PINE CITY
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2017 VOL. 132 NO. 6 www.pinecitymn.com $1.00
‘NUNSENSE’: Mega-Musical prepares to hit the Pine City stage this weekend. P2
Single car crash kills Rush City man PRESS RELEASE NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
On Feb. 4, 2017, at 3:52 a.m., Pine County 911 received a report of a vehicle crash on 550th Street east of Forest Blvd. The caller reported a car off the road and rolled. A power pole had been hit and lines were reported to be down on or near the car. Pine County deputies along with Essentia Ambulance and Rush City Fire Department responded to the scene.
East Central Energy was called as well, to cut power to the downed line. The driver and lone occupant of the vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deceased was transported to the MidWest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, which is pending. The Pine County Sheriff’s Office is being assisted by the Minnesota State Patrol regarding the crash investigation. The occupant of the vehicle was identified as Ryan LaBine, age 34, of Rush City.
Barnard sued by victim STAFF REPORT EDITOR@PINECITYMN.COM
PHOTO PROVIDED
Ambassadors meet Vulcans in St. Paul Pine City Ambassadors Alicia Freeman and Jackie Crawford recently spent the weekend at the St. Paul Winter Carnival and made some new, fiery friends.
Self-proclaimed pastor and convicted child molester Victor Barnard is being sued by one of his victims. In her lawsuit, Lindsay Tornambe seeks damages against Barnard, the River Road Fellowship and its leaders for failing to protect her when she resided at the River Road Fellowship compound in Finlayson. According to a press release issued by the Noak-
er Law Firm, Tornambe also seeks damages because the cult failed to properly supervise Barnard, among other claims. She is speaking out in Spokane, because she believes cult leaders have moved to Eastern Washington and she fears for the safety of children in the region. In October 2016, Victor Barnard was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing Tornambe and another young girl in “The Maidens” – a group of young
Victor Barnard
women in the cult who Barnard lived with in “The Lodge” on the cult compound in Finlayson, SEE BARNARD SUED, PAGE 13
Rural America not in decline, says researcher BY AILENE CROUP NEWS@PINECITYMN.COM
The population of rural America is not declining, according to Benjamin Winchester. “Rewriting the Rural Narrative” is the title of his research about the direction of rural America, which he presented at the Local Government meeting held at Pine County Courthouse in January. He said the biased reporting on the decline of rural America is based on anecdata – “information which is presented as if it is based on serious research but
is in fact based on what someone thinks is true.” Research shows the fluctuation in rural population is related to young people graduating and moving to metropolitan areas and the declining birth rate. In 1990, there were 432 school districts in Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, there were 337 school districts. Main streets are restructuring and hospitals are closing. Winchester’s statistics showed a decline in the 20-30 year old rural population and an increase in the 30-60 year olds, from 2000 to 2010.
‘People want to live and move here for what you are today and will be tomorrow, not what may have been.’ Ben Winchester “People don’t want to live in high density areas,” Winchester said. The result – urban areas around the fringe of the cities are expanding and people are moving to the country.
His statistics show the exodus from the cities to the country is because of the population’s need for a slower pace of life, safety and security and lower housing costs. Rural communities are a mixture of people including 39 percent who used to live there. Sixty-eight percent of the community has a bachelor’s degree, 67 percent of the households have a combined income over $50,000 and 51 percent have children in the household. He said they may be leaving their SEE RURAL AMERICA, PAGE 13
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