The American Red Cross and the NFL are partnering during National Blood Donor Month to encourage blood, platelet, and plasma donations. From January 1 to January 26, 2025, individuals who donate will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner and their guest will enjoy:  Tickets to Super Bowl LIX and pre-game stadium activities.  Passes to the official Super Bowl Experience.  Round-trip airfare to New Orleans.  Three-night hotel stay from February 7-10, 2025.  A $1,000 gift card for expenses.  Blood drives in Marshall will be held at the [...]

MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) and Avera have announced a partnership to establish a four-year nursing program to expand educational opportunities for aspiring nurses and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals in Minnesota. The program will build on SMSU’s existing RN to BSN program, offering a more comprehensive pathway for nursing education.  The program will combine SMSU’s academic resources with Avera’s clinical expertise to provide a curriculum designed to meet modern healthcare needs. Plans include developing advanced nursing simulation labs with state-of-the-art equipment for both students and current nurses. “We have outstanding faculty leadership designing an innovative curriculum [...]

COTTONWOOD -- In the early hours of January 12, 2025, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a sinking vehicle in Cottonwood Lake, located in the City of Cottonwood. Emergency responders, including the Cottonwood Fire Department and Ambulance, arrived at the scene to find a side-by-side ATV in the water with three occupants: an adult driver, an adult male passenger, and a juvenile female.  All three individuals managed to exit the ATV and walk to shore, where they were treated by emergency personnel. The two adults were transported to Avera Marshall for injuries and later released, while the [...]

MARSHALL -- The Southwest Minnesota Arts Council (SMAC) has awarded $89,557 in grants to foster artistic projects and initiatives throughout the region. The funds, approved by the SMAC board on December 17th, were distributed to 14 organizations, one school, and one student artist. Art Project Grants (Up to $7,000 each): City of Buffalo Lake: $7,000 for a historical mural at the Buffalo Lake Community Center, created by artist Lili Lennox with community input. Dakota Wicohan, Morton: $6,990 for a 12-week adult quilt-making workshop in spring 2025, focusing on Dakota lifeways and traditions. FungusAmongus Players, Dassel: $7,000 for a production of Annie [...]

MARSHALL -- West Saratoga Street, between S 5th Street and S 6th Street, will be closed to all traffic on Friday, January 10, 2025, from 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM. The City Street Department will be conducting tree removal operations during this time. Residents are advised to park on adjacent streets as access to the area will be restricted. No through-traffic will be permitted during the project. For questions or additional information, contact the City of Marshall Public Works office at 507-537-6773. The City thanks the community for their patience and cooperation.

WASHINGTON D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is urging dairy producers affected by H5N1 to apply for financial relief through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) by the January 30, 2025, deadline. The program provides critical support to producers who experienced losses in 2024 due to adverse conditions, including the impact of H5N1 on milk production.  Since July 2024, ELAP has offered assistance to dairy producers who suffered milk losses when cattle were removed from commercial milking due to positive H5N1 tests. To date, over $80 million has been distributed to producers in 16 [...]

SAINT CLOUD -- CentraCare has unveiled the most popular baby names for 2024 at its Minnesota hospitals, highlighting a mix of timeless classics and unexpected newcomers. St. Cloud Birth Center Director Jami Nordmann announced that Liam claimed the top spot for boys, while Eleanor was the most popular name for girls. "So, quite a few of those traditional names that you expect for this year, and there were a few of them we haven’t heard too frequently," said Nordmann. Other traditional names rounding out the top list included Hudson, Theodore, Oliver, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Sophia. Interestingly, this year's most popular girl’s [...]

SAINT PAUL -- Online sports betting is back in the spotlight as the Senate Finance Committee prepares to address its potential legalization. The hearing, scheduled for this morning at the state capitol, will focus on the risks of gambling addiction and financial hardship that opponents argue are intrinsic to sports wagering. Leading the charge for the proposal is Senator Matt Klein, who views regulation as a necessary step toward oversight and public safety. Klein likened the push for legalized sports betting to the state’s approach to cannabis, emphasizing the parallels between the two industries. "It’s the argument we made for cannabis. [...]

SAINT PAUL -- Minnesota regulators have halted progress on a gas pipeline near the Pipestone National Monument. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) unanimously revoked the project's permit, ordering cultural and archaeological surveys on two alternative routes. This decision follows strong opposition from tribal groups who regard the area as sacred to their religious practices.  In September, the PUC narrowly approved a 13.1-mile route that placed the pipeline farther from the monument than the company preferred. However, Tuesday’s unanimous vote signals a shift in priorities. The PUC may ultimately approve one of the proposed routes after the surveys are [...]

MARSHALL — Lyon County’s newly elected officials took the oath of office on Tuesday during the first county board meeting of 2025. The ceremony included three county commissioners and two Soil and Water Supervisors.  Todd Draper was sworn in as commissioner for District 2, representing part of Marshall, while Gary Crowley took the oath for District 4, covering the northern half of the county. Rick Anderson, who won a contested race against Tom Chandler, was sworn in as commissioner for District 5, representing the southern half of Lyon County.  In the Soil and Water District, Gary Laleman and Mason Johnson were [...]