With Kamala Harris and Tim Walz leading the Democratic ticket, the question remains whether their performance at the Democratic National Convention has shifted the race for the White House. Hamline University analyst David Schultz commented on the uncertainty: "All the evidence is that Harris has excited the Democratic base. The question is still out regarding whether her speech or whether the entire convention really persuaded those very few undecided voters, especially in the swing states. And that's what we don't know yet." Schultz noted that the next few weeks will reveal whether Harris and Walz's post-convention bump in the polls will [...]

MARSHALL -- Marshall unveiled the name of its new aquatic center, "The Splash!," during a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Sounds of Summer festival. The name, chosen with input from local students and the community, will adorn the facility to be built near West College Drive and Saratoga Street.  The current municipal pool, dating back to 1937, faces significant issues, including leaks and outdated systems. To fund the new center, the city extended a local sales tax, with voters approving the measure in a November 2023 election.  A community committee is now working to raise an additional $1 million for extra amenities [...]

MARSHALL -- The Sounds of Summer festival in Marshall offers a packed weekend of events. Today's highlights include the Friends of the Library Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Marshall Amateur Hockey Association Golf Scramble from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Family Fun Night on the festival grounds from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., featuring food vendors, inflatables, and a beer garden. The Marshall Aquatic Center groundbreaking will take place at 6 p.m., followed by a performance from The White Keys at 7 p.m. Saturday kicks off with the Marshall Farmers Market at 7:30 a.m., the Rotary [...]

Marshall, MN – The ceremonial groundbreaking for the city’s new aquatic park will take place on Friday, August 23rd, at 6:00 p.m. during the Sounds of Summer festival. The event marks a significant milestone in the project and will unveil the name of the new facility. The groundbreaking will be held at the future site of the park, located at 101 West Saratoga Street, near the corner of Saratoga and West College Drive, adjacent to Schwan’s Corporate Headquarters.

MARSHALL – The Marshall Sounds of Summer festival kicks off today, offering four days of events and entertainment. Today's activities include the Friends of the Library Book Sale from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Marshall Lyon County Library (MLCL) and a drive-in movie screening of The Last Unicorn at 8:30 PM in the MLCL parking lot. The Lyon County Relay For Life begins at 5 PM on the festival grounds, featuring food vendors, a chili cook-off, SINGO, and live music by Trina Thomas. The evening concludes with a candlelit lap during a dusk ceremony. Friday’s schedule includes the library [...]

WOOD LAKE -- The Wood Lake Community Fair wraps up today with activities for the whole family. Visitors can join a scavenger hunt, with rules available at the hamburger stand. The hunt ends at noon, but the fun continues throughout the day.  From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., the hamburger stand will be open, while the exhibit hall at the Community Center welcomes guests from 4-6 p.m. and 7:30-8:30 p.m. A pie and ice cream social runs from 4:30-8:30 p.m.  The evening’s activities include a kiddie parade at 6 p.m., followed by the grand parade at 6:30 p.m. Midwest Rides carnival [...]

FALCON HEIGHTS -- With just one day to go until the Minnesota State Fair opens, vendors are putting the final touches on their booths in preparation for the 7 a.m. opening on Thursday. Spokesperson Maria Hayden reassures that everything will be ready, and highlights the new Official Minnesota State Fair app, which features interactive maps, a new foods list, vendor locations, and daily schedules to help visitors plan their day. Despite some restrictions due to bird flu, the Miracle of Birth Center will still feature live births, though there will be limitations on live dairy calf births. Hayden explains, "There may [...]

MORGAN -- Two people were injured after a semi collided with a motorhome on Highway 67 in Redwood County on Tuesday, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. At approximately 3:02 Tuesday afternoon, a 2007 Kenworth semi was traveling eastbound on State Highway 67 and a 1999 Ford motorhome was traveling southbound on County Road 13 when they collided in the intersection.  The driver of the Ford, 77-year-old Marilyn Kay Lacourse of Springfield, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the Redwood hospital.   The driver of the Kenworth, 26-year-old Sergio Salazar Barron of Cadereyta, Mexico, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was also [...]

MARSHALL -- The Marshall Area YMCA gymnasium will be closed from August 26th to September 2nd for floor refinishing. Regular gym activities will resume at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3rd. Additionally, the YMCA will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, in observance of Labor Day. The YMCA team looks forward to welcoming members back to a refreshed gym floor.

WILLMAR -- Kelly Brunkhorst has been appointed as the new district engineer for MnDOT District 8, which covers 13 counties in southwestern Minnesota. She begins her role on August 19, succeeding Jon Huseby, who retired on August 16. Brunkhorst, a civil engineering graduate from North Dakota State University, has been with MnDOT since 2000, most recently serving as assistant district engineer for construction. In her new position, she will oversee planning, design, construction, and maintenance operations across the district.