ST PAUL, Minn. — A former Tracy business owner has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by swindle after taking more than $200,000 from customers who never received the appliances they purchased.  The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announced Tuesday that Darin Lee Horner admitted in court to taking money from multiple customers between 2017 and 2019 without ordering the appliances, instead using the funds for personal expenses, including house payments.  Horner operated Affordable Appliance Plus in Tracy until May 1, 2019. Prosecutors say more than 50 people were defrauded in the scheme.  “It’s hard to afford your life when thieves [...]

MINNEAPOLIS – The Pohlad family announced Wednesday that they will continue as the principal owners of the Minnesota Twins while bringing in two new limited partnership groups. “For more than four decades, our family has had the privilege of owning the Minnesota Twins,” said Twins Executive Chair Joe Pohlad in a statement. “This franchise has become part of our family story, as it has for our employees, our players, this community, and Twins fans everywhere.” Pohlad said the family spent recent months exploring “a wide range of potential investment and ownership opportunities” before deciding to retain majority control. The addition of [...]

MARSHALL — The Minnesota Department of Transportation will hold a two-week Snowplow Operator Training program Aug. 18-28 at the MERIT Center in Marshall to prepare new operators for the winter season.  Participants from across southwest Minnesota will receive classroom and hands-on instruction covering snowplow operation, safety procedures, equipment maintenance, and plowing techniques. The training includes navigating plow trucks with blades and wings through obstacle courses and along local state highways to build maneuvering and decision-making skills.  Led by experienced MnDOT maintenance supervisors, the program also teaches how to use advanced tools to determine the best treatment materials and quantities based on [...]

MARSHALL — The City of Marshall’s free summer concert series, A Little Night Music, wraps up tonight, Wednesday, Aug. 13, with a performance by the Red River Boys at 7 p.m. The final show will take place indoors at First Lutheran Church instead of Liberty Park.  Earlier concerts in the 2025 series were held at Liberty Park, featuring Take Note, Tonantzi Tlalli Guadalupe Aztec dance group, Broken Oak, and Nautical Moth.  

MARSHALL — The Lyon County Fair will host its 25th annual PRCA Rodeo this Thursday, Aug. 14, and Friday, Aug. 15, with events beginning at 7 p.m. in the Grandstand.  Partnering with Barnes Pro Rodeo for more than two decades, the fair attracts over 200 contestants each year competing in bareback riding, saddle broncs, tie-down roping, team roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and bull riding. Both nights will also feature a Boot Scramble for kids.  Friday is “Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night,” with a live auction to support a local cancer-fighting initiative that has raised nearly $30,000 to date.  Announcer [...]

LAFAYETTE TOWNSHIP, Minn. — A Sleepy Eye man was injured Tuesday afternoon when his truck overturned while avoiding an oncoming SUV on Minnesota Highway 15. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, a northbound 2005 Sterling straight truck driven by 48-year-old Chad Michael Swenstad was just south of Fort Road around 1:51 p.m. when a southbound 2013 Ford Edge, driven by 20-year-old Bryson Issaiah Milburn of New Ulm, veered into the northbound lane. Swenstad swerved to avoid a collision, causing the truck to leave the roadway and roll into a ditch. He was taken to New Ulm Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. [...]

REDWOOD COUNTY, Minn. — A two-vehicle collision at the intersection of County State Aid Highway (CSAH) 6 and CSAH 4 on Monday morning sent five people to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office.  Authorities said the crash occurred around 10:23 a.m. on Aug. 11 when a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado traveling east on CSAH 4 failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado. Both vehicles sustained severe damage and were towed from the scene.  The driver of the 2013 Silverado, 63-year-old Jeffrey Magdik of Centerville, and the driver of the 2024 Silverado, [...]

MARSHALL — The American Red Cross will host a blood drive tomorrow, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Living Word Lutheran Church, 800 E. Southview Court.  Donors who give between Aug. 1 and Aug. 28 will receive a $15 e-gift card, and successful donations will also include free A1C testing. Eligible donors must be in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be at least 17 years old, or 16 with parental consent.  Appointments can be made at www.redcrossblood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. 

BIRD ISLAND — A 45-year-old Bird Island man was arrested Friday, Aug. 8, after Renville County Sheriff’s deputies investigated reports that he had attempted to solicit teens online.  Deputies made contact with the man around 2:41 p.m. and learned he might be in possession of child pornography. Investigators confirmed his phone contained images suspected to be child pornography.  He was booked into the Renville County Jail on probable cause for possession of child pornography. The Renville County Attorney’s Office is expected to file formal charges. 

MORGAN, Minn. — Farm policy, ag trade, renewable energy, and emerging technologies will all be in the spotlight during the 2025 Farmfest Forums, held Aug. 5–7 at the Gillfillan Estate near Redwood Falls, Minnesota. The event, organized by IDEAg Group, a subsidiary of the American Farm Bureau Federation, will host three days of panel discussions in the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center.  Kicking off Tuesday, Aug. 5, a morning forum titled "How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping Agriculture” will feature ag experts including Zach Johnson, known as the “Millennial Farmer,” Ken O’Brien of Corteva, and Don Scriber from TeraClear. At 10:30 a.m., a [...]