Section B • Friday, December 31, 2010 • Albert Lea Tribune
Disasters and scandals topped a year of news Top 10 News By Tim Engstrom
tim.engstrom@albertleatribune.com
In an ordinary year, a homicide sentencing, the hiring of a city manager and the evacuation of a neighborhood most likely would be stories that make the top 10. In an ordinary year, a 200-megawatt wind farm would be the top story. In an ordinary year, there is a bad auto wreck on the list. But 2010 was no ordinary year. In fact, most years, we look back and remark on how newsy the year had been. This year blows the others out of the water. The Albert Lea area seemed to have natural disasters and embroiled leaders in abundance in 2010. And it was an election year. There is another point of interest: The top two stories broke within days of each other. Here are the Top 10 stories from 2010.
1.
Storm chaser Michael Tillotson captured a June 17 tornado on camera and shared this image with the Albert Lea Tribune a week later. This tornado touched down as an EF4 one mile west northwest of Mansfield and headed in a northeasterly direction.
Deadly tornadoes devastate countryside
Dates come and go, but June 17, 2010, is a date that will stay in the minds of many Albert Lea Tribune readers for a generation. On that day, three thunderstorm cells produced tornadoes that devastated farms and homes in Faribault, Freeborn and Steele counties, including an EF4 tornado that killed a woman near Armstrong. That same day, tornadoes touched down in northern Minnesota, hitting Wadena. In all, Minnesota had 25 tornadoes on one day, two of them reaching EF4 status. In August, after piecing together what happened, the National Weather Service announced: “June 17, 2010, will go down as the day with the greatest single-day tornado total in Minnesota history.” The deadly one landed as an EF4 one mile northwest of Mansfield and headed in a northeasterly direction. It struck the rural home of Ron and Kathy Woodside, killing her and severely injuring him. Both were Tribune employees. The photographs of the no-man’s land were striking. Homes, trees, cars, barns all smashed. Structures were completely off their foundation. Farm animals wandered free. People climbed out of
Scott Schmeltzer/ Albert Lea Tribune
A farmer hauls a tree with his John Deere tractor. Neighbors helped neighbors clean up storm debris this summer.
KIMT
Tim Engstrom/Albert Lea Tribune
A stretcher rests atop the devastation at the Kerry and Ada Graves farmhouse west of Albert Lea on June 17. their basements to find a devastated countryside. Tiny Armstrong was the only named place to get a direct hit. Other tornadoes came near Kiester, Conger, Albert Lea, Clarks Grove, Geneva, Hollandale, Lerdal, Alden, Freeborn, Ellendale, Beaver Lake and Hope. The outpouring of support for tornado victims was remarkable. People came from across the region to remove debris from fields, clean up destroyed acreages, feed and shelter others and give comfort. And the countryside was filled with motorists who sought to tour the damage. Everyone in the Albert Lea Tribune coverage area has a story of where they were that evening. And nearly everyone has a story of how they helped in the days that followed. Minnesota ended up leading the nation in tornadoes for 2010, with 145. It typically sees 27 a year. Texas was second with 105. Iowa was 11th with 52.
2.
Commissioner Linda Tuttle charged with theft Who could have imagined?
The KIMT radar at 7:10 p.m. June 17 showed multiple thunderstorm cells moving across the Albert Lea area. In 2008, voters in Free- of the Freeborn County born County Commisjail — to hear that she sioner District 5 showed faced one felony count of their confidence in Albert theft for about $48,000. Lea businesswoman LinReal estate agents, local da Tuttle by electing her lawyers, law enforcement to the Freeborn County officers and her husband Board of Commissioners. sat in the gallery to watch She was a former county the court proceeding. The recorder and owned Alpolice investigation albert Lea Abstract Co. leges that between JanuThen on June 22 — ary and June of this year coincidentally only days she took from six bank after the region suffered accounts to deal with tornado devastation — her gambling debt at the investigators with the Diamond Jo Casino seven Minnesota Division of In- miles west of Northwood, surance Fraud Prevention Iowa. The means by and the Albert Lea Police which she reportedly took Department parked a Uthe funds is called check Haul truck outside of her kiting. business and, with search Her casino card rewarrants in hand, loaded vealed that from Februher files and computers ary 2008 to June 2010, into the truck. Signs said she played $2.4 million “closed” and clients with on slot machines, getting appointments were dea little more than $2 milnied entry and answers. lion in payouts, leaving On June 24, she stood her $309,000 in the hole. before Freeborn County By July 1, the members District Court Judge of the Humane Society of Steven Schwab in a green Freeborn County learned jumpsuit — the color bad news. The $150,000 given to female inmates that an anonymous donor
Tim Engstrom/Albert Lea Tribune
Albert Lea Abstract shut its doors to the public sometime between 11 a.m. and noon June 22. Albert Lea and state investigators hauled files and computers to a truck for evidence. People who showed up for realty meetings were greeted by a closed sign.
gave the organization for construction of an addition to the animal shelter would most likely be gone for good. It had been in an escrow account with Albert Lea Abstract Co. The Humane Society spent the remainder of the year doing fundraisers to make up for the loss. On July 19, Tuttle again stood in court to hear 13 new charges, including racketeering and felony theft by swindle through her title company. The alleged theft grew to more than $1 million. Freeborn County commissioners received a letter July 21 from Tuttle saying her resignation would be effective Aug. 1. Tuttle’s lawyer, Kevin O’Connor Green, of Mankato, confirmed in November that he and the Steele County Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, were working on a settlement.
3.
September floods inundate region Wet weather greeted students on the first day of school. Little did the parents, students or teachers who participate in this annual ceremony know that it wasn’t going to stop. In fact, 6 inches of rain fell in two days, Sept. 22 and 23. Albert Lea in September received 9.7 inches, when it averages 3.5 in that month. Gov. Tim Pawlenty declared a state of emergency for the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Rice, Steele, Waseca, Watonwon and the southern parts of Scott and Dakota. Pawlently activated the National Guard, and he toured Truman, Pine Island and Owatonna. Schools in Wells, Alden and New Richland let out early. Interstate 35 and several highways and byways closed in the region. Many country roads were flooded. In Freeborn
4Continued