By Tyler Trieglaff

Notes from the Chief

Well, again, I caught a little grief for a pretty lame article last week.  So, what is new on the farm this week. We are patiently waiting calving season.  We were expecting 76 babies but one mama expecting decided to up and die this week. After trying to do everything right, nature plays a mean little trick. 

For some unknown reason, if cows lie down facing the wrong way on a hill they can get tipped on their side and are not able to get up, causing them to bloat.  The odd position happens when she lays down with her feet facing up hill and can not get up.  On occasion we have caught this bloating and struggling while it is happening and we can intervene to help. Rolling the bovine over her back so she is facing downhill can help, or we may use the loader to gently push to give them a lift to their feet. A years’ worth of work down the tubes for a perfectly healthy dead cow. A carcass with a fully developed calf inside, just waiting a couple more weeks to join us. The newly deceased was moved to the hill in the farmyard to await the rendering truck to haul her away as well as a couple other dead critters that met their maker this winter. Sickness, old age, injury are many ways cattle can perish and you’ve thought you’ve seen them all. When a calf looks at a railroad post in the ground and the barn next to it with a 1-foot gap and thinks to himself, I think I can get through that. Those hips are wider than that opening of my now dead steer.  Farming isn’t always new babies and fresh smelling hay and pastures. We have to take the bad with the good. At least the dogs will have some fresh beef for a couple days before the rendering truck shows up.  Have a nice week.

Sunday, March 7

2:55 p.m. Found wallet found on E. Main. Wallet turned into PD; owner picked up wallet.

11 p.m. Report of a bicycle taken from Balsam Ave.

Tuesday, March 9

11:13 a.m. Suspicious activity on Balsam Ave reported by former tenant who moved to DL. Female reporting that she moved out, but still had property in the house. She thought the landlord gave her property away. Also, the neighbors may have some of the property.

2:41 p.m. Traffic stop with citation issued to Adam Nelson, 28, Frazee.  Citation issued for Driving After Revocation.

4:11 p.m. Resident on Balsam Ave. reporting that her neighbor broke their window. More neighbor drama.

7:13 p.m. Female on Balsam Ave. reporting not feeling safe at home. Officer talked with male and female and they agreed to be civil and stay in separate bedrooms for the night. 

Wednesday, March 10

11:45 a.m. Male reporting he lost his wallet.  Called at 1:02 p.m. and had found his wallet.

4:58 p.m. Officer delivered paperwork from city office to resident.

8:56 p.m. Assist with a domestic incident in the county.

10:42 p.m. Report of a pickup in the river near E. Main and S. River Drive.  Officer and deputy arrived and found a pickup in the river at the bottom of the steep bank. Damage to county sign, no driver around. Friends of owner of the pickup arrived shortly, but did not know where or who the driver was. Vehicle was towed and charges are pending for leaving the scene of an accident.

11:30 p.m. Male called into dispatch wanting to report the vehicle in the river as stolen.  Male claimed he last saw the pickup at 10 p.m. and went to sleep and now it was gone. Well low and behold, our fancy dancy city wide cameras have the owner of the vehicle in the immediate area after the crash, so no such stolen report will be filed.  Review of the cameras show the male and an acquaintance going back to the vehicle, and the suspected driver running and taking a nice digger face first in the new snow.

2:50 a.m. Two parking citations issued for parking on Main Ave W. during 2-6 am.  Citations were issued due to the fresh snow fall and being in the way for snow removal.