Tom Cherveny
Primary tabs
Tom Cherveny is a regional and outdoor reporter with the West Central Tribune in Willmar, MN.
Contact Email
History
- Member for
- 5 years 4 months
Author Content
WILLMAR -- Toxins have a bad way of showing up in places we don't expect, like toys for children. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was able to convince Congress to place restrictions on lead in children's toys after 4-year-old Jarnell Brown of Minnesota swallowed a heart-shaped pendant and died Feb. 22, 2006, of lead poisoning. Heartland Community Action Agency is hoping to persuade parents to take a look at what items may hold toxins in their homes, and make the healthy choice of removing them from their children's lives.
GRANITE FALLS - Yellow Medicine County will remodel a former bank building into offices for county services at a cost nearly identical to estimates provided a few months ago. The Yellow Medicine County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 on Tuesday to award bids totaling $564,204.14 to remodel the former bank building in downtown Granite Falls. That's within $2,000 of the construction estimate provided by Contegrity Group Inc. when the project was offered for bids in March.
GRANITE FALLS -- The new Yellow Medicine County administrator will not have to take a pay cut for accepting the job. The Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to raise the starting salary offered to new County Administrator Peggy Heglund to $92,203.79, which represents the 10th step on the county's 12-step salary schedule for the position.
MONTEVIDEO -- More than a decade of work by the city of Montevideo to reduce the risk of harm from flooding has brought national attention to the city. The Association of State Floodplain Managers has awarded the city of Montevideo the National 2013 James Lee Witt Local Award for Excellence in Floodplain Management, the city learned this week. Greg Schwaegerl, public works director for the city, is expected to accept the award June 13 in Hartford, Conn.
SPICER -- Just in time for the Minnesota fishing opener on Saturday, the ice has gone out on Green Lake. The ice officially left the lake on Thursday, May 9, setting a new record by two days. The previous late ice-out record was May 7, 1951, when anglers were also concerned about access to the lake for the opening weekend.
WILLMAR -- With most of the lakes in northern Minnesota still ice-covered, bait dealers in the west central area are preparing for what they hope will be a very busy fishing opener weekend here. "I'm hoping so,'' said Greg Skindelien, of Skindelien Bait in New London. He is among those in the area who have received calls from anglers inquiring whether the lakes in the area are open.
MURDOCK -- U.S. Highway 12 west of Murdock reopened for traffic at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, two to three days before officials thought it could be done. The highway was opened shortly after workers removed the ruptured anhydrous ammonia tank and semi-truck that had been struck around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in an accident with a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway train.
MURDOCK — U.S. Highway 12 west of Murdock re-opened for traffic at 12:30 p.m. today, two to three days before officials thought it could be done. The highway was opened shortly after workers removed the ruptured anhydrous ammonia tank that had struck in an accident around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday near the Koch Nitrogen Fertilizer terminal.
MURDOCK -- Traffic will continue to be detoured around a portion of U.S. Highway 12 between Murdock and DeGraff for a few more days, possibly until Sunday, while anhydrous ammonia from a damaged tanker is safely removed. The situation is under control, but authorities are being careful to prevent any risk to the public or workers at the site of the semi-truck and train collision that happened Tuesday morning, reported the Swift County Sheriff's Office.
SPICER -- A new record for a late ice-out on Green Lake is sure to be set. The record to be beat is a May 7 ice-out recorded in 1951. There was too much ice on the lake Wednesday to qualify for the ranking of ice free, according to those who keep an eye on the matter. There was still a significant amount of ice on the northeast side of the lake, noted Brad Carlson, with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fisheries staff in Spicer.