A woman was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester after rolling her car. Rice County Deputies were called to the crash yesterday morning in the 26000 block of Independence Ave. in Morristown. 42 year old Carey Kay Root reported losing control on the icy road. Sheriff Dunn reported that the vehicle was going highway speeds, left the road, hit snow and rolled “numerous times”. Root is in stable condition at this time. Dunn said, “she’s alive because she had her seatbelt on”. The passenger was uninjured. Dunn also cautioned drivers to be careful even with a little bit of snow.
Woman pleads guilty to stealing from dog rescue organization
A woman accused of stealing from a charity pled guilty in Rice County court this week. The Rice County Attorney’s Office last August charged 56 year old Patricia Caron with five felonies. She pleaded guilty this week to 2 counts of theft by swindle. Caron was the founder and a director of S.A.F.E. Sanctuary a pet rescue operation in Faribault. An investigation by several agencies, showed that Caron was using the funds from the rescue organization for personal use including shopping sprees, restaurants and more. She also didn’t report income. In the criminal complaint she told law enforcement that she “doesn’t have the best record-keeping” and that SAFE didn’t make any money. SAFE held fundraisers and charged fees for adoption of dogs. Rice County Attorney John Fossum said what this did was, “admit on the record that she stole money from the non-profit”, adding, “the Judge will be deciding what restitution is and who it gets paid to and the Judge will decide what an appropriate fine is”. Caron will serve no jail time. Fossum and the defense attorney have agreed to 3 to 5 years probation. SAFE was shut down last year. Patricia Caron Complaint
Door checks and monitoring devices
A couple of weeks ago KYMN reported on businesses being burglarized and Northfield Police seeking information from the public. Chief Monte Nelson added that it’s a good reminder to businesses to install monitoring devices and alarms. The burglars forced entry and were looking for cash. Nelson said the doors were locked but they found a way in. They didn’t “throw a brick through a window, there wasn’t a lot of damage”. He said that’s why it’s a good idea to check your doors every so often. You can also ask for an officer to take a look at them. They have experience in how people can “defeat locks people think are secure”. If they can get between a door and the frame, they can sometimes get in. Nelson advised business owners to also think about where they store petty cash.
Dundas council approves stipend bump
The Dundas Council met on Monday night. It was moved due to last week’s snowstorm. On the agenda was a vote to give those appointed to serve on Boards and Commissions a stipend for their service. They approved $20 per meeting. Mayor Glenn Switzer commented that previously they received $10 a meeting for those attending boards and commissions. They expanded it to joint powers boards. “It’s a little something to say thank you to those who are not elected” but appointed. Administrator McCarthy said it’s important to recognize those folks that give of their time. Their full interview is online at kymn.net.
