By Teri Knight, News Director
A Faribault man is charged with felony assault of a police officer and felony violation of a no contact order after someone reported a suspicious vehicle sitting in their driveway for 10 minutes with the dome light on. Faribault police responded before 1am Tuesday and found two occupants. The driver, who appeared to be crying, said that things were just emotional because things were being worked out in his relationship with the passenger, 37 year old Jermale Jermar Kling. There was a DANCO order on Kling to stay away from the driver. Kling was placed under arrest. Once inside the squad, he became agitated and started making threats against the officers, he was also hitting his head into the back of the squad car. While trying to tighten Kling’s seat belt to better restrain him from hurting himself, Kling forcefully spat saliva directly into the Officer’s face and eyes. Kling
has multiple felony convictions for domestic abuse, violation of protection orders and a stalking conviction. He was just charged in July with vehicle theft under a Faribault address. He’s scheduled to appear in court in December on that charge.
Council ok’s Water St. temporary closure
The Northfield City Council this week voted 6 to 1 to close the small stretch of Water St. at Bridge Square as they did earlier this Summer. City Engineer Dave Bennett presented options for the closure with varying price tags. From $14,100 with concrete planters to $2,600 for plastic water-filled barriers. C. Ness moved a motion for the least expensive option in a tan color. He said closing Water St. had the least resistance from the community. C. Peterson White said there was “overwhelming” support. C. Grabau was concerned at the late date of closing the area off however, she and most Councilors did like the fact the barriers could be used in other areas. The dollars will come from the Capital Reserve Funds. The plan is to close it through November 15th or before if the weather turns. As for eComments received through the City’s website. There is a graph with all the comments made by the public. There were 11 regarding the Water St. closure with 72% opposing it. As for narrowing the 4th St. bridge, there were 22 comments, 95% were against the channelizer idea. This link is to the eComments and graphs. The actual comments and graph start on page 3.
“It doesn’t get any easier”, Sheriff Dunn
“It doesn’t get any easier”, said Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn commenting on the recent traffic death in Shieldsville this week, he said, “having to tell the loved ones that their son had passed away is just never easy and I had a couple younger first responders there from the fire department that came up and they’re like how do you do this?” . He told them it never gets easier but it’s part of the job. With this crash, the county is up to four fatalities for the year, “we had two in 2019 and I was happy to see our numbers kind of trending down”. Monday’s crash was a head-on collision with the one driver ejected. Dunn said our community is small and he recognized the young man, Chris Chappuis, saying, “and didn’t put two and two together until later my Godson called me and he said that was my best friend in high school. (emotion) It just puts things in perspective”. As Labor Day weekend approaches Dunn urges everyone to be safe.
Local Small business/nonprofits apply now for CARES funding
Local businesses and nonprofits looking for financial relief due to COVID-19 can apply for CARES Act funding now through September 23rd. The City of Northfield received $1.5 million through the federal CARES Act. Council is allocating $300,000 in grants for businesses and $200,000 in grants for nonprofits. They’re focused on allocating the money toward minority-owned businesses and nonprofits serving minorities and people with low incomes. I have a link to the city’s website:ci.northfield.mn.us/cares where you can apply. The full press release: CARES funding (1). City Council Supplemental Agenda Background Memo for Septemeber 1 2020 City Council Supplemental Agenda Background Memo for September 1 2020 No. 2
