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Saturday, July 9, 2022
Same Local Coverage Since 1854.
Vol. 168, No. 14
Extreme w a h
Case of missing Northfield child points to Stearns County park
challenges Wapicada Golf Course grounds crew
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Six-year-old Elle Ragin, of Northfield, is missing. Authorities are searching the area of Mississippi River County Park in Stearns County after data from a mobile device indicated her mother, the late Lisa Wade, drove to the park June 21.
Cell phone data leads law enforcement to location BY NATASHA BARBER | STAFF WRITER Editor’s note: The information contained in this article was the most current as of press time July 7. Data from a mobile device led law enforcement 125 miles northwest as the search for 6-year-old Elle Ragin continues. Search teams have been covering land and water at Mississippi River County Park and the surrounding watershed since the evening
of July 3. The park and surrounding river area are closed to the public as the investigation continues. Investigators began searching for the 3-foot, 6-inch girl with curly brown hair and brown eyes after nding her mother’s body inside their North eld apartment July 2. Authorities say 39-yearold Lisa Wade – Elle’s mom – died by suicide. Ragin’s whereabouts are unknown, but police have reason to believe Wade was involved in the child’s disappearance prior to taking her own life. Ragin was last seen June 19.
Ragin page 2
Constant change part of the fun for longtime superintendent Milstroh
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BY TOM FENTON | STAFF WRITER
cot Milstroh and Andy Stalboerger were watching ominous storm clouds approach Wapicada Golf Course during the late-morning hours on a mid-May day. They were in the maintenance shed – not exactly a storm-safe building – when they decided to beeline for the clubhouse across the street. That turned out to be a wise decision. A couple hours later, the deluge of rain proved too much for the usually tame Mayhew Creek to contain. Fallen branches were everywhere, meaning there would be long and sometimes trying days ahead for Milstroh and his grounds crew. Yet, Milstroh would not have it any other way. “It gets a little hectic out here at times, but I like the variety of it,” said Milstroh, who is in his 35th year on the Wapicada grounds
OBITUARIES The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.
PHOTOS BY TOM FENTON
Scot Milstroh is in his 35th year on the grounds crew at Wapicada Golf Club in Sauk Rapids – the last 10 as course superintendent. Milstroh and his staff have experienced all sorts of weather extremes in the past 12 months, including a drought and spring flooding.
• Betty Jane E. DeLong • Roy E. Robinson, Jr. • Anna Mae Tiemann
crew. “I love going to work every day. I don’t think I’d do anything else. I like being outside. Sure, you have to work in the rain, cold and heat, but I’m pretty active and kind of hyper. It doesn’t suit me to sit at a desk.”
Milstroh’s love for manicuring a golf course started in summer 1997. His sister worked at the course and told him the assistant superintendent was sick, leaving then-head superintendent Mike Kasner in serious need of help.
Wapicada page 3
Andy Stalboerger, who is in his sixth year as assistant superintendent at Wapicada Golf Club in Sauk Rapids, applies chemicals to the 18th fairway during his July 5 shift. Course staff applies chemicals to greens, tee boxes and fairways periodically to prevent disease to the turf.
PUBLIC NOTICES
• Mortgage Foreclosure - pg. 17 • Sauk Rapids-Rice School Notice of Filing Dates - pg. 17 • City of Sauk Rapids Advertisement for Bids - pg. 17 • Assumed Name - Central Minnesota Endodontics - pg. 17 • Benton County Board of Adjustment Public Hearing - pg. 16 • Benton County Drainage Authority Advertisement for Bids - pg. 17 • Benton County Board of Commissioners Reg. Minutes, June 21 - pg. 16