Candlelight vigil to end domestic abuse

101520.N.BD.DomesticViolencevigil1.jpg — Brainerd police officer Sgt. Paul Rosier (left) places a luminary in the water while Vicki Flor, program manager at Mid-Minnesota Women's Center, Christina Fluegge, lead advocate at Mid Minnesota Women's Center and Cindy Westberg, criminal Justice intervention advocate at Mid-Minnesota Women's Center prepare luminaries during a candlelight vigil against domestic violence on the Mississippi River Fishing Pier Tuesday, Sept. 14, in Brainerd. Luminaries were floated in the river to remember the 21 victims of domestic violence from 2019 in Minnesota. The event marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

By Steven L. Kohls

October 13, 2020 at 11:10 PM

Brainerd police officer Sgt. Paul Rosier (left) places a luminary in the water while Vicki Flor, program manager at Mid-Minnesota Women's Center, Christina Fluegge, lead advocate at Mid Minnesota Women's Center and Cindy Westberg, criminal justice intervention advocate at Mid-Minnesota Women's Center prepare luminaries during a candlelight vigil against domestic violence on the Mississippi River Fishing Pier Tuesday, Sept. 14, in Brainerd. Luminaries were floated in the river to remember the 21 victims of domestic violence from 2019 in Minnesota. The event marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch

By Steven L. Kohls

I was raised on a farm in western Minnesota where I participated in 4-H, high school sports, and everything that farm kids do for fun after chores. Graduated from Ridgewater Community College with an AA degree and my first taste of newspapering. I worked a summer on the Ortonville Independent as a reporter and photographer.