Star Eagle office
Family and God
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By TRISTAN GEHRING
Staff Writer
Darlene Abraham has been a resident of the New Richland Area nearly her entire life. Born in 1936 in Waseca, she spent her early childhood in the Lemond area. Her family moved to New Richland when she was in the middle of the seventh grade. “She has a caring soul, is well liked by all, and is proud of her community,” says her son Dennis.
“I had love from the very minute I was born,” Darlene says. While her mother, Dora, was pregnant with her, Dora lost her husband, father, and twenty-five-year-old brother to illness in the span of three months. Darlene describes the mid-1930s as “the Pneumonia era.” Her family stems from her mother, Dora (Palm) Lund and Albert Palm, the biological father she never knew. Throughout her childhood, she, an older brother named Roger, and younger sisters Judy and Natalie referred to Dora’s second husband, Art Lund, as “Dad.”
Darlene married Clarence Abraham in a small, intimate setting shortly after her high school graduation, and the two had two children – Dennis and Dawn Abraham. They were married nearly forty years before he died.
Today, Darlene has three grandchildren and one recently born great-grandchild. She also has nieces and nephews, and their families. Darlene's love for her family – both close and distant – echo in the photos that adorn her home and the passion in her voice when she speaks of the beauty of family.
Growing up in the 1940s was different from today, Darlene emphasized. The first house she remembers living in had no electricity or running water. Darlene and her siblings and friends always had something to do – whether work around the house, making and playing with homemade toys, or taking in free shows and entertainment. Her family didn't have much money, but Darlene says as kids they hardly knew that. Life was slower, and had less stress, she says. “That's not to say,” she emphasized, “that it was easy; our parents worked from morn until night, and us kids had jobs around the house too.” She describes her mother as a “superwoman,” who was not only a fastidious homemaker, but also worked outside the home while raising her children to be the best people they could be. She recalls doctors making prompt housecalls when she was young, and when her own children were young as well. “Now you can't even get in when you want to,” she comments.
As a child, Darlene attended two different country schools; both were one-room, mixed-age settings usually taught by a single teacher. For the first years of her education, Darlene attended the country school in Lemond. When she was approaching seventh grade, a rezoning meant she had to change to an area school just over the Steele County line. Then, during her seventh-grade year, her family moved to Bath. She attended New Richland High School, which she says was a dramatic change for her.
County ablaze
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Nearly 2,000 acres of grassland in Waseca and Steele counties were burned Sunday, March 3, while firefighting agencies from around the state, including planes and helicopters dropping fire retardant material, fought against the high winds and dry conditions which had prompted the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to issue a “red flag” warning–meaning that the public should light no fires because of the high potential they would spread.
Firefighting efforts began before noon in an area northeast of Waseca near the county road known as the Snake Trail and continued until about 10 p.m., according to a release by the Waseca County Sheriff’s office. By the time it was under control, the fire had spread from northeast of Waseca to Deerfield township in Steele County.
Two firefighters were treated and released; one homeowner was also injured. Numerous residents were asked to evacuate their homes. The sheriff’s office reports that no structures were damaged or destroyed.
According to information shared by Waseca Fire Department chief Jason Forshee during a press conference on Monday, roughly 60 workers from the DNR, Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Waseca County Sheriff’s office and Waseca fire department followed up Monday morning to “assess the area” and “cool down any lingering hotspots.” At the same press conference, DNR representative Jake Froyum stated that the cooler, damp day on Monday was helpful in decreasing the likelihood any smoldering spots would reignite, but that staff would be making day-by-day decisions regarding continuing efforts at “mopping up.”
Law enforcement personnel from Waseca and Steele counties and firefighters from 11 local agencies, as well as planes from Brainerd and units from the state Fish and Wildlife Service all took part in efforts to control Sunday’s fire, which encroached “within feet” of about 12 area homes. A small number of area farmers also brought large-scale tilling equipment which helped protect homes and property by exposing bare earth over swaths of land 50 or more feet wide. According to Forshee, at the height of firefighting efforts more than 20 fire trucks were on site and up to 50 water-carrying vehicles referred to as “tankers.”
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office, the Waseca County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Department of Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and the Waseca Fire Department.
From the Finseth family
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The family of Adam Finseth, a paramedic who lost his life while trying to provide aid to wounded officers, has roots in the Hartland/New Richland Area.
Below is a letter from the family:
“Thank you to all in our community who have reached out to our family during this tragic event of losing our Adam. We are so grateful for your concern and prayers for us.
Because we are receiving so many inquiries about how and where to send condolences &/or memorials to Adam's family, this is to inform you of how we'd like to handle it locally and help Adam's family with the overwhelming amount of attention they are dealing with at this time.
You can send cards to Barb's address of PO Box 305, New Richland, Mn 56072 with the addressee as "The Family of Adam Finseth." Memorial checks can be made out to "Tara Finseth" (Adam's wife). They have not had time to decide on designated memorials yet.
All correspondence will be given to the family at a later date when they are able to give their attention to your heartfelt shared sorrow.
In Love, Faith, and Gratitude,
Barb, Jim & Brad Finseth”
Statement from Tara Finseth
Tara Finseth, Adam Finseth’s widow, wrote in her first public statement released on Sunday,
“To say that our family is devastated ot the loss of our Adam is an understatement. We are broken. Our children will grow up without their "papa." My soul mate is no longer here to wrap me in his arms and live out the life we had so intimately planned. His parents are without their son and his sister is without her big brother and best friend. So many friends and family are left with a void in their hearts. Adam was one of the most selfless and humble individuals you would ever meet. His dedication to his family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, community, and country was unwavering, His worm smile, contagious laugh and genuine personality will be deeply missed by so many, Although our forever hero Is no longer with us, his soul will live on through me, his children, family, friends, and community. We know he Is by our side everyday until we meet again In heaven, On behalf of our family, thank you for the overwhelming and heartwarming support during this very difficult time.”
Three Killed in Burnsville shooting
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BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Two police officers and a paramedic were shot and killed in a Twin Cities suburb Sunday morning, authorities said, and the man who shot them is also dead.
Superintendent Drew Evans with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Burnsville police officers were called to a home at about 1:50 a.m. on 33rd Avenue South and East 126th Street, just west of the Interstate 35E - Highway 77 interchange.
The suspect, whom the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified Monday as 38-year-old Shannon Gooden, was inside and reported to be armed. Several others were also barricaded inside, including seven young children ranging in age from 2 to 15.
Evans said law enforcement "spent quite a bit of time negotiating with this individual," and paramedics came in for backup at about 5 a.m. Minutes later, dispatch ordered everyone to stay back after Gooden opened fire.
Burnsville city officials identified the victims as officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth. Sgt. Adam Medlicott, 38, was also shot but is expected to survive.
Gooden was reported dead at about 8 a.m., and the family members in the home made it out safely a short time later. A medical examiner said Gooden died by suicide.
Evans said details surrounding the timing and exchange of gunfire are not clear at this point in the investigation.
"Several officers did return fire," Evans said. "I will note this individual had several guns and large amounts of ammunition."