VESTA, Minn. — The Vesta Lions Club will host the 62nd annual V-Esta Day on Wednesday evening, July 16, 2025, at the Vesta Community Center, formerly the elementary school.  The highlight of the evening is Vesta’s famous BBQ chicken, served from 5 to 8 p.m. A $15 meal includes half a chicken, potato salad, baked beans, bun, pickle, and a beverage. Takeout is available, with free delivery offered within Vesta by calling Jim at 507-829-9455.  Festivities include the Little Scrapper Pedal Pull, with registration at 5:30 p.m. and the competition beginning at 6 p.m. Children ages 4 to 11 can qualify [...]

FRANKLIN, Minn. — A Franklin man was seriously injured Saturday night in a motorcycle crash in the city of Franklin.  According to the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a 911 call around 9:00 p.m. on July 12 near the intersection of 1st Street South and 5th Avenue East. The crash involved a 1994 Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by 27-year-old Jordan Lund.  Authorities say Lund was traveling north on 1st Street South when he lost control while navigating a curve, causing the motorcycle to leave the roadway and crash. He was transported by CentraCare ambulance to CentraCare – Redwood Falls hospital [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — A special election will be held Sept. 16 to fill the vacant Minnesota House seat in District 34B, following the death of State Representative Melissa Hortman on June 14.  Governor Tim Walz issued the writ of special election Friday, citing the need to ensure continued representation for residents in the Anoka and Hennepin County district. A special primary, if needed, will take place Aug. 12.  Candidates must file their affidavits of candidacy or nominating petitions between July 15 and July 22. Any withdrawals must be filed by 5 p.m. on July 23.  Election procedures will follow Minnesota [...]

MARSHALL—The United Way of Southwest Minnesota is collecting new school supplies through July 26 to help local K-12 students start the school year prepared. The annual “Stuff the Bus” drive supports families by providing essential items that help students feel confident and ready to learn. High-need items this year include cap erasers, dry-erase markers, folders, glue sticks, highlighters, Kleenex boxes, notebooks, pencils, and pink erasers. Volunteers are needed to help sort and distribute supplies on August 1, 5, and 6. In 2024, the drive provided more than 60,000 supplies to nearly 4,000 students at 22 local schools. Schools will handle distribution [...]

De GRAFF, Minn.—One person is in critical condition and two others, including a woman from Tyler, were injured in a two-vehicle collision on Thursday near De Graff in Swift County, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. At approximately 5:43 Thursday afternoon, a 2022 Chevy Equinox being driven by 70-year-old Linda Mary Holzheimer of Appleton was traveling westbound on Highway 12. A 2013 Lincoln MKX being driven by 53-year-old Nicole Rae Peterson of Tyler was traveling southbound on 4th Street when the vehicles collided.  Holzheimer and Peterson sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the Benson Hospital.  A passenger in the Chevy, [...]

MARSHALL—As the Lyon County Fair approaches, the Lyon County Historical Society Museum is preparing the historic schoolhouse exhibit with a fresh look and new features in the works.  “We finished painting the exterior of the schoolhouse red just this last week,” said Museum Executive Director Jennifer Andries. “We have the windows and the trim to finish. They are primed and we just need to paint them. But the schoolhouse looks great. It really needed a new, fresh coat of paint. The red looks really nice.”  Along with the painting, the area around the schoolhouse is also getting spruced up in time [...]

EDGERTON, Minn.—The 75th annual Edgerton Dutch Festival is underway, continuing today with a full slate of activities as the community celebrates “Diamonds Through the Decades.”  Thursday’s events included Just for Kix dance performances, inflatables, and the debut of mini bull riding and mutton busting.  Friday’s highlights include the return of the wood shoe carver from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., a variety of food trucks, and the popular midway carnival games, open from noon to 9 p.m. Both the EPS Booster Club and SWC will have brat stands open by 4 p.m.  The 75th Dutch Festival Parade begins at 6 p.m., [...]

MARSHALL — A detour of Highway 68/59 in Marshall is set to begin July 14 as BNSF Railway replaces tracks near the junction of Highways 68 and 59, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced. Traffic will be rerouted along Channel Parkway, Highway 19, 240th Avenue, and Highway 23. The closure is expected to last through August 1, weather permitting. Preliminary work will begin July 11 with a flagging operation in place. MnDOT will also take the opportunity to repair catch basins and install drain tile to improve drainage and driver safety in the area. The drainage improvements, led by R and [...]

MARSHALL—The Lyon County Historical Society Museum, located downtown across from the post office in the former library building, is inviting anyone interested in tracing their family history to its upcoming genealogy workshops and Genealogy Club meetings, Executive Director Jennifer Andries announced. The Genealogy Club meets at 1:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month in the Joseph Amato Research Center at the museum. “The Genealogy Club meets the first Monday of the month at 1:30 in the Joseph Amato Research Center,” Andries said. “We held a meeting here just this past Monday. We had about six people come in and [...]

MARSHALL — The Marshall City Council has approved an alcohol license for a new adults-only event at the Marshall Aquatic Center on July 23.  The license, requested by Marshall Community Services, was included in the council’s consent agenda and passed without discussion at Tuesday’s regular meeting.  The "Adult Night" event will be open to individuals 21 and older and will feature food, games, prizes, a deejay, and beverages served by the Hitching Post. Admission is $10.  A city-issued license is required to serve alcohol at city-owned facilities.