By Tyler Trieglaff

Notes from the Chief

Notes from the Farm…As of press time the magic number is 9 calves on the ground. I was thinking we would be much farther along than this, but they are holding tight. I’m thinking that by next week we will be in the upper 20’s as the bags are really starting to form. 

We did have a set of twins born Monday morning. I went out to check on the babies and one was up trying to nurse, but the other one was still on the ground and mama wasn’t paying him any attention. It seemed that she had had him some time after the other and was not going to accept him as that sometimes happens with twins. I went to the barn and made up a nice warm bottle of colostrum for the little guy. By the time I got back to the pasture, mama and the other calf were a hundred yards away. I decided to take him to the barn and warm him up and get him some vittles.  

The old milk room in the dairy barn is now a warm work/storage area as that is where the water comes into the barn. We have a calf warmer that is about twice the size of a large doghouse, and it is made specifically to help calves get warmed up when born in the cold weather or their body temperature drops. I also turned up the heat in the milk room to help warm him up. Now it was time to get some warm milk into his gullet to warm him from the inside. Try as I may, he just would suckle on the bottle. After trying for several minutes I closed up the calf warmer and was going to let him warm up slowly.

An hour later, I went to check on him and it seemed that he was still cool and I noticed the heater wasn’t running. I again tried to give him some milk and he had a couple sips but still would not drink. I turned the heat up on the calf warmer and put the cover on him again. The third time I went back it was warmer but he still would not drink. I even tried a smaller nipple on the bottle and nothing. I then tried using a 34cc syringe to get some milk down his throat which seemed to be working. Slowly but surely I think I got about a pint of warm milk into his system as it seemed he was swallowing the milk as I was gently squirting it into his mouth. I had my finger toward the back of his throat trying to initiate a suckle response and get him to swallow.  Again, he went back into the calf warmer.

Around noon I went to check on him again and it seemed warmer in the milk and the calf warmer seemed to be working as it should. I took the cover off and there he was, DEAD.

All that time and effort and a $30 bag of colostrum for nothing. It seems that he just wasn’t meant to be.  

Friday, April 12

1:43 a.m. Domestic assault reported. Josiah Rough Surface, 18, Frazee arrested on domestic assault charges.

2:23 p.m. Report of possible fraud that someone was opening an Arvig account at an old address. Complainant lost some money in an online transaction. It seems that the perpetrator used old personal account information to make the theft.

8:19 p.m. Report of a dog barking in an apartment building. Tenants not home at the time officer stopped by.

10:04 p.m. Traffic stop with warning for non-operational tail light.  

11:08 p.m. 911 hang-up with an open line and yelling in the background. Officer did not find anything suspicious in the area. Seems that someone pocket dialed their apple watch at a sausage party according to the map.

Saturday, April 13

2:54 p.m. Traffic stop with warning for not using a turn signal.

4:24 p.m. Traffic stop with warning for speeding.

4:34 p.m. Traffic stop with warning for speeding.

9:34 p.m. 911 call calling in a traffic complaint on Main Ave E with a motorcycle driving around with kids on it and no helmets. Caller was worried about the kids. An adult female was riding in a field with kids on a moped.  

Sunday, April 14

12:08 a.m. Officer found 4 juveniles out past curfew. Officer gave kids rides home and warning for curfew violation.

10:54 a.m. Civil complaint about a key for a house after one of the occupants was arrested earlier in the week.

3:06 p.m. Report of a missing 2 yr. old child. Child was found within 10 minutes of the initial call.

Monday, April 15

6:58 a.m. Stray dog reported with an apparent injured leg. Deputy contacted the owner and they were reunited after the dog had been missing for more than a day.

9:04 a.m. Traffic stop with warning for speeding.

Tuesday, April 16

2:58 a.m. Noise complaint with a barking dog in an apartment. Officer talked with landlord a day later and the landlord had already talked with the dog owner.

9:36 a.m. Assist with a medical.

Wednesday, April 17

4:39 a.m. Report of a possible disturbance at an apartment building. Deputy could hear a baby crying in the building but unsure which apartment it was coming from. No signs of distress.

6:13 a.m. Report of a missing tri color pitbull that went missing overnight.

12:37 p.m. Fire alarm at the high school. False alarm.

4:39 p.m. Complaint that a party in Frazee had agreed to sell a puppy and the sale fell through after the female was given a deposit. Civil matter for the involved parties.

Thursday, April 18

1:35 p.m. Parking complaint on Fir Ave. with a vehicle blocking a rear driveway as there were 100 or more vehicles in the area for an elementary school program. Also a complaint that there were some vehicles parked on the corners and not on the streets or avenues making it hard to see. Caller called the school also to complain. Officer noted that there was an alternative driveway to park on that was not blocked and the opposite intersection was clear of vehicles so there was no obstruction of vision.

4:16 p.m. Vehicle unlock on Main Ave W.

8:56 p.m. Party claiming neighbor across the street is parking in front of their house and harassing them. Road is a public parking area, nothing illegal at this time.