(September 15, 2023) Last week, on September 8, 2023, Pope County and Minnesota State officials gathered with the family of Pope County Deputy Sheriff Josh Owen and local friends and donors to see the Department of Transportation raise signs publicly designating the State Highway 29 overpass north of Glenwood as the Deputy Josh Owen Memorial Overpass.
State legislation was carried in the last legislative session in St. Paul by local officials, Representative Paul Anderson of Starbuck and Senator Torrey Westrom of Alexandria. The official designation of the overpass in memory of Deputy Josh Owen was contained in last session’s transportation bill.
The signage for the overpass, required to be purchased privately by the State, was made possible by a donation by former Pope County Sheriff Mark Hedner and his wife Rosie.
The signs are located on the north and south sides of the overpass approaches on State Highway 29 as the highway crosses over State Highway 55 and the Canadian Pacific Railway north of Glenwood in Pope County.
Deputy Josh Owen passed away from injuries sustained in the line of duty on April 15, 2023 while responding to a domestic disturbance call in Cyrus.
More photos of the sign raising and additional details can be found in the September 11, 2023 edition of the Pope County Tribune.
Minnesota Department of Transportation workers installed the new sign on the south side of the overpass. Photo by Tim Douglass, Pope County Tribune.
A group gathering to mark the new signage on the “Deputy Josh Owen Overpass.” From left are Pope County Commission Chair Gordy Wagner, Shannon and Rylan Owen, wife and son of Josh Owen, Pope County Deputy Eric Thesing, Sen. Torrey Westrom, Mark Hedner and Rosie Hedner, who donated to pay for the signage, Sheriff Tim Riley, Deputy Nathan Brecht, and Rep. Paul Anderson. The MnDOT workers who installed the signs were also in the photo. Photo by Tim Douglass, Pope County Tribune.