January Top storiesโฆ New Years Day intruder The Chad and Jackie Budden family discovered an intruder, Marshall Lee Bejarano, 38, in their basement on New Yearโs morning after he had been hiding in their home overnight. Police responded within a minute, evacuated the family, and after a four-hour standoff using tactical teams, robots, and drones, found Bejarano hiding in a [โฆ]
Local News
PAS ended fiscal year 2025 with a deficit
Pipestone Area Schools (PAS) ended fiscal year 2025 on June 30 with a general fund deficit of $232,549. That was among the information included in the school districtโs annual audit report that was presented by Matt Taubert, of Meulebroeck, Taubert & Co., during the School Boardโs Dec. 15 meeting. Taubert said the financial statements received a clean and unqualified opinion, [โฆ]
Pipestone City Council in brief:
Property owner expresses concern about utility bill The Pipestone City Council during its Dec. 15 meeting heard a concern from Donna Morris about the utility bill for a rental property she owns. Morris said she was notified that there were issues with the bill in June and asked the city to shut off the water. She contended that the renter [โฆ]
EDA receives grant for childcare facility
The Pipestone Economic Development Authority (EDA) has received a $25,000 grant from the Taylor Family Farms Foundation to help pay for work to convert the former Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church at 711 Fifth Ave. SW into a childcare center. The EDA accepted the donation during its Dec. 15 meeting. In a letter from the Taylor Family Farms Foundation to [โฆ]
School Board approves 3.04 percent levy increase
The Pipestone Area School (PAS) Board during its Dec. 15 meeting approved a 2026 property tax levy of $4,428,218, which is an increase of $130,535, or 3.04 percent. The total levy includes a $2,289,247 debt service levy, a $2,024,027 general fund levy and a $114,944 community service levy. The levy is the maximum allowed by the state based on a [โฆ]
MTCO given extension for redevelopment project
The Pipestone City Council during its Dec. 15 meeting gave MTCO Real Estate, LLP another year to utilize tax increment financing (TIF) district funds to redevelop the property at 214 East Main Street. MTCO bought the property from the Pipestone Economic Development Authority (EDA) for $1 at the end of 2023 and planned to redevelop it. The EDA, at that [โฆ]
Middle school mentoring program planned
A new mentoring program for middle school students at Pipestone Area Schools (PAS) is expected to begin early in the new year. Middle and High School Principal Sonja Ortman said during the Dec. 15 School Board meeting that the program will involve pairing trusted adult mentors with at risk students. She defined at risk as โstudents who definitely could benefit [โฆ]
Council chooses not to increase utility rates
The Pipestone City Council during its Dec. 15 meeting voted to leave some utility fees unchanged for 2026. Increases to the utility fees were included in a proposed ordinance establishing fees and charges for city services. The ordinance was introduced during the Dec. 1 City Council meeting and when it was brought up for consideration on Dec. 15, Mayor Dan [โฆ]
Variances granted for greenhouse and grain bin
The Pipestone County Board of Appeals during their Dec. 9 meeting approved two variances, allowing a greenhouse and grain bin that did not meet setback requirements. Gary Boverhof requested the variance for a greenhouse, which will be located in the southeast quarter of Section 19 of Osborne Township. According to the application, the greenhouse will be 100 feet from the [โฆ]
New booklet looks into historical murders and mayhem
Murder, arson, larceny, bigamy and prostitution are just some of the topics found in the Pipestone County Historical Societyโs recently released booklet titled โMurder & Mayhem in Pipestone County.โ The booklet is part of the Historical Societyโs Small Town Series and was researched and written by Museum Educator Trava Olivier. As the name suggests the series started with booklets about [โฆ]
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