ST. PAUL (KMHL) - The United States Department of Agriculture is extending the filing deadline for crop acreage reports until July 22nd for Minnesota agricultural producers affected by heavy rains and flooding. "Agriculture operations throughout the state have been hit by hard by heavy rains and flooding that have affected their operations," said FSA State Executive Director, Joe Martin. "The deadline extension provides more flexibility for producers who experienced planting and field work delays." Filing a timely crop acreage report is important for farmers who want to maintain eligibility for a number of USDA programs including disaster assistance, safety net, crop [...]

MARSHALL (KMHL) – Minnesota State University system Chancellor Dr. Devinder Malhotra was in Marshall yesterday talking about new scholarships for students pursuing high demand careers. The workforce development scholarships are worth $2,500 for students pursuing careers in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, health care services, information technology, early childhood education or transportation at any of the state colleges in the Minnesota State system. "The hope is that this will become a catalyst to get students to come to our colleges who otherwise thought college was not possible," said Malhotra. "Then after they graduate and get into high-paying jobs then they are likely to [...]

ST. PAUL (LEARFIELD) - Preliminary numbers from the Minnesota Health Department show a promising trend in drug overdose deaths statewide. For the first time in a decade, MDH says the number of opioid overdose deaths decreased in 2018. Health officials say there were 331 opioid overdose deaths in 2018 compared to 422 in 2017. "We know that deaths related to prescription opioids fell a full 32 percent from 195 prescription opioid-related deaths in 2017 to 134 in 2018," said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcom. Malcolm explains part of the decline is due to widespread distribution of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone, [...]

ECHO (KMHL) – The Minnesota Department of Transportation has completed part of the work on State Highway 67 in the Echo area. MnDOT says the bridge replacement project over Boiling Spring Creek has been completed. Transportation officials say that detour has been removed. However, officials remind motorists there is still a detour on the highway in the Echo area. MnDOT says traffic is still detoured near the Upper Sioux Agency State Park because of cracking pavement.

CARVER COUNTY (KMHL) – A Sanborn woman was hurt in a head-on crash that killed a Litchfield woman Monday night. The Minnesota State Patrol says Elen Stark, 55, of Sanborn, was taken to Ridgeview Hospital for non-life threatening injuries after the crash when a 2006 Buick Rendezvous crossed the center line and hit Stark’s Suburban head on. Authorities say 58-year-old Antoinette King of Litchfield, who was driving the Rendezvous, was killed in the crash.