🌱 Man Charged For Stealing Motorcycle + Missing Father And Son

Hey, everybody. It's Friday in Rochester-Mason City and I'm back in your inbox to get you caught up on all the most important things happening locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Partly sunny and milder. High: 54 Low: 39.
• Saturday: Increasing clouds. High: 60 Low: 43.

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

1. A Mason City man has been charged with stealing an old Honda motorcycle. Zachary Jensen, 32, was arrested after he was found by police to be using a screwdriver to operate a 1979 Honda Twinstar motorcycle that had been reported stolen. Officials found that the motorcycle's VIN had also been partially ground off and also allegedly discovered that Jensen was in possession of methamphetamine. Jensen has been charged with felony theft and felony drug possession. (KIMT 3)
2. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has issued a statewide alert for a missing father and son. Down the road in Mankato, the public safety office is requesting the public's help to assist in finding two-year-old Koran Kory Brown and 29-year-old Walter Brown. Police report that the pair was last seen and heard from on or during Mar. 23 when they left a Mankato residence after a disagreement with the toddler's mother. Officials are asking anyone with information that could be useful in locating the pair to contact Mankato Public Safety at 507-387-8725. (KROC-AM)
3. Rochester-based Dr. Puja Uppal shared insights on a recent study from the U.K. Biobank that showed that getting good sleep might help prevent asthma. Uppal theorized how the study could be important for Rochester residents as nine percent of adults in Olmsted County reportedly have asthma. Additionally, 32.2 percent of adults in the county are obese, and 14.1 percent report that they smoke; both obesity and smoking increase the risk of developing asthma. Uppal said that managing asthma through medications and other techniques, including good sleep patterns, can help keep symptoms manageable and also contribute to being able to get a good night's sleep. (Herald Review)

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Today and tomorrow in Rochester-Mason City:

Friday, April 7

• Open Studio — Rochester Art Center (11:00 AM)

Saturday, April 8

• Market And Egg Hunt — The Music Man Square (10:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Sewer repairs in Mason City have closed a section of North Adams Avenue for the following week. The 500 block will be closed to all through traffic starting yesterday on Thursday, Apr. 6. Locals will still have access to their driveways. (KIMT 3)
• The Mason City Government has released a video on how property taxes are assessed and why they may seem so high. You can watch the short video at the link. (City of Mason City via Facebook)
• This week, the Rochester Police Department received alerts about scam calls where the caller impersonated local law enforcement. The agency would like to warn residents that they will never call you to pay them or buy credit cards to keep you from being arrested. Two victims of the scam reportedly lost $20,000 and $30,000, respectively. (City of Rochester, MN Police Department via Facebook)

You're officially in the loop for today. As a heads up, the Patch staff will be taking some time off for the Easter holiday. You won’t be receiving a newsletter this Monday, but I’ll be back soon with your next update. In the meantime, have a great weekend!

— 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.