MARSHALL, Minn. — Southwest Minnesota State University will celebrate first-generation college students Thursday, Nov. 5, with its third annual First Gen Student Day.  The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the upper level of the SMSU Student Center. Activities will include tie-dye, interactive activities and poster presentations highlighting students, employees and alumni who are or were first-generation college students.  Free T-shirts will be available for the first 100 attendees to tie-dye. “I’m First” stickers and cookies will also be provided.  The event is part of the National First-Generation College Celebration, an annual effort to recognize the achievements [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota voters have approved a constitutional amendment increasing the amount of money distributed annually from the state's Permanent School Fund. The amendment raises the annual distribution from 2.5% to 4.5% of the fund's value. The fund, which is supported by revenue from state trust lands, is valued at approximately $2.3 billion. The change is expected to provide additional funding for public schools without increasing individual income or property taxes. The amendment takes effect July 1, 2027. 

MARSHALL, Minn. — Lyon County voters decided several contested local races during Tuesday's election, including mayoral, city council and school board contests.  In Marshall, John Alcorn defeated Larry Magrath in the Ward 1 City Council race, receiving 823 votes to Magrath's 455.  Several school board races also featured multiple candidates. In Marshall Public Schools District 413, Julie Allen received the most votes with 3,485, followed by Sara Brink with 3,406 and Nathan Green with 3,283. The three candidates were elected to the three available seats. Mike Braithwaite finished fourth with 1,723 votes.  In the Lakeview School District (ISD 2167), Joel Timm [...]

MARSHALL, Minn. — Former Southwest Minnesota State University wheelchair basketball standout Josh Turek has won a seat in the U.S. Senate, flipping Iowa's seat to the Democratic Party.  The Associated Press called the race Tuesday night, with Turek defeating Republican Ashley Hinson. With 98% of the vote reported, Turek received 686,487 votes, or 50.51%, compared to Hinson's 630,615 votes, or 46.40%. Libertarian candidate Thomas Laehn received 42,052 votes.  Turek has a connection to the Marshall area, having played wheelchair basketball at SMSU from 1997 to 2002. During his time with the Mustangs, he set school career records with 4,024 points and [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Governor-elect Amy Klobuchar says her administration will focus on bringing Minnesotans together, improving government accountability and growing the state's economy when she takes office in January. In her first remarks as governor-elect, Klobuchar pledged to represent all Minnesotans, including those who did not support her in Tuesday's election. "Whether or not I got your vote, I will do my best for you. I will work my heart out for you. Nobody will work harder," Klobuchar said. She says her priority is moving Minnesota forward and delivering results by listening to different perspectives and finding common ground. Klobuchar [...]

MARSHALL, Minn. — More than 400,000 hunters are expected to participate in Minnesota’s 2026 firearms deer season, which opens Saturday. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports license sales are up significantly compared to last year. DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen says hunters are showing their excitement by purchasing licenses early. "We are excited that heading into deer season our license sales are up significantly over where we were last year. So people are buying their licenses early and they are excited for deer season," Strommen said. Harvest numbers are also running ahead of last year’s pace during the early hunting seasons. [...]

Four races from Tuesday’s election in Minnesota remain close enough to qualify for a publicly funded recount.  According to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, Democrat Jake Johnson leads incumbent Republican Brad Finstad by 323 votes in the First Congressional District.  In State Senate District 4, Republican Austin Peterson holds a four-vote lead over incumbent DFL Senator Rob Kupec, with more than 36,000 votes cast.  Three-term Republican Senator Karin Housley leads Democrat Nat Smith by 42 votes in Senate District 33. Meanwhile, in House District 32A, Republican Nolan West leads Democrat Amanda Matchett by 22 votes.  The State Canvassing Board is [...]

MARSHALL, Minn. — DFL challenger Jake Johnson holds a narrow lead over Republican incumbent Brad Finstad in Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District, while Republican incumbent Michelle Fischbach won re-election in the 7th District, according to unofficial election results.  In the 1st District, Johnson received 163,057 votes compared to 162,734 for Finstad, giving Johnson a 323-vote advantage with all 750 precincts reporting. Both candidates received approximately 50% of the vote.  In the 7th District, Fischbach defeated DFL challenger Erik Osberg by a wider margin. Fischbach received 214,505 votes, while Osberg received 115,805. Fischbach's margin of victory was 98,700 votes, with all 1,327 precincts [...]

MARSHALL, Minn. — Republican candidates won contested Minnesota Senate and House races in Districts 15 and 21 during Tuesday’s election.  In Senate District 15, Republican Braxton Seifert defeated DFL challenger Andrea Boettger with 25,174 votes to Boettger’s 12,518. Seifert received 66.74% of the vote.  In Senate District 21, Republican Chris Knoll defeated DFL candidate Caitlyn Sanow-Minett, receiving 23,002 votes compared to 11,257 for Sanow-Minett.  Republicans also won all three contested state House races included in the results.  In House District 15A, Republican Bradley Hennen defeated DFL candidate Nathan Schmig, 12,374 votes to 6,350.  In District 15B, Republican Geri Theis won with [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — More than 728,000 Minnesotans have already voted ahead of Tuesday’s election, surpassing the total early voting turnout from the 2022 election. According to the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office, 728,961 ballots had been accepted as of October 29. That includes 483,520 ballots cast in person and 245,441 returned by mail. In comparison, 673,360 Minnesotans voted absentee or by mail in 2022. Election officials have distributed more than 948,000 absentee and mail ballots, with over 208,000 still awaiting return. Voters with outstanding ballots are encouraged to deliver them in person to their local election office rather than mailing [...]