Trending
Murray County Historical Society annual meeting is Nov. 4
The public is invited to the Murray County Historical Society annual meeting at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, at the Pizza Ranch in Slayton. Besides a short business meeting, there will be a movie on the 2018 accomplishments at the Museum and the End-O-Line Park. A special presentation will be given by New Ulm historian Terry Sveine titled "Francis Baasen: Minnesota's First Secretary of State." Sveine is a New Ulm native with ancestors from Luxembourg and Norway arriving in New Ulm in 1857. He has a bachelor's degree in history and geography from Mankato State University with some master's studies. After 31 years in the travel business as a travel agent, tour operator, and the New Ulm Chamber's tourism manager, he retired in 2014. As the tourism manager, Sveine won a 2013 Minnesota Tourism Award for his idea to promote New Ulm with the slogan "Germans Have More Fun!" He has done much local historical study and writing and is working with an editor for a biography on Francis Baasen, a major civic presence in New Ulm and Minnesota's first Secretary of State. He is married and the father of two adult sons. He is currently working on a biography of old-time music master Harold Loeffelmacher and his band, the Six Fat Dutchmen."
There will be free coffee and dessert pizza for attendees and the 2019 memberships will be available for purchase at the door. For more information contact Janet Timmerman at 507-836-6533 or email museum@co.murray.mn.us.
University of Minnesota Law School opens wellness room
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The family of a University of Minnesota graduate who struggled with addiction has helped fund a wellness room in the Law School where students can de-stress without the distractions of technology or homework.
Brennan Gaeth graduated from the university's law program in 2017, Minnesota Daily reported . He'd struggled with addition and died last year after a relapse.
Gaeth's family decided to fund the wellness room in his honor. More than 50 people attended the room's official opening last month.
The space includes couches, yoga mats, coloring materials, water painting, blankets and a therapy lamp.
The idea for the wellness space came up last year, after the Professional Student Government's Law Council created a mental health committee. Officials said the goal of the room is to give students an area where they can unwind and focus on themselves, instead of coursework.
Erin Keyes, the assistant dean of students for the Law School, said the extensive and challenging program is stressful and the university wants to help students take care of themselves.
"What we know from recent studies of law students and lawyers is if we don't attend to mental health issues … things could go very south," Keyes said.
Keyes said it is important students stay healthy.
"Our future clients need our students to be healthy and to be able to take care of themselves," she said.
The Humphrey School of Public Affairs has also had a wellness space for about five years. The room is open to anyone on campus, said Gayle Peters, the Humphrey School's director of human resources.
"The idea initially was there was not a space in the school where individuals could find their individualized peace and quiet," Peters said.
2 pickup drivers killed in crash in west-central Minnesota
RENVILLE (AP) -- Two pickup drivers have died in a head-on crash in west-central Minnesota.
The State Patrol said 50-year-old Joel Trebesch of Kandiyohi was driving a Chevrolet Silverado that crossed the center line on Highway 71 and collided with a Toyota Tundra driven by 50-year-old Mark Tanhoff of Renville on Friday morning.
Authorities said both Trebesch and Tanhoff were killed.
A 47-year-old woman who was a passenger in the Tundra suffered life-threatening injuries. She was taken to a Minneapolis area hospital. Another passenger in the Tunda was taken to Renville County Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The patrol said roads were dry at the time of the crash. Alcohol was not involved.