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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Hundreds of people, some clutching candles or carrying flowers to lay in front of a memorial, gathered outside Minnesota’s Capitol on Wednesday evening for a vigil to remember a prominent state lawmaker and her husband who were gunned down at their home. As a brass quintet from the Minnesota Orchestra played, Gov. Tim Walz wiped away tears and comforted attendees at the gathering for former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Colin Hortman, the Hortmans’ son, embraced Walz and lay a photo of his parents [...]

A man is in custody after the person he lived with was found dead in the southern Minnesota home they shared, authorities said. The investigation started just after 2 a.m. Tuesday with an abandoned car on Highway 22 near the Terrace View Golf Course in Mapleton, according to the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office. Despite a witness's help, authorities could not find the driver. Deputies went to the Mapleton home of the vehicle's registered owner, where they found him dead "with obvious signs of trauma," the sheriff's office said. Police have not shared his age or identity. Authorities eventually found and [...]

The Minnesota State High School League Robotics Tournament was held in St Paul at Concordia College, Gangelhoff Center, on Saturday. The MSHSL began hosting robotics tournaments in 2012 and has remained a single class tournament regardless of school size for the state’s approximately 200 FIRST robotics teams. The game is played by two alliances made up of 3 teams each playing in 3 vs 3 matches. Teams play seven qualification matches followed by 12 teams playing in a double elimination finals bracket. The top 36 robotics teams in the state qualified for the tournament based on performance and awards received at [...]

A living symbol of hope, resilience, and remembrance is coming to Fairmont High School, thanks to the determination and vision of 11-year-old Natalie Flaherty. On Thursday, May 29 at 1:00 PM, the public is invited to a special ceremony at the Performing Arts Center at Fairmont High School, where an Anne Frank Sapling—grown from the chestnut tree that once stood outside the secret annex where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary—will be planted. This rare honor places Fairmont among just 16 locations in the United States to receive a sapling from Anne Frank’s original tree. Other locations include the U.S. Capitol, [...]

Fairmont City Council will meet in special session at 3 p.m. on Thursday, April 10th in the City Hall Council Chambers. The agenda includes two topics: Continuation of Consideration of Undue Influence Allegations on a City Administrator by two Council Members, Individuals subject to City Council's Authority under Minnesota Statutes 13D.05, subdivision 2(b).   The two council members are 4th Ward representative Wayne Hasek and 1st Ward representative Jay Maynard.

The Blue Earth Police Department received a call Sunday evening that two gunshot victims were at the United Hospital District Emergency Room in Blue Earth. A 20 year-old woman, Alexia Andreoff of Blue Earth, and a 19 year-old man, Luis Hernandez of Blue Earth, were identified as the parties injured. Authorities secured the vehicle and the firearm believed to be involved in the incident. After investigation, it was determined the shooting was accidental. Andreoff was treated and released, while Hernandez' condition was not disclosed. The Blue Earth PD is seeking a charge of reckless discharge of a firearm. Faribault County Sheriff's [...]

March 26, 2025   A Slayton man was injured in a two-vehicle accident in Watonwan County on Tuesday morning. A Ford Trans Connect van driven by Scott Thomas Paukner, 58, of Slayton, collided with a GMC Sierra pickup driven by Wyatt Bryan Wentland, 21, of Trimont at the intersection of State Highway 4 and County Road 8 in Ormsby. Paukner was taken to the St. James Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Wentland was not injured according to the Minnesota State Patrol report.   At a special meeting on Tuesday, the Martin County Commissioners voted 4-1 to terminate the Martin County Justice [...]

PUBLIC NOTICE Please take notice that the Fairmont City Council will hold a Workshop on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 3:00 pm in the Council Chambers, located at 100 Downtown Plaza, Fairmont, MN. Council will hear from Investigator Hiller on the findings of the investigation on the consideration of undue influence allegations on a City Administrator by two councilmembers, individuals subject to City Council’s Authority under Minnesota Statutes, section 13D.05, subdivision 2(b). Betsy Steuber City Clerk

DULUTH - The Fairmont High School Robotics Team, known as MegaHertz 2847, won the Lake Superior Regional competition, held in Duluth over the weekend. The Fairmont team allied with Tonkabots of Mound-Westonka High School and Ferradermis of Whitewater High School in Wisconsin to form the winning Blue Alliance Team.   The Fairmont students were the Captain of the winning alliance and also won the Autonomous Award at the event, in which 54 teams of high school students from five different states competed.   The Fairmont-led alliance was able to defeat a team from Henry Sibley High School in St. Paul, Westby [...]

Press Release from the Martin County Sheriff   Thursday at approximately 6:14 pm, the Martin County Sheriff's Office responded to a domestic assault in the city of Truman, where an adult female had been shot in the chest with a pistol. The woman was transported to a local hospital. A male suspect has been identified as Kyle Jonathan Liford, age 32. Liford is possibly driving a 2002 Green Chevrolet Tahoe, Minnesota license plate NVU 782. As of Friday morning his location is unknown. A firearm was found and secured at the scene by law enforcement. If anyone has information about the [...]