News

Two people were killed in a pickup vs. semi collision near Alpha Monday afternoon. Mitchell Jarmer, 24, of Westbrook, Minnesota and Jacob Peterson, 26, of Dovray, Minnesota were both pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which took place at around 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of County Roads 29 and 34 north of Alpha. According to results of an investigation conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, a 2019 Peterbilt semi and bulk trailer driven by Landon Bell, 23, of Bryant, South Dakota, was traveling north on County Road 29 while a 2013 Dodge Ram 2500 driven by Jarmer [...]

A collision in Fairmont between a Martin County Sheriff's squad car and another vehicle resulted in injuries Tuesday afternoon. According to a report from the Minnesota State Patrol, a Martin County Sheriff's Office squad driven by 23 year-old Luis Fernando Figueroa of Fairmont was traveling eastbound on Blue Earth Avenue with emergency lights activated when it collided with a Chevy Equinox that was northbound on State Street. The occupants of the Equinox, driver 50 year-old Jeffrey Sean Lupke of Truman, and passenger 72 year-old Suzanne Lynn Lupke of Truman were transported to Mayo Clinic Health System Fairmont with believed non-life-threatening injuries. [...]

The Minnesota State Patrol reports that a 12-year-old Iowa boy has died following a fatal crash in Faribault County. It happened just before 11:30 p.m. Monday when a 2002 Chevy Silverado, eastbound on Interstate 90 entered the left ditch, crossed both eastbound lanes of traffic, and rolled into the south ditch. The location was in Foster Township near Mile Marker 140. The 12-year-old passenger in the vehicle died in the crash. The driver, 48-year-old Kyle Justin Backhaus of Des Moines, sustained life-threatening injuries and was brought to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. Both occupants were wearing their seatbelts, and no alcohol [...]

Jeff and Sue Greischar of Northrop are donating $70,000 towards the Fairmont Area Schools vocational building that is currently under construction. The building is expected to be completed prior to the start of the 2022-2023 school year. The $70,000 donation will be used for the following specific programs: $10,000 to fund accessibility/transportation and any other restrictive barriers for special education students to access the new vocational classes. This will encourage students with special needs to experience vocational programs that will lead into a skilled trade. $10,000 to fund scholarships for students to obtain tools they may use while attending vocational schools [...]

At a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the Fairmont Area School Board unanimously approved offering a contract to Andy Traetow to become the new Superintendent. Traetow had been serving as Co-Principal at Fairmont Jr/Sr High School. Traetow is a native of Jackson, Minnesota, and a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. He has been a teacher, coach, and administrator in the Fairmont Area Schools for more than a decade. Current Superintendent Joe Brown is leaving the district at the end of the month to take a job closer to his hometown of Clinton, Iowa, where he plans to eventually [...]

Federated Rural Electric’s 86th Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, August 4. Thanks to last year’s Bylaws amendment, this is the first year that ballots were mailed to all Federated members around July 1. Members who return their signed, barcoded, postage-paid envelope in the blank inner envelope with ballots will receive a $10 bill credit. Ballots must be received in Federated’s office by 4:30 p.m. August 3. Co-op members who misplaced their mailed ballots or prefer to may vote in person at the drive-in Annual Meeting that will be conducted August 4 at the Martin County Fairgrounds in Fairmont from 4:30 [...]

Schmeeckle Foundation Awards $196,929 in Grants The Schmeeckle Foundation recently approved grants totaling $196,929 for community enhancement projects in Martin County, Minnesota. These grants support the Schmeeckle Foundation’s three core focus areas: early childhood care and education, serving the disabled and elderly, and promoting the arts. The Schmeeckle Foundation is a private family foundation serving Martin County, Minnesota. Its mission is to carry on the legacy of long-time Martin County resident, Juanita Ellen (Teubner) Schmeeckle, to provide grants for the betterment of Martin County. "The Schmeeckle Foundation Grants are designed to support projects which are innovative, involve collaboration, and achieve sustainable, [...]

MANKATO, Minn. – Highway 169 motorists between Winnebago and Vernon Center are advised to expect delays beginning Monday, July 26 as contractors being work to resurface the highway. Work will be completed through the use of flaggers during daylight hours, and the project is expected to be finished before September 17, weather permitting. The project includes resurfacing more than 13 miles of highway, as well as guardrail improvements, from the northern city limits of Winnebago to Kendall Street in Vernon Center. Minnesota Paving & Materials of Rogers was awarded the project with a bid of $4,231,372. For more information on 2021 [...]

FAIRMONT AREA SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT JOE BROWN SUBMITTED HIS RESIGNATION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD EFFECTIVE JULY 31ST, 2021. BROWN HAS ACCEPTED A TEMPORARY SUPERINTENDENT POSITION AT A SCHOOL DISTRICT NEAR TO HIS HOMETOWN OF CLINTON, IOWA, WHERE HE PLANS TO EVENTUALLY RETIRE. BROWN HAS BEEN THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE FAIRMONT AREA SCHOOLS SINCE 2010. IN COMING DAYS, THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL BE TAKING ACTION TO FIND EITHER AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT FOR THE COMING YEAR OR A PERMANENT REPLACEMENT. THE BOARD LAST NIGHT ALSO SET ACTIVITY FEES, ADMISSION PRICES TO SPORTING EVENTS, AND MEAL PRICES FOR THE COMING YEAR. ALL ARE UNCHANGED FROM [...]

THE FAIRMONT AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEETS TUESDAY, JULY 13TH AT 5 P.M. IN THE CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. ITEMS ON THE AGENDA INCLUDE: A PRESENTATION FROM THE SOUTH CENTRAL SERVICE COOPERATIVE ON THE SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT, WITH CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT JOE BROWN RETIRING AFTER THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR. APPROVAL OF MEAL PRICES, ACTIVITIES FEES AND ADMISSION PRICES FOR ATHLETIC EVENTS FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR. THE PRINICPALS CONTRACT SETTLEMENT AND OTHER PERSONNEL ISSUES, AND A REVIEW OF THE LONG-TERM FACILITIES MAINTENANCE PLAN WILL ALSO TAKE PLACE AT TUESDAY'S MEETING.