The City of Holdingford became the first municipality within Stearns County to get Board approval allowing golf carts to be driven on county roads located within the city.

In May, the County Board of Commissioners approved a new ordinance allowing the use of golf carts along county roadways within cities if the city made an official request to the Board and had its own ordinance in place allowing golf carts on its city streets.

Golf carts will be allowed on the city portions of County Roads 9, 17 and 62 in the City of Holdingford. All these roads have speeds limits of 30 miles per hour or less. The County’s ordinance does not allow golf carts on minor or major arterial roadways, but only on roads where the speed limit is 30 mph or less.

Operators have the same rights and duties as drivers of any other vehicle. Golf carts can only be operated on designated roadways from sunrise to sunset, unless it has headlights, taillights and turn signals.  They are also not allowed to be operated in bad weather or during poor visibility.

Permits are required on all golf carts driven on county roadways. Operators obtain the yearly $10 permit from the Stearns County License Center. Applicants will be required to have a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance.

In addition to Holdingford, three other cities in Stearns County have ordinances in place allowing golf carts on city streets – St. Joseph, Albany and Melrose.

On Monday June 23, 2014 at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Stearns County Sheriff received multiple 911 calls regarding an individual in the Mississippi River, Le Sauk Township, who was hanging onto a tree after capsizing her kayak.

Sheriff’s Deputies, along with personnel from the St. Cloud Police and Fire Departments, responded to the scene and found 21-year old Anita Henningsgaard of St. Cloud holding onto a downed tree in the river north of the 9th Avenue Bridge.

The 9th Avenue Bridge separates St. Cloud from Sauk Rapids. Henningsgaard was brought safely to the west bank of the river. Henningsgaard reported no injuries from this incident. Gold Cross Ambulance and Sartell Police also assisted at the scene.

Once again, the Sheriff’s Office is cautioning that the rivers and streams are extremely high and unsafe for kayaking a canoeing.

Stearns County will hold a tax-forfeited property auction next Monday, June 23, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. at the Stearns County Service Center in Waite Park.

Over one hundred properties are for sale, most of which are in the cities of Sartell and St. Cloud, with properties as well in Melrose, Richmond, Eden Valley, Belgrade, St. Joseph, and Sauk Centre. In Sartell, there are numerous forfeited lots in the Savanna Oaks addition. In St. Cloud, Rolling Ridge Estates, Westwood Parkway Place, Southern Ridge, and Sun Villa Estates all have lots in the auction. There are also lots in Graceview Estates in St. Joseph and Daylight Court in Melrose.

Three of the properties for sale have residential structures, the others are vacant lots. Some parcels are grouped together, suitable for developers.

Sale signs are up at all the properties. See a map showing the parcels for sale, listing their location, minimum bid price, special assessments, parcel restrictions, environmental statements, photo, payment terms, and other information useful to potential bidders. Get more information about tax-forfeited properties. 

Stearns County has an additional 400 pieces of property for sale that won’t be on the auction, but can be purchased anytime at the County’s Auditor-Treasurer’s Office for the minimum bid. These are parcels that did not sell at previous auctions.

See a list of frequently asked questions, or questions can be directed to the Stearns County Auditor-Treasurer’s Office at 320-656-3904.

The Sheriff's Office has been taking reports of theft from motor vehicles this week.

On Wednesday, June 11, a theft from a vehicle took place in the 41800 block of County Road 1 in Brockway Township.  Taken was money and paperwork for a bank account.

On Friday, June 13, three thefts from vehicles were reported in the area of 5th Avenue NE in the City of St. Stephen.  Taken in these thefts were two iPods, several power tools, cash and two handguns.  The handguns were described as a Ruger Mark 1 .22 caliber pistol and a Ruger model 03313 9mm pistol.  Several other vehicles were also gone through with nothing reported to be missing.  Another theft of money was reported from a vehicle nearby on Marie Court in St. the City of St. Stephen. 

The vehicles were all unlocked at the time of the thefts. The Sheriff's Office would like to remind citizens that vehicles left outside overnight should have valuables removed or hidden and the doors locked.

The only suspect description available is a male wearing blue jeans and a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information on these thefts is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 320-251-4240.

The Minnesota State Patrol will begin a hiring process for approximately 50 troopers on June 30th with the subsequent Minnesota State Patrol Academy beginning on January 26, 2015. Applications to establish an eligibility list for the position of Minnesota State Patrol Trooper Trainee 2 will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. June 30 until 4:00 p.m. July 31, 2014 at www.dps.mn.gov.  This position leads to appointment as a State Patrol Trooper.  The application process is open to those persons who are Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (POST) license eligible or will be eligible by Jan. 16, 2015.
There has been a new bill signed into law changing veteran preference eligibility.  Previously, state law required veterans to have five years of active duty experience in military law enforcement before residents could qualify to take a police reciprocity exam.  Veterans who held a two-year college degree needed a minimum of three years military police experience before they could take the exam.  The new law changes those experience requirements to four and two years respectively.
*It should be noted that there has been an additional POST test scheduled for Jan. 9, 2015.  Completion and successful passing of this test and all required courses will make applicants eligible for this application process.
Any questions should be directed to the Application Coordinator at the Minnesota State Patrol Training and Development Section.  The Application Coordinator can be contacted at 651-757-1902 or Patrol.Applicant@state.mn.us.