With August approaching, families are beginning to prepare for the upcoming school year. While summer break isn’t over yet, education experts say now is a good time to help children transition mentally and emotionally back to school. Elizabeth Leer, Chair of the Department of Education at St. Olaf College, suggests starting with something fun, like back-to-school shopping. "Letting them take that list and walk through the aisles and yeah, I don't think that is a pressure filled activity. It's kind of exciting look at all these new things activities so I think that is a good, good thing to do," Leer [...]

DE FOREST, Wis. — A Montevideo woman is dead and five others are injured, including a Clara City man, following a wrong-way crash early Sunday morning on Interstate 39 near De Forest, Wisconsin.  According to the Wisconsin State Patrol, the crash occurred at 12:03 a.m. on July 20. Authorities say a 2024 Chevrolet Suburban was traveling south in the northbound lanes when it struck a 2013 Volkswagen Tiguan head-on. The Suburban became fully engulfed in flames following the impact.  The passenger in the Tiguan, an 18-year-old woman from Montevideo, Minnesota, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, a 19-year-old man [...]

JACKSON, Minn. — Two cyclists have died while participating in this year's RAGBRAI event, according to law enforcement and event organizers.  On Tuesday morning, a rider collapsed on the route in Estherville, Iowa. Emergency crews responded around 7 a.m. and transported the individual to a nearby hospital, where they later died. The person’s body was sent to the state medical examiner’s office to determine the cause of death.  Another fatal incident occurred Monday near Jackson, Minnesota. Authorities say 54-year-old Kelly Paul of Texas collapsed on a county road near Highway 86 shortly after 8 a.m. Fellow RAGBRAI riders who were medical [...]

MARSHALL — The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has issued an air quality alert for southwest Minnesota, in effect from 12 a.m. Thursday through 11 p.m. Friday. The alert is due to elevated levels of fine particle pollution, with the Air Quality Index expected to reach the orange category, which is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.  Smoke from wildfires in Saskatchewan and Manitoba is drifting into Minnesota and will affect air quality across much of the state. In southwest Minnesota, the smoke is expected to arrive Thursday morning and persist through Friday.  Sensitive individuals, including people with heart or lung disease, asthma, [...]

WINDOM, Minn. — A 70-year-old woman has died following a shooting early Wednesday morning in Windom.  According to a press release from the Windom Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 1400 block of 12th Avenue at approximately 5:19 a.m. on July 23 for a report of a shooting. They found a 70-year-old woman with gunshot wounds and provided first aid until Windom Ambulance arrived. She was transported to Windom Area Health, where she later died from her injuries.  Shortly after, at 5:28 a.m., officers responded to a burglary report at a home in the 1200 block of River Road. They [...]

MARSHALL- On July 22, agriculturalists from across southwestern Minnesota gathered for the 8th annual State of Agriculture event at the Lyon County Fairgrounds. Panelists Julie Tesche with the Center of Rural Policy and Development, Sam Ziegler of GreenSeam, and Chase VanKeulen, a Farm Business Management Instructor shared their insights into data trends impacting rural farmers, businesses and communities. Facilitated by Carolyn Olson from Olson Organics, the panel emphasized the positive impact farms have on local economies, data trends regarding rural businesses, cyber security in agriculture, and rural domestic migration trends.

MARSHALL — A community blood drive is being held today, Wednesday, July 23, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. The drive runs from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 503 W Lyon Street, with five appointment slots still available as of this morning.  Both standard blood donations and Power Red donations are being accepted. Power Red donations, which collect red cells while returning most plasma and platelets, are encouraged for eligible donors with type A Negative, B Negative, or O blood.  Walk-ins may be limited, so appointments are recommended by visiting redcrossblood.org

Agriculture officials in the Upper Midwest are urging livestock producers to remain alert to the threat of New World Screwworm, a tropical pest capable of causing severe harm to cattle. While some believe the region’s northern climate provides protection, experts say warm summer conditions are enough for the pest to survive and spread. Minnesota State Cattlemen’s Association executive director Kaitlyn Root stressed the importance of staying informed, despite the pest currently being reported in Mexico. “Stay focused on what’s going on, even though it’s in Mexico currently. That seems like it’s far away, but we know how cattle movements work. And [...]

GRANITE FALLS, MN — Authorities have identified the two individuals involved in Monday’s fatal jet crash near Granite Falls in Yellow Medicine County. The Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office reported that the aircraft, a 1979 Aero L-39 Albatros, experienced engine trouble around 5:23 p.m. while approaching the Granite Falls Municipal Airport. The jet crashed minutes later near Highway 23 and County Road 39. Mark Ryan Ruff, 43, of Dallas, Texas, survived the crash and was found standing near the highway. He received medical attention at the scene. The second occupant, 49-year-old David Colin Dacus of San Francisco, California, was pronounced dead. [...]

MELVILLE TOWNSHIP—A semi-tractor trailer hauling soybeans was struck by a train Monday afternoon, July 21, at a railroad crossing on Renville County Road 16, about two miles west of Hector.  According to the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred at 12:56 p.m. when a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by 41-year-old Andrew Hanson of Atwater failed to stop at a stop sign and did not yield to an oncoming westbound train. The train struck the trailer as it entered the crossing.  No injuries were reported. Hanson was wearing a seatbelt. The semi sustained significant damage and spilled its load onto the [...]