MARSHALL, Minn. — Voters in the Marshall Public School District have rejected an operating levy that would have provided $2 million annually, or about $765 per pupil, for the next 10 years, according to a press release issued by Superintendent Jeremy Williams. According to preliminary results, the referendum failed with 1,415 votes (46%) in favor and 1,647 votes (54%) against. The school board is expected to certify the results at its next meeting. “While this is not the ideal outcome for our schools, we respect the decision made by voters,” said Superintendent Jeremy Williams. “Our attention now turns to determining how [...]

LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA — A Minnesota man wanted in connection with a double homicide in Hanska, Minnesota, was arrested Sunday afternoon in Iowa following a high-speed pursuit. According to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, 45-year-old Randy Thomas Zimmerman of Courtland is accused of fatally shooting 32-year-old Tabitha Trescott of New Ulm and 50-year-old Justin Reinarts of Hanska early Sunday morning. Trescott’s son called 911 to report that his mother’s ex-boyfriend had broken into their home and opened fire. Both victims died from gunshot wounds to the head. Reinarts was a Hanska firefighter. Later that day, at approximately 3:45 p.m., the Louisa [...]

AETNA TOWNSHIP — A Belle Plaine man was injured Friday afternoon in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 23 in Pipestone County, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.  The crash happened at about 4:29 p.m. near milepost 45, when a southbound 2016 Peterbilt semi tractor and a southbound 2022 Ford F59 FedEx box truck collided.  The driver of the semi, 62-year-old Bradley Roger Stier of Belle Plaine, was taken to the Pipestone ER with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the FedEx truck, 21-year-old Efungo Kabute of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was not injured.  Both drivers were wearing seat belts, and alcohol was [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has verified that all evidentiary breath tests previously questioned due to operator data entry errors remain accurate.  The issue stemmed from incorrect alcohol concentration values entered by some law enforcement operators when replacing dry gas cylinders used in the state’s DataMaster (DMT) breath-testing instruments. The mistakes raised concerns about the validity of several hundred DWI cases statewide.  Following an internal review, BCA laboratory scientists recalculated each affected test using the correct cylinder values and confirmed that all control and breath tests fell within established accuracy margins. Notifications of the verified results are being sent to [...]

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — More than 440,000 Minnesotans will continue receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits after a court on Friday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use its contingency funds to keep the program running during the federal government shutdown. The temporary restraining order, issued in response to a lawsuit co-led by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, requires the USDA to draw from over $5 billion in contingency funds to continue SNAP payments nationwide. The ruling affects roughly 42 million Americans who rely on the program, including 180,000 children, 67,000 seniors, and 52,000 people with disabilities in [...]

LYON COUNTY — With Halloween, the end of daylight saving time, and the fall hunting season all approaching, Lyon County Sheriff Eric Wallen is reminding residents to stay alert and safe in the coming days. As children prepare to head out for trick-or-treating, Wallen encouraged families to practice caution and respect for others. “Be respectful of our neighbors and everyone’s property and be cautious walking down the streets,” he said. “When we come to intersections, make sure you stop, look both ways, and walk across the streets. Don’t cut across people’s yards.” Wallen also suggested that parents make sure kids are [...]

MARSHALL — No injuries were reported after a two-vehicle collision on Tuesday, according to the Marshall Police Department. At 1:47 Tuesday afternoon, a 2005 Chevy Equinox was traveling eastbound on C Street and traveling through the intersection when a 2023 GMC Acadia was traveling on East Lyon Street, and attempted to turn onto Main Street when the vehicles collided.  The driver of the Chevy, a 74-year-old Marshall man, was not injured.  The driver of the GMC, an 80-year-old Clarkfield woman, and her passenger, an 81-year-old Clarkfield man, were not injured. 

MARSHALL — A Marshall woman was hospitalized after a two-vehicle collision on Tuesday, according to the Marshall Police Department. At 9:49 Tuesday morning, a 2023 Ford F150 was traveling eastbound on East College Drive, and a 2008 GMC Yukon was traveling southbound on State Highway 23 when the vehicles collided in the intersection.   The driver of the GMC, a 25-year-old woman from Marshall, sustained possible injuries and was taken to Avera Hospital in Marshall. Her passengers, two juvenile males, were not injured.  The driver of the Ford, a 34-year-old man from Echo, was not injured. He was cited for failure [...]

COTTONWOOD, Minn. — The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive today, Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the Community Building, 142 West Main Street in Cottonwood. Donations will be accepted from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m.  Donors can give a standard whole blood donation, which takes about an hour, or a Power Red donation, which collects red cells while returning plasma and platelets to the donor. Power Red donors must meet specific eligibility requirements and have type A Negative, B Negative, or O blood.  Eligible donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, [...]

WASHINGTON—Millions of Americans are set to lose access to federal food assistance as the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that no Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will go out on November 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown.  The USDA posted a notice saying it will not use roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep the program running, stating bluntly, “the well has run dry.” SNAP helps about one in eight Americans afford groceries, and the funding halt raises concerns for families and food shelves nationwide.  Some states have pledged to continue benefits on their own, but the USDA [...]