MARSHALL (KMHL) – A judge has ruled that Lyon and Redwood County Commissioners meet and fill vacancies on the Lyon-Redwood County Judicial Ditch drainage authority. Judge Patrick Rohland ruled this week that the counties were in violation of state statutes for their failure to fill two vacancies on the five-member drainage authority. The spots on the drainage authority have been vacant since April – the judge’s ruling gives the counties 30 days to fill the vacancies.

DANUBE (KMHL) – A 15-foot fall from the bucket of a skid loader seriously injured a 66-year-old Danube man yesterday. The Renville County Sheriff’s Department says William Voelz was attempting to cut down a pole yesterday at a gravel pit northeast of Danube. Authorities say after the pole was cut it fell and struck Voelz, knocking him from the bucket to the ground. Authorities say Voelz suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a trauma center – there are not more details available on his condition.

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS (LEARFIELD) -- Minnesota-based C-H-S, the nation’s highest-grossing ag cooperative, is paying out one billion dollars to its members -- four times last year’s number and by far the largest annual payout in its history. C-H-S says it reflects a windfall the cooperative received as farmers in much of the U-S saw a large jump in their income, fueled by the war in Ukraine and surging global demand for food and fuel -- another area where C-H-S has significant operations. C-H-S member-owners will receive 500 million dollars in cash over the coming year, with a like amount to be [...]

MARSHALL (KMHL) – The Marshall City Council set the 2023 preliminary tax levy showing an increase of more than 9 percent from 2022. However, city staff say due to growth in Marshall’s tax capacity the proposed levy increase would keep the city’s tax rate the same. The final levy adopted by the city can be lower, but not higher than the preliminary levy – and during a council work session Tuesday city staff presented an option for a levy of about $8.249 million for 2023, which was approved.

OLIVIA (KMHL) – The Renville County Sheriff’s Department has identified the rural Fairfax man killed when a tree branch fell on top of him, while he was cutting trees southwest of Olivia, Tuesday morning. Authorities say 69-year-old Blair Anderson died when a branch connected to a nearby tree fell on top of him while he was cutting down trees from a grove. Authorities say lifesaving efforts were made but were unsuccessful and Anderson died at the scene of the accident. The sheriff’s office says Anderson was wearing head, eye and ear protection at the time of the accident.

ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) -- A “last-ditch plea” for Minnesota lawmakers to call a special legislative session is being made. KSTP/TV reports that 17 entities that represent cities, counties, and school districts across the state have sent a letter to legislative leaders and to Governor Tim Walz to call House and Senate members back to St. Paul this year and pass several tax and supplemental budget bills. The coalition states that the unspent state surplus should be used to relieve police and fire staffing shortages, and to help fund public schools and social services. Leaders in the Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate remain opposed [...]

WASHINGTON (LEARFIELD) -- Newly elected Congressman Brad Finstad will serve on the House Agriculture and Education and Labor committees. The Republican from New Ulm is serving the last few months of the late Congressman Jim Hagedorn’s term in Minnesota’s First District. Finstad says in a statement that he’s looking forward to using his experiences “as a farmer, a small business owner, and a parent to school-aged children” as he works on the three committees. Finstad topped Democratic nominee Jeff Ettinger by four points in the August special election and will face the former Hormel executive again in November for a full [...]

MARSHALL (KMHL) – While drought conditions are improving across much of the state – the immediate area around Marshall remains in a moderate drought, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor. Parts of Lyon, southern Lincoln and most of Redwood Counties remain in a moderate drought. That region stretches east to include much of south central Minnesota and even parts of the western metro. Parts of Yellow Medicine, Renville, eastern Lac Qui Parle and northern Lincoln Counties remain abnormally dry. While cooler temperatures are expected in the week ahead, there is not much of a chance for precipitation.

GAYLORD (KMHL) – A Morton man was hospitalized after he collided with a deer while riding a motorcycle south of Gaylord. The Minnesota State Patrol says, Dustin Arredondo, 24, Morton, was headed northbound on Highway 22 on a 22 Harley Touring when the bike struck a deer in Sibley Township. Arredondo was transported to the Mayo Clinic Mankato with non-life-threatening injuries.

ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) - State officials are urging poultry producers to review and observe biosecurity measures, after HPAI bird flu re-emerged in Minnesota, in a commercial turkey flock of 130-thousand birds in central Minnesota's Meeker County. Senior Veterinarian, Doctor Shauna Voss at the Minnesota Poultry Testing Laboratory in Willmar says things played out differently than in 2015, when there was a big outbreak in the spring with cases dropping off by June: "Very different this year," said Voss. "There's a large wild population that is impacted by the influenza virus. We've been watching detections in our wild populations here in Minnesota [...]