SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota State Patrol will hire an independent firm to conduct a security assessment of the Minnesota State Capitol complex following recent incidents that raised public safety concerns. The decision comes after the June 14 killings of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shootings of State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. On July 25, Dominic Terrell Peace entered the Senate chambers after hours. Peace, who was non-violent, was arrested outside the Capitol after returning to the area multiple times. He remains in the Ramsey County jail. “We know that the [...]

TYLER, Minn. — The Lincoln County Fair kicks off Thursday, July 31, and runs through Sunday, August 3, offering four days packed with entertainment, competitions, and community events.  Opening day includes the 4-H Fashion Revue and Parade of Champions at 7 p.m., followed by a performance by Lonny Carpenter Band at 8 p.m. on the Outdoor Free Stage.  Highlights for Friday include the Larry Olsen Band, interactive “Make-It & Take-It” projects, and a 7 p.m. concert by Mario Callens & the Midwest Cowboys.  Saturday features a full slate, beginning with a 40-cent Ag Awareness Breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m., a [...]

The Marshall Police Department reports the following incidents:  On Tuesday at 5:11 a.m., a suspicious person was reported at the 900 block of Cheryl Avenue. A 23-year-old Marshall male was arrested for criminal damage to property and motor vehicle tampering.  On Tuesday at 5:14 a.m., an assault was reported at the 400 block of Hudson Avenue. A 21-year-old Marshall male was arrested for 4th degree assault, disorderly conduct, and obstruction.  On Tuesday at 10:44 a.m., MPD assisted another agency in Sioux Falls for theft by shoplifting on a 21-year-old Marshall female. A 36-year-old Marshall male was arrested for theft by shoplifting.  [...]

GHENT, Minn. — The annual Belgian-American Days celebration will take place in Ghent from Thursday, July 31st, through Sunday, August 3rd. Events are scheduled throughout the weekend, including tournaments, live music, family activities, and a car show.  Activities unofficially begin Wednesday night with a traveling trivia event at KB’s. Rolle Bolle tournaments will run each day in various formats. Friday's schedule includes the Little Miss Ghent coronation, a game featuring local couples, and music on Main Street.  Saturday’s events include a car show at 11 a.m., a fire department meal at the fire hall, axe throwing, a kids’ pedal pull, train [...]

BALATON — A slope repair project on Highway 14 near the southwest end of Lake Yankton is set to begin Friday, Aug. 1, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.  Crews will improve drainage systems, add curb and gutter, build a new pavement shoulder, and install guardrails. During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane, with vehicles using the shoulder opposite the work zone. Drivers are urged to slow down and watch for workers and equipment.  The $307,000 project, led by Town & Country Excavating, LLC, is expected to be completed by Aug. 22, weather permitting. 

MADISON, Wis. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has filed a detainer for a Honduran national charged in a fatal wrong-way crash that killed two Minnesota teens.  Noelia Saray Martinez-Avila is charged in Dane County Circuit Court with two counts of homicide by use of a vehicle. Authorities say she was driving drunk the wrong way on a Wisconsin interstate when she caused the crash that killed a 19-year-old man from Clara City and an 18-year-old woman from Montevideo.  Martinez-Avila has previous convictions in Wisconsin for drunk driving and driving without a license. ICE lodged the arrest detainer on Sunday. 

MONTEVIDEO, Minn. — The Chippewa County Fair opens today, July 30, and runs through Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the fairgrounds in Montevideo.  Opening Day festivities begin with livestock entry and open class judging in the morning, followed by 4-H shows, carnival rides, and the official opening of gates at 4 p.m. Highlights include the 4-H Fashion Review at 6:30 p.m. and Great Frontier Bull Riding at 7:00 p.m. DJ Vibe Life Entertainment will close out the evening at 8:30.  Thursday’s schedule features 4-H swine and horse shows, a pet show, sweet corn feed, and Pit Bike Racing in the grandstand [...]

UPDATE: Morgan Woman Identified as Operator in ATV Rollover Crash; Remains in Critical Condition MORGAN, Minn. — An ATV rider is in critical condition after a possible rollover accident on Monday near Morgan, according to the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office. At approximately 7:19 Monday evening, Redwood County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a single ATV rollover incident at a rural address near the 28000 block of County Highway 11 near Morgan.   The operator of the ATV sustained life-threatening injuries and was flown to the North Memorial Hospital. The identity of the operator will be identified at a later [...]

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — Members of Minnesota Task Force 1 are set to speak today about their recent two-week deployment to Texas, where they assisted with search operations following deadly flooding on July 4.  The event will take place today at the Dakota County Empire Transportation Facility in Rosemount. Team members, K-9 units, Department of Public Safety Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Allison Farole, and State Emergency Response Teams Supervisor Jodie Ryan are expected to attend.  Task Force 1 is one of Minnesota’s two urban search and rescue teams and is funded by the Department of Public Safety’s State Fire Marshal [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Leaders from multiple law enforcement agencies will meet Tuesday afternoon to discuss security measures at the Minnesota State Capitol complex.  The event will include officials from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Minnesota State Patrol, Metro Transit Police, St. Paul Police, Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office, legislative sergeants at arms, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  The Minnesota State Patrol announced it is bringing in a third-party expert to conduct a full security assessment of the Capitol grounds. The move follows the June 14 shootings that killed Melissa and Mark Hortman and injured John and Yvette Hoffman.