TOP 5 KDHL NEWS STORIES 3013

In the KDHL news files are scores of local stories every year.  We chose the top five for 2013.  Here's our list.

1. Passage of Faribault Public Schools levy.
2. District One Hospital's joint announcement with Allina Health of a letter of intent for the Faribault hospital to become part of Allina.
3. South Central College of Faribault and North Mankato selects Dr. Annette Parker as President of the school.
4. Rice County Board of Commissioners pass resolutions implementing a wheelage tax and half cent sales tax with proceeds earmarked for road projects.
5. Goodhue County Board of Commissioners extend their moratorium on silica sand minning for six months.

Other top stories that didn't make the cut include three new members elected to the Faribault City Council John Rowan, Ken Walls and Joan Van Dyke.  Rice County Administrator Gary Weires departure for a management consulting firm.  The murder of Faribault native Margorie Brown Holland and her unborn child.  Her husband Roger was found guilty and was sentenced to serve two consecutive life in prison without parole incarcerations.  Holland told the court he will deny the charges until the day he dies.  In November friends and family of Margorie held a domestic violence awareness fundraiser in her memory.  A 5k walk/run and kids fun run in memory of her unborn child.  Proceeds went to the Hope Center of Faribault.  Organizers hope the event will be a annual one and the 1994 FHS graduate can forever be remembered.  Former Shattuck drama teacher Lynn Seibel pled guilty to seven felony counts associated with the sexual abuse of six students at the school between 1999 and 2003.  The 71 year old Seibel told the court he was sorry for his actions and was sentenced to serve 52 months in prison and then be on probation for 30 years.  Seibel also has to attend sex offender treatment, register as a predatory sex offender and pay restitution to his victims.  In May the Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the William Melchert-Dinkel case.  The former Faribault nurse had been found guilty of advising and encouraging the suicides of a England man and Canadian woman.  A ruling is expected soon.  Former KDHL co-founder Herb Lee passed away in Lacrosse, Wisconsin on April 4 And former Faribault City Council member Carol King died in April also.  King was 68 and served on the Council for 12 years.  She also served on the city Parks and Rec board and District One Hospital Board.  The Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the Rice County District Court's sentencing of mandatory life imprisonment for the first degree murder of Rice County Sheriff's Deputy John Liebenstein.  Northfield High School graduate Rebecca Kasper was murdered.  The 19 year old was a sophomore at Arizona State University and was allegedly killed by an ex-boyfriend in Arizona.  A 26 year old Faribault woman survived multiple stabbings by her boyfriend.  The 27 year old apparently took his own life in jail.  A snow day in May and flooding in July impacted Rice County in 2013.  Ice outs were very late on area lakes.  April 21 on Cannon and April 28 on Circle are a couple examples.  The heavy and wet May snow caused the former Boe Chrysler Center building roof in West Concord to collapse. The July flooding heavily impacted Dundas with a number of homes evacuated and some homes and businesses in Northfield were also damaged.  A number of roads had to be barricaded due to water flowing over them and some roads were washed out.  Rainfall amounts ranged from 5 to 8 inches in a 3 to 4 hour period.  The Steele County Free Fair set a new attendance record and the Dakota Count Fairgoers experienced some excitement when a rodeo bull escaped it's pen.  2013 Rice County Fair royalty were, Queen Megan Malecha of Northfield, First Attendant Emily Vikla of Lonsdale, Second Attendant Elizabeth Deutsch of Lonsdale and Miss Congeniality was Megan Klapperich of Faribault.  The city of Faribault dedicated a new softball complex building in North Alexander Park with former longtime umpire Louie Perron cutting the ribbon.  Total cost for the building was 360 thousand dollars.  A new shade structure was also erected in White Sands dog park and lights installed on Bahl Field at the Faribault soccer complex.  in August the Faribault City Council approved the hiring of Dusty Dienst as the new Fire Chief.  Dienst was one of 23 applications for the position.  Dienst came up through the department ranks starting out as a part time firefighter before going full time and becoming a Captain.  Faribault Our Saviors Lutheran Pastor Steve Delzer was elected Bishop of the Southeastern Minnesota synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. In April, 14 time Grammy award winner Ricky Skaggs performed to a pack house at the Cannon Falls High School Auditorium.  The Shepherd's Center of Cannon Valley held the concert fundraiser.  The Cannon Falls area organization is having another concert this month and Buddy Holly music is being featured. KDHL news looks forward to covering the happenings of 2014.