News

The Fairmont High School Speech team recently completed a successful season with impressive results at the National Speech Competition in Des Moines.   Freshman Leon Yang made it to the quarterfinals, finishing 15th in a field of 258 contestants. Yang was this season's MSHSL Champion in the Humorous category.   Juniors Grace Simpson and Oliver Thedens finished in 46th place in the field of 254 contestants in their category, Duo Interpretation.   Junior Dominick Lund-May finished in the top 120 of the Impromptu category.   Allie Streit and Bel Lutterman competed in the supplemental Prose and Expository categories.   Fairmont coaches [...]

The Fairmont Economic Development Authority usually meets on the second Monday of each month, however, this month the meeting will be moved to Monday, July 15th. FEDA will meet that day at 4:30 p.m. at the Fairmont City Hall second floor conference room. If you have any questions about this month's meeting, contact Fairmont EDA director Ned Koppen at 507-238-9461.

The fifth annual Minnesota Youth Livestock Expo (MYLE) Livestock Show will be held on the Martin County Fairgrounds in Fairmont, Minnesota June 27-30. The event will feature 4-H and FFA members and other youth livestock exhibitors from throughout Minnesota showcasing their top-notch beef, sheep, goats and rabbits. Many of these livestock exhibits will be shown at county fairs, the Minnesota State Fair, and other livestock shows later this summer. There are over 1,400 entries for the MYLE Show in Fairmont. There are an additional 875 entries for the MYLE Swine Show, which will be held July 12-14 at the Mower County [...]

The 45th Annual Fairmont Summer Run coordinated by Fairmont CER and the Fairmont Area Runners is happening on Saturday, July 27th. Once again, the headquarters for this year's run is at the Fairmont High School Field House. The races will be run on quiet streets and asphalt trails. All races will start and finish at Bob Bonk Track. The 5-mile run starts at 8:30 a.m., 2-mile run starts at 9:30 a.m., ¼ Mile Run (9 & under) starts at 10:00 a.m., ½ Mile Run (13 & under) starts at 10:05 a.m. Awards ceremony at 10:15. Race Day registration at Fairmont High [...]

Emmet County Sheriff Mike Martens was arrested over the weekend on a charge of Operating While Intoxicated in Dickinson County. The 61-year-old Martens was arrested at around 8:50 pm Saturday at the Marble Beach State Recreation Area, on the west side of Big Spirit Lake. According to the criminal complaint, Martens was observed by an officer driving a Honda side-by-side that drove past two signs that clearly stated that golf carts and side-by-sides were prohibited. According to the complaint, when the officer exited his vehicle, Martens pulled over to him. Martens was asked if he had a license and stated that [...]

Two men arrested in a shooting incident in rural Truman last July have pleaded guilty to felonies and been sentenced to prison.  19-year-old Lavont Shaw of Owatonna pled guilty to four counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and will serve a total of 144 months.  He has started serving his sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.  Shaw was also fined over $6800. 21-year-old Matthew Davis of Owatonna pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and abetting second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.  He has also started serving his sentence of 36 months for each count at [...]

At 6:20 a.m. on May 31, 2024, the Emmet County Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a shots fired incident in the 5400 block of 120th Avenue outside Armstrong, Iowa. The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office responded and discovered a male subject who had sustained a single gunshot wound. The subject was transported by ambulance to Avery Holy Family Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. There is no danger to the public at this time. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, Armstrong Ambulance Service, and the Emmet County [...]

The Prairie Star Quilt Guild  will meet on Monday, June 10th at the Fairmont Evangelical Covenant Church, 901 Woodland Ave., Fairmont, MN 56031. The quilt board will meet at 12:30 pm and the regular membership meeting will begin at 1:30 pm. Karen Lester will speak on dyeing fabric and fibers.  Sew and share will follow the meeting. The evening group will meet at 5:30 pm at Jake's Pizza. For more information, contact President Elisa Kotewa at 507-236-3144.

The 1975 murder of Joann Bontjes in Martin County has never been solved, but law enforcement officials are keeping the case open with the help of some outside assistance. The next CREST Lunch & Learn will take place on Monday, June 10th at 11:00am at the Senior Citizens Center, located at 21 East 1st Street in Sherburn. The program will feature retired St. James police chief Don Mickelson, who has been researching the case for many years and has helped local officials get closer to solving it. A lunch will follow the program. If you plan to attend this event, please [...]