WILLMAR --  The Highway 12 railroad overpass bridge just east of Kandiyohi County Road 55 in Willmar will be closed for repairs beginning Monday, May 6, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Work is scheduled to take three working days, weather permitting. A detour is required to make the repairs and travelers will be routed to Kandiyohi County Road 55, Highway 40, and Kandiyohi County Road 5. Crews will be repairing the approach panel, which has settled since it was constructed as part of the Willmar Rail Connector and Industrial Access Design-Build project, also known as the Willmar Wye. A [...]

WORTHINGTON -- A fatal traffic accident occurred yesterday afternoon in Nobles County, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. At approximately 5:15 Tuesday afternoon, a 1991 GMC pickup was traveling northbound on Highway 60 in the southbound lanes and a 2005 Trao semi was traveling southbound on Highway 60 when the vehicles collided head on.  Two people were involved in the fatal collision, a 33-year-old man from Worthington and a 45-year-old man from Shevlin. The identity and health status of the occupants will be released by the Minnesota State Patrol later today.   Assistance was provided by Nobles County Sheriff’s Office, Worthington Fire [...]

WILLMAR – Beginning June 3, MnDOT will be resurfacing Highway 23, from Pipestone to Russell. A culvert will be replaced near Florence, and culverts will be lined along the project corridor. In addition, the bridge deck east of the Hwy 23 and Highway 75 intersection in Pipestone will be replaced.  Portions of Highway 23 will be open to traffic from Pipestone to Russell during resurfacing. Two detours are required to complete the bridge projects.   The detour for the Florence culvert replacement begins June 3 and will be in place for about two months. The detour for the Pipestone bridge replacement [...]

MARSHALL – Southwest Minnesota State University held their 24-hour fundraising event, M4L Day yesterday. This was the third year of this event’s existence and raised $78,707 from 403 donors. Donors were able to log on to m4lday.com and donate funds to various causes, groups, organizations, and departments.  The website is giving donors the option to add to their total today if they're feeling extra generous. Leading the way was SMSU Athletics, which received over $46,000. The North Star Mutual School of Business raised over $4,500 and the Mustang Market food pantry collected over $4,200 in donations. The goal of raising $100,000 [...]

Minnesota FFA Star Farmer Isaac Lendt, Sleepy Eye   The Minnesota FFA Star Farmer is awarded to the FFA member that demonstrates the top production agriculture supervised agricultural experience in the state. The member must demonstrate outstanding achievement, active FFA participation and an exemplary scholastic record.    Best Informed Greenhand Individual T-9th Ethan Evans Sleepy Eye  Team 4 Sleepy Eye 248 Gold  15 Redwood Valley 213 Gold  28 Tracy Area 173 Silver  30 Yellow Medicine East 170 Silver  31 Cedar Mountain 168 Silver  59 Springfield 103 Bronze  63 Canby 46 Bronze    Companion Animal Individual 6 Alexis Altmann Redwood Valley  Team [...]

MARSHALL -- Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) is once again hosting its highly anticipated annual event, the M4L Day (Mustangs 4 Life Day). This day serves as a rallying point, bringing together alumni, friends, students, parents, faculty, and staff for the university's Third Annual Day of Giving.  This year, there are over $10,000 in challenges and special incentives available, aimed at encouraging participation and generosity. From cumulative challenges to time-sensitive bonuses, every gift contributes to the university's growth and success.  The M4L Day has seen remarkable growth since its inception, with nearly $33,000 raised in its first year and close to $65,000 [...]

MARSHALL -- Starting May 1st, Marshall Community Services (MCS) is launching FinnlySport, a state-of-the-art registration and scheduling software. As of May 1st, the old registration system will no longer be in use. To ensure seamless access to our programs and activities, residents can create an account on FinnlySport for themselves, their families, and businesses.   After creating your account, be sure to join the "Online Registration Raffle" for a chance to win a family pool or open skate season pass!   Simply visit https://com.finnlyconnect.com/ and click "Create An Account."  Need help getting started? Watch the instructional video on the Marshall Community Services Facebook [...]

SACRED HEART -- The Renville County Sheriff's Office responded to a call on Wednesday morning at approximately 7:37 to a report of a 15-year-old pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Walnut Street and 5th Avenue in Sacred Heart.   Upon arrival, emergency responders discovered the injured teenager, a resident of Sacred Heart, who had been struck by a vehicle that subsequently fled the scene. The victim was transported to Granite Falls Hospital for treatment and was later discharged.  Efforts to apprehend the driver were successful, with law enforcement locating both the vehicle and its 16-year-old driver [...]

MARSHALL -- Marshall  sought additional grant funding for a shared-use path near Marshall Middle School and Southview Elementary. The City Council supported the grant application.  The trail project was planned for 2025, connecting existing bike trails. It starts near C Street and Progress Drive, passing Marshall Middle School and Southview Elementary, with a branch leading to the elementary school. Marshall received nearly $400,000 in federal funding for the project in 2020, but the total cost exceeded $700,000. The city applied for state Active Transportation Grant funds to cover the shortfall. Without additional grants, funding would have come from municipal state aid street [...]

MARSHALL -- Minnesota Pheasants Forever's Gun-A-Week raffle, organized by local volunteers, offers 54 chances to win firearms while supporting conservation efforts. Winners are announced weekly on the organization's website and social media. Recent winner Al Castor of Marshall claimed a Savage Axs II Package 6.5 Creedmoor Bolt rifle, with his ticket sold by the Lyon County chapter in Week #17. The raffle, funding Pheasants Forever's mission, relies on ticket sales by volunteers across the state. Each ticket sold contributes to wildlife habitat conservation and outdoor recreation promotion. Congratulations to Al Castor and all winners, and gratitude to supporters of Minnesota Pheasants [...]