OLIVIA, MN -- A 26-year-old Olivia man is facing multiple felony charges after a violent incident involving a knife and threats of gun violence last week.  Alejandro Vela II has been charged in Renville County District Court with second-degree assault, threats of violence, fourth-degree assault, and fifth-degree assault following a May 14 confrontation at his residence on Maple Avenue.  According to the criminal complaint, the victim reported being punched multiple times and chased by Vela, who was allegedly armed with a large kitchen knife. Vela also reportedly threatened to retrieve a firearm and shoot the victim.  Due to concerns about a potential [...]

MARSHALL -- Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) will undergo a planned campus-wide power outage this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 17-18, 2025, to perform preventative maintenance on electrical switches and transformers. Power will be shut off at 5:00 a.m. Saturday and is expected to be restored by 9:00 p.m. Sunday. While power may return sooner, campus officials advise planning for the full outage period. The outage will affect all academic, administrative, athletic, and residence hall buildings, except for the Foundation Apartments, which will remain powered. To ensure safety, only electrical contractors and authorized staff will be permitted on campus during the [...]

MARSHALL — The Lyon County Historical Society has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Minnesota Historical Society to begin updating the "Life on the Prairie" exhibit at the Lyon County Museum. The grant is part of the latest round of Minnesota Historical and Cultural Heritage Small Grants, which provided $241,168 to 28 projects in 17 counties. The museum will use the funds to hire a consultant who will research the early history of the Lyon County area. This research is the first step in a multi-phase process to refresh the basement exhibit, which features a log cabin and covered wagon [...]

MARSHALL — A recent community garage sale at Boulder Creek Assisted Living successfully raised enough funds to purchase a therapeutic dementia swing for its residents. Organized by the facility’s staff and supported by local residents, the fundraiser included donated goods, baked items, and volunteer efforts. In the days following the sale, additional contributions helped close an $800 funding gap, allowing the team to reach its goal. The new swing, a Whisper Glide model, is designed specifically for individuals with dementia. According to Boulder Creek staff, it offers therapeutic and safety features intended to enhance quality of life and encourage family bonding. [...]

SAINT PAUL, MN – Governor Tim Walz has ordered all U.S. and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff today in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day. The tribute recognizes law enforcement officers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty. In his proclamation, Walz also declared this week as Police Week in Minnesota. Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset. The state mourns the loss of five officers in 2024: Burnsville Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, Minneapolis Officer Jamal Mitchell, Voyageurs National Park Ranger Kevin Grossheim, and Red Lake Officer Jesse Branch.

MARSHALL — The Marshall City Council has authorized legal action against the owners of Broadmoor Valley mobile home park over alleged city code violations, following a rise in resident complaints and stalled cooperation from the property owners. The council voted this week to allow the law firm Kennedy & Graven to pursue enforcement measures to bring the park into compliance. A recent issue involved the installation of a locked gate at one of the park’s two entrances, limiting access to only Saratoga Street. City zoning regulations require manufactured home parks to maintain at least two access points to public roads. Attempts [...]

OLIVIA, MN — A tense standoff in Olivia ended peacefully Wednesday afternoon after a man barricaded himself inside a home following a reported knife threat. Authorities say the incident began around 12:42 p.m. when a 22-year-old man called 911, claiming he had been chased by a 26-year-old man with a knife. The suspect then entered a residence in the 600 block of East Maple Avenue, where he remained alone for nearly three hours. Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, including the Olivia Police Department, Renville County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, and the Brown Lyon Redwood Renville Emergency Response Team (BLRR ERU). [...]

GRANITE FALLS, MN — A brush fire burned 146 acres of wildland near Highway 167 in Yellow Medicine County on Sunday afternoon. The Granite Falls Fire Department was dispatched at 2:23 p.m. and requested help from multiple agencies. Responding agencies included the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Hanley Falls, Sacred Heart, Wood Lake, Clarkfield, Renville, Maynard, and Montevideo fire departments, along with the Granite Falls Police Department, Yellow Medicine County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota State Patrol, MnDOT, Xcel Energy, Upper Sioux Emergency Management, and Wildland Fire crews. The fire damaged fence posts, power poles, and hunting stands. Defensive efforts protected nearby buildings, [...]

MARSHALL -- Southwest Minnesota State University will hold its 57th Commencement on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. in the R/A Facility on campus.  A total of 384 undergraduate and graduate students will participate in the ceremony, out of 564 eligible graduates. Master’s degree recipients will receive their academic hoods as they cross the stage.  The commencement address will be delivered by Ryan Martin, a 2002 SMSU alumnus, former Mustang wheelchair basketball standout, non-profit executive, adaptive sports director for the City University of New York, and former professional athlete.  The Outstanding Senior Award will also be announced during the event.  [...]

OLIVIA, MN — A pickup truck rolled over after colliding with a semi early Thursday morning in Renville County, authorities reported.  The crash occurred around 5:46 a.m. on County Road 1, just north of County Road 4, about 8 miles south of Danube. A 2015 Ford F150 driven by 46-year-old Ryan Hendrickson of Richland, Washington, was found overturned in a ditch. A 2018 Freightliner semi, driven by 43-year-old Wade Hillmer of Redwood Falls, was located nearby on the road’s shoulder.  According to the Renville County Sheriff’s Office, Hendrickson was heading south when his pickup drifted into the northbound lane and struck [...]