruled Judea, Herod the Great, wanted the child dead.

BAPTIST
Anchor of Hope Church203 E. Main St., Dodge CenterA Seventh Day BaptistCongregationanchorofhopesdb.com10 a.m. Saturday,Worship Service11:30 a.m. Sabbath Schooldodgecentersdb.org• 374-6755