🌱 Car Crash In NW Rochester + City Closes All Parks Public Restrooms

Good morning, friends! It's Monday in Rochester-Mason City and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on the most important things happening in our community. Hope you all have a great day.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Breezy with a shower in spots. High: 75 Low: 56.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny and beautiful. High: 79 Low: 63.

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Here are the top three stories in Rochester-Mason City today:

1. Over the weekend, 46-year-old April Dahl of Rochester was injured in a car crash in northwest Rochester between a pick-up truck and a Jeep. The accident occurred around 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Of four people involved in the crash, including driver Gary Dahl and two juveniles, only April was injured; she was transported to St. Mary's Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. All four of those involved were wearing their seatbelts. (KROC-AM)
2. As of Friday, the city has closed all restrooms at the local parks and recreation facilities due to recent cases of vandalism and extreme messiness. A specific date has not been provided as to when the restrooms will be open again to the public, as the city is using this time to clean the restrooms and see these cases reduced. Portable restrooms will be available in all the affected areas as a substitute for the regular ones; an exception to these closures will be made for reserved events. (Bring Me The News)
3. Rochester man Logan Nathaniel Johnson, 25, entered a plea deal last week that extended his prison sentence by five years. Johnson admitted to a felony charge from last year for illegal possession of a firearm following a shoplifting incident. As part of his plea deal, Johnson's fleeing police charge and several misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor traffic charges were dismissed. He was given credit toward his five-year sentence with 229 days already spent in prison that he has served since last fall. (106.9 KROC)

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Today and tomorrow in Rochester-Mason City:

Monday, June 26

• Par 2 Ages 10-11 At Hadley Creek Golf Course And Learning Center (10:00 AM)
• Artist Studio At Mount Olive Lutheran Church (6:30 PM)
• Bladder Control For Runners At Verizon (7:15 PM)

Tuesday, June 27

• Big Data And Hadoop Training At Rochester Executive Suites (9:00 AM)
• Bruce Burniece At Wahlburgers (6:00 PM)
• Kids Camp Stellar At Hope Summit Christian Church (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Make your way out to Franklin Elementary this Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. for the Rochester Police Department's next Safe City Night. This free community event even gives kids the opportunity to win a free bike! (City of Rochester, MN Police Department via Facebook)
• The city of Rochester is encouraging everyone to get involved with the Rochester Public Library's Summer Playlist. This all-age inclusive reading adventure will promote reading, relaxation, and fun all summer long; you can visit here to get started today. (City of Rochester, MN Government via Facebook)
• The Rochester Public Schools welcomed the Rochester Police Department and made a visit to Sunset Terrace School Age Child Care - SACC last week to talk with the students. The topic of conversation was biking and pedestrian safety and how important it is for everyone in the community to contribute to this. (Rochester Public Schools via Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll see you back in your inbox soon with a new update!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.