Star Tribune
Winter storm to bring rain, snow and ice to much of Minnesota
Shovels, snow blowers and ice melt — Minnesotans will need them all over the next couple of days as the first significant storm of 2023 moves into the state and drops rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow.
A winter storm warning went into effect Monday afternoon across western Minnesota and was expected to cover an area stretching from the southwestern part of the state to St. Cloud, the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin. The warning — in effect until Tuesday night — comes with the potential of 4 to 8 inches of snow in the metro area, while 6 to 10 inches could pile up across a swath of central and western Minnesota from Hutchinson to Redwood Falls to Marshall, the National Weather Service said.
The storm is not expected to be as windy or as cold as the blizzard two weeks ago, and those conditions should lead to heavier, wetter snow, according to Minnesota Department of Transportation spokeswoman Anne Meyer.
Plow crews were set to begin working around the clock in the Twin Cities starting at midnight Monday, she said.
“We’ll continue on the road working 12-hour shifts 24 hours per day until we’re back and we’re clear, and this will probably last until Thursday or Friday,” Meyer said.
Isolated pockets of a foot or more of snow are possible, with snow falling at 1 to 2 inches per hour at times Tuesday, the Weather Service said.
With temperatures on either side of freezing, rain, freezing rain and sleet is forecast to mix in with the snow and create slippery conditions.
An ice storm warning covering southern Minnesota went into effect at 6 p.m. Monday. Ice accumulation near a quarter-inch was expected in places such as Mankato, Albert Lea and Fairmont.
Many highways in southern Minnesota had icy conditions Monday night, with some having a half-mile of visibility or less, according to the state’s highway conditions website MN 511. Those variable conditions will move into the Twin Cities on Tuesday.
Meyer suggested drivers check online to see what the road conditions are ahead of time, considering they will vary a lot throughout the next couple of days.
The worst conditions statewide will be Tuesday morning and early afternoon, with winds whipping between 20 and 35 mph and creating low visibility, the Weather Service said.
“Please adjust your travel plans for Tuesday if possible,” the Weather Service warned. “Travel could be very difficult.”
The weather could affect travel into Wednesday morning, when the storm will start to wind down.
Behind the storm, calmer conditions are expected from Thursday through the weekend with sunny skies Thursday, Friday and Sunday. There is a slight chance of snow on Saturday. Highs during the period will be in the teens and 20s, the Weather Service said.
The medical center is owned by a local nonprofit, but operated by Duluth-based Essentia under an affiliation agreement that dates back to 2009.
With the ruling announced Wednesday, Essentia Health says it will continue to operate the hospital, clinic, assisted-living and long-term care facilities in Fosston, plus clinics in Bagley and Oklee.
“Now that the arbitration process is over, Essentia is focused on the opportunity to engage our patients, colleagues and the community in building a shared vision for the future of health care in Fosston,” said Dr. Stefanie Gefroh, interim president of Essentia Health’s West Market, in a statement.
Arbitrators were asked to rule on whether Essentia eliminated a “core” service by discontinuing deliveries, since the city of Fosston would then have the right to terminate the affiliation agreement. But the panel in a 2-1 vote concluded that labor and delivery is just one aspect of obstetrics (OB).
“OB is a ‘core’ service under the agreement, encompassing labor and delivery as part of comprehensive care for pregnant women,” the ruling states. “Simply put, while the delivery of the baby is an essential component, it is not the sole care provided to a pregnant woman.”
Fosston officials, including the town’s mayor, were involved in the arbitration because the city has a legal connection to the nonprofit owner of the medical center, which historically was a municipal hospital.
Star Tribune
Judge gives driver year in jail for being drunk, fatally hitting man in Minnesota street
A driver was given a year in jail Wednesday for being drunk when he fatally hit a man in the street near St. Cloud.
Tyler J. Nies, 26, of Sartell, Minn., was sentenced in Benton County District Court after pleading guilty to criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the crash shortly before 11 p.m. on July 28 in Sauk Rapids near the intersection of N. Benton Drive and N. 8th Street that killed Kevin D. Oehmen, 47, of Sauk Rapids.
Judge Robert Raupp opted for the year in jail while setting aside a 5¾-year term. Raupp also ordered Nies to serve 10 years’ probation, perform 80 hours of community work service, complete a chemical assessment attend a victim impact panel, abstain from mood-altering chemicals and stay away from bars.
According to the criminal complaint:
An officer at the scene noticed that Nies smelled of alcohol. Nies initially said he had one beer before driving his pickup. A preliminary breath test by the officer measured Nies’ blood alcohol content at 0.129%, more than 1 1⁄2 times the legal limit in Minnesota.
Upon further questioning, Nies said that before driving he drank three beers, which were about 16 ounces each.
Nies told police he was heading north on Benton Drive in the right-hand lane and suddenly saw a man walking in the grassy area next to the curb “like he was going to cross the road,” the complaint read. Police Chief Perry Beise added that Oehmen was on a street with no marked crosswalk.
Here’s a roundup of 55 claims that caught the interest of the Washington Post, in the order in which they were made
Read the original article
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings