News

The teams from Dassel-Cokato, Rocori and Fairmont formed this year’s winning alliance at the Robotics State Tournament. That alliance defeated the teams from Bloomington Jefferson/Kennedy, Hermantown and Burnsville 166-153 in a tie-breaker. This was the first title for all three teams in the championship alliance. The Rocori Ratcheteers were part of last year’s runner-up alliance with Irondale and Breck School. The alliance of Becker, Pequot Lakes and Greenbush-Middle River claimed third place honors this year. Becker and Greenbush-Middle River were part of the 2022 championship alliance. This year’s competition was CHARGED UPSM presented by Haas. In the event, competing alliances bring energy to [...]

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The late pop superstar Prince will have a highway named after him in his home state, following a vote by Minnesota lawmakers Thursday. The Senate vote was 55-5 to rename the highway that runs past Prince’s Paisley Park museum and studios. Among those watching was his oldest sister, Sharon Nelson. The bill passed the House unanimously last month on the seventh anniversary of Prince’s death, and now goes to Gov. Tim Walz, who is expected to sign. Purple signs will soon go up along a seven-mile stretch of State Highway 5 in the Minneapolis suburbs of Chanhassen and [...]

MINNEAPOLIS – Jackie Rahm Little, aka Joel Arthur Tueting, has been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint with arson following fires at two Minneapolis mosques, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. Little was apprehended and arrested last night in Mankato by the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office and taken into federal custody today by FBI and ATF agents, with assistance from the Minneapolis and St. Paul Police Departments. According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Little, 36, started a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center. On April 24, 2023, just [...]

Six of sixteen Fairmont High School speech team members qualified for the finals at the State Class A Speech Tournament, held Saturday at Eastview High School in Apple Valley. Winning medals for Fairmont:   4th Place - Solveig Senf, Discussion 4th Place - Dominic Lund-May, Extemporaneous Speaking 5th Place - Isaiah Lockwood, Great Speeches Finalist - Alayna Haefner, Original Oratory Finalist - Andrew Haefner, Extemporaneous Speaking Finalist - Bel Lutterman, Prose   Congratulations to all the Cardinal students on a fantastic season.

A 38 year-old man from Wells has died as the result of a motorcycle/motor vehicle collision north of Granada. At 4:21 p.m. Thursday, emergency personnel were dispatched to a report of an injury accident at the intersection of 170th Street and 260th Avenue (County Road 53) north of Granada. The driver of the motorcycle, identified as Jeremy Otto of Wells, MN, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the vehicle, Andrew Olson, age 30, of Fairmont, was treated at the scene for injuries and released, according to a press release by the Martin County Sheriff's office. The accident remains [...]

Arbor Day Celebration Friday, April 28 @ 1:30 pm NE Corner of S Prairie Avenue/State Street Intersection   You are invited to our annual Arbor Day Celebration! Ms. Nelson’s SJV 4th grade students will perform a short program prior to assisting City Forester Chad Striemer plant a White Oak tree. In case of inclement weather, the program will be held at the Public Works Facility located at 801 E. Margaret Street. The Park Department would then plant the tree at a later date. A white oak tree will be planted this year. The white oak is a large, strong, imposing specimen [...]

The Minnesota Speech Coaches Association (MSCA) has released the names of 105 speech competitors, representing 45 different high schools, who have earned a spot on the 2023 MSCA All-State Speech Team. To qualify for All-State recognition, speakers must achieve a series of milestones established by the MSCA. Those qualifications include being a senior in high school, documented excellence in competition, including competing on subsection/section teams and at least one appearance at the MSHSL State Speech Tournament, and utilizing their speech skills in at least three other activities, such as National Honor Society, dramatics, or athletics. Community engagement is also part of [...]