MARSHALL — Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) has announced the passing of Hunter Smith, a 22-year-old student-athlete and pole vaulter, who died over the weekend. Smith was a political science major at SMSU and was set to complete his Master of Business Administration in the spring, with plans to attend law school later in the year.  A 2020 graduate of Plattsmouth High School in Nebraska, Smith was recognized as a two-time state qualifier in pole vault and a conference wrestling champion. At SMSU, he earned multiple academic honors, including six Academic All-NSIC selections and two Academic All-District selections.  In addition to his [...]

DAWSON -- A Madison man is dead and four others, including two young children, were injured on Friday in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 212 in Lac Qui Parle County, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. At approximately 10:41 Friday morning in Riverside Township, a 2006 Ford F-350 pickup truck was traveling eastbound on Highway 212 and a 2020 GMC Terrain SUV was traveling westbound on Highway 212 when they collided.  The driver of the Ford, 60-year-old Dale Jerome Monnens of Madison, died from injuries sustained in the accident. The report notes Monnens was not wearing his seat belt at the time [...]

MARSHALL — Meals on Wheels in Marshall are now being prepared at a regional kitchen in Luverne rather than locally, following Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota’s (LSS) statewide reorganization. This shift is part of LSS’s move to consolidate meal preparation into seven centralized kitchens, while still providing meal delivery and on-site dining at the Marshall Adult Community Center. Despite this change, local efforts continue to ensure meals are delivered hot to Marshall residents. United Way of Southwest Minnesota, led by CEO Meg Louwagie, has been coordinating volunteers and discussing options with LSS to maintain meal quality for recipients. LSS operates in [...]

(Chanhassen, MN) — Parts of Minnesota saw significant Halloween snowfall on Thursday, though nothing like the famous 1991 blizzard. The National Weather Service reports that Henriette in Pine County topped totals with 4.5 inches, followed closely by Monticello, Plymouth, and Winthrop at 4.3 inches each. Maple Lake recorded 3.5 inches, while Buffalo and Hinckley received 3 inches. Windom saw 2 inches, and Duluth recorded 1.6 inches. The storm began as rain before turning to heavy, wet snow, creating tricky driving conditions. The Minnesota State Patrol reported responding to 219 crashes statewide on Halloween.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, highlighting the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on more than 6.9 million Americans and their caregivers. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) encourages people to show support by wearing teal, a calming color symbolizing awareness and solidarity for those affected. To promote brain health and healthy aging, AFA suggests following their "10 Steps for Healthy Aging": eat well, stay active, learn new things, get enough sleep, manage medications, avoid smoking and limit alcohol, stay connected, monitor blood pressure, visit the doctor regularly, and get memory screenings. With Alzheimer’s cases projected to reach 13.8 million by 2060, these [...]

COTTONWOOD — A 20-year-old man from Marshall was arrested Monday evening after a brief police pursuit on Highway 23, according to the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office. At approximately 6:29 p.m., a Lyon County deputy attempted to stop a silver 2017 Ford Escape near Cottonwood. When the driver accelerated away, the deputy initiated a pursuit with lights and sirens, bringing the vehicle to a stop about three miles later.  The driver was arrested without incident and held at the Lyon County Jail for fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle and an instruction permit violation. There was a passenger in the [...]

MARSHALL -- Three people were injured in a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 59 and 23 on Tuesday, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. At approximately 1:52 Tuesday afternoon, a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero was traveling southbound on Highway 59. A 2021 Kia Soul was also traveling southbound on Highway 59. A 2014 Cadillac SRX was traveling eastbound on Highway 23 when the vehicles collided.  The driver of the Cadillac, 65-year-old Mary Guevara of Marshall, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Marshall hospital.  The driver of the Kia, 83-year-old Alan Peter Hansen of Marshall, and his passenger, 82-year-old [...]

MARSHALL —United Way of Southwest Minnesota (UWSWMN) has named Matt Suby as the chair of its 2024 annual campaign, marking his return to this pivotal role. Suby, a Business Development Specialist with Western Equipment Finance and a Marshall resident, leads the charge under the theme "Raise Your Hand!" The campaign encourages the community to come together to support local causes that uplift individuals and families in need.  Suby will continue to lead the Campaign and Resource Development committee, aiming to reach a fundraising goal of $545,000, an increase from last year’s $538,000 goal, which reached 98.5% success. Alongside a dedicated team, [...]

SAINT CLOUD — Ann Jenson, Executive Director of Southwest Minnesota EMS, received the EMS Star Award at the 24th annual Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) conference in St. Cloud. Jenson was recognized alongside five other individuals and one radio station for efforts to reduce life-threatening crashes on Minnesota roads. Presented by the Minnesota departments of health, public safety, and transportation, the TZD awards honor work dedicated to enhancing road safety statewide.  Jenson, from Dawson, MN, helped expand emergency response capabilities in rural Minnesota, including piloting a telehealth program for ambulances responding to serious incidents. This program provides additional resources to first responders [...]