A Faribault couple threatens to shoot a cop and bomb the department. A District One nurse called the Faribault police department after a patient threatened the life of a police officer. According to the criminal complaint, last Friday, 46 year old Gerald Bryan Becker was set to be released from the hospital. The nurse overheard him discussing plans to purchase a gun and “deal with” a specific police officer. Becker and his girlfriend, 20 year old Ashley Rose Dunkleberger, also spoke of planting a bomb at the Faribault Police Department. The nurse felt the threats were valid and informed police. The named officer has arrested Becker multiple times on driving after
revocation charges and arrested Dunkleberger the night before on a 5th degree drug charge. The nurse also 
stated that Becker said the whole police force was corrupt and needed to die. Dunkleberger made other threatening statements including not letting them out if the police department were on fire. When officers attempted to escort them out of the building, Becker refused to move then became combative, slamming his head to the floor and refusing treatment. He continued that way into the squad car. Becker has been charged with 5 felonies including 2 counts of Threats of Violence – Intent to Terrorize. Bail was set at $50,000 with conditions. Dunkleberger is charged with one count of Threats of Violence, her bail is $3,000 with conditions. The pair remain in the Rice county jail with initial court appearances April 9th. Becker has a history of violence. COMPLAINT – Becker
Bly discusses federal tax compliance
District 20b representative David Bly discussed Minnesota’s compliance with the federal tax bill. He says if the State did nothing it would cost about $200 per person for about 300,000 Minnesotans. Bly said that “full conformity” to the compliance would mean that about 870,000 Minnesotans would pay an additional $489 each. Bly said Governor Dayton’s proposal would give 2 million people a tax cut of about $117 people. As for the $329 million budget surplus, he’s been hearing from various groups about what they want, he said, it’s a “balancing act”, you can’t give one group everything they want.
MPCA grant to help CAC
The CAC has an opportunity to recover perishable food with a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Administrator Ben Martig said it’s an Environmental Assistance grant related to recycling and composting. The CAC is looking at a major expansion that would enable them to capture locally fresh produce, foods from Carleton College, who is partnering with them and local grocery stores. The healthy food is then more readily in the hands of those who utilizing the food shelf. The grant would fund the refrigeration units. We’ll be hearing more from the CAC’s Anika Rychner about the Super Shelf program Thursday morning at 7:20.
Mayor’s first State of the City address video
Mayor Pownell’s State of the City is on kymn.net. Northfield’s Poet Laurette Rob Hardy presented a poem, based on the city’s vision statement, a new “Ethics Award” was given to High School student, Siri Hoff and Bonnie Jean Flom was honored with the first “Board and Commission member Excellence Award”. As reported earlier, 4th and 5th graders were recognized for their Mayor for a Day essays.
