10 years ago
Excerpts from the Feb. 21, 2008 Pioneer Journal
• Mother and daughter escape fire south of Wadena Feb. 13
A woman was taken to the hospital for burns to her hands and feet, but her daughter was unharmed after both escaped a mobile home fire Wednesday afternoon.
Sheriff Mike Carr said Thursday that the Wadena County Sheriff's Office responded at 4:33 p.m. Feb. 13 to a mobile home structure fire at Pine View Acres south of Wadena. Upon arrival at the scene, a 21-year-old female and her six-year-old daughter were able to escape from the trailer house and take refuge at a neighbor's residence.
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The adult female sustained burns to her hands and feet extremities and was transported to Tri-County Hospital. The six-year-old daughter was uninjured.
Wadena Fire Department was able to quickly contain the fire.
The fire is believed to have started in a bedroom area and is currently under investigation by the Wadena County Sheriff's Office and Wadena Fire Department.
Assisting at the scene was the Wadena Police Department, Verndale Police Department and Tri-County Ambulance.
40 years ago
Excerpts from the Feb. 22, 1978 Pioneer Journal
• Frazee woman convicted of taking vehicle
Deborah Mae Halverson, 18, Frazee, was convicted of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in connection with an incident last November in which she drove away in a patrol car of a Frazee police officer who had come to her house to question her.
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A Becker County jury deliberated for 20 minutes before finding Halverson guilty of the felony charge. The trial started last Monday. The maximum penalty is three years and $3,000 fine.
Halverson, who did not testify in her own defense, remains free on bond. Judge Gaylord Saetre has requested a pre-sentence report before deciding on her punishment.
After taking the car, Halverson led officers of various law enforcement agencies on a 70-mile chase including the counties of Becker, Otter Tail and Wadena, resulting in damages to the patrol car and a Highway Patrol car.
• 350 lb. pig destroyed after attack by dogs
A large black and white pig owned by Dan Lorentz, Wadena, was severely chewed by dogs or wolves late Monday afternoon and had to be destroyed, according to Tom Dempsey, Wadena County Sheriff Deputy.
The animal, a sow which weighed about 350 lbs., had been mysteriously attacked at about 6:30 p.m. on the Lorentz farm. When discovered by its owner, authorities were notified of the incident.
The Sheriff's Department was uncertain as to whether the pig had been attacked by brush (coyote) wolves or by stray dogs.
