New details have emerged regarding the disappearance of six-year-old Northfield girl Elle Ragin. Authorities are currently searching Mississippi River County Park in Stearns County along with the section of the river that runs through the area, after discovering connections and evidence pertinent to the case.
On Saturday morning, Northfield police were called to a residence at 604 Maple Brook Court, the home Elle shared with her mother, 39-year-old Lisa Wade. Upon entry, they discovered Wade’s body, the victim of an apparent suicide. Police have said there is reason to believe that Wade may have been involved in Elle’s disappearance before taking her own life.
According to authorities, Elle was last seen on Sunday, June 19th. During the investigation, authorities learned that Wade had driven to Mississippi River Park on June 21st, based on cell phone records. They said Wade’s phone shut off at 3pm that afternoon and has not turned on since.
Two days later, on June 23rd, a maintenance worker in the park encountered Wade, who was alone. The worker contacted the Stearns County Sheriff’s Department. Wade told a deputy that she had lost her keys, phone and ID while hiking the trails in the park. The deputy arranged for her car to be towed to a dealership where Wade obtained a new key. During these encounters, Wade evidently made no mention of her daughter.
Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott said over the last thirty-six hours a search of the area has turned up Elle’s cell phone, which was found on dry land, and Wade’s purse, containing her cell phone, keys and driver’s license, in the river.
Elliot said Wade had contact with family members during the week of June 25th and was described as “distraught.” There is also video of Wade at various locations between June 23rd and July 2nd without Elle. He said that should be considered behavior out of the ordinary for Wade.
“What has been described to us is Elle and her mother had a very close relationship, and it was very uncommon for one to be seen without the other. Outside of work or school, where they would be separated, it was just very uncommon to see one without the other.”
Elliott said the investigation remains open. Mississippi River Park and the section of the Mississippi River are closed until further notice.
Special election, several primaries set for August 9th
Rice County has officially given notice of primaries and a special election that will take place on August 9th. 
The special election is to fill Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District seat in the US House of Representatives that was made vacant when Congressman Jim Hagedorn passed away earlier this year. Candidates on the ballot will be Republican endorsed Brad Finstad, DFL endorsed Jeff Ettinger, Legal Marijuana Now candidate Richard B. Reisdorf, and Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis Party candidate Haroun McLellan. The person who wins the election will fill out the remainder of the term, which will expire on December 31st.
As Northfield is in the Second Congressional District, Northfielders will not be voting in the special election. However, there is a three-way race for the City Council At-Large seat being vacated by Clarice Grabau. Former City Councilor David DeLong, Davin Sokup, a legislative assistant in the Minnesota Senate, and Thelma A. Estrada are vying for the seat. As the city allows room for only two names on the ballot in November, the three must meet in a primary to eliminate one of the candidates.
The County Sheriff position will be on the primary ballot pitting incumbent Sheriff Jesse Thomas against challengers Richard Bailey and Ross Spicer. Another race of interest that will not engage Northfielders directly is the Third District on the Rice County Board of Commissioners. Incumbent David Miller is facing three challengers, Steven J. Hauer, Gerald G. Hoisington, and a name familiar to many Northfielders as the Station Director of Northfield Public Broadcasting, Sam Temple.
Northfield Public Library summer reading program offers much more
The Northfield Public Library is in the midst of the busiest summer it has seen since before the pandemic. With all of
the programs different programs in play at the moment, from Author Talks to the monthly appearance of the Rice County Master Gardeners, to the Spanish language conversation programs, they are truly offering something for everyone right now.
Among the most important programs they are offering are the ones that include social time for children. Youth Services Librarian Emily Lloyd said she sees the library as sort of an extension of the Northfield parks system, offering a space where kids can play and be with other kids, and not be grouped into specific age groups, but really offer a cross section of different ages for youth to interact.
“That’s what they have been missing the last couple of years,” she said. “The kids are around a lot of other kids that they haven’t been around for a while.”
The epicenter of that social interaction is the summer reading program, which Lloyd said is more than just reading. She said, obviously, the major focal point is to get students reading for at least twenty minutes a day over the summer, but Lloyd said the broader challenge to the kids is to exercise their brain power.
Lloyd said each participant is tracking their progress over the summer, in ways that include teaching someone about something they know, or by inventing a new game. The interaction of those activities is as important as anything else
Lloyd said the library would like to recruit as many young people as possible, and they are offering incentives to bring them in.
“So, we have about 600 youth signed up, but I would love to break 1000 this year. That’s kind of always the goal in my head. I think 800 is the most we’ve had since I’ve been here. As they kind of march along they get collectable buttons that we made. There’s one of a unicorn riding a shark, and another has an astronaut making some s’mores.”
Registration for the Northfield Public Library Summer Reading Program is still open. Visit mynpl.org for the details.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
