Blue Earth Area School District voters have approved both questions in a more than 73-million-dollar bond referendum. With all 24 precincts reporting, Question One passed with nearly 56 percent of the vote, 1,450 to 1,160. The measure authorizes up to 63.3 million dollars for a new Pre-K through sixth-grade elementary ...

The field has been narrowed in the race for Faribault County Commissioner in District Four. With all eight precincts reporting, Arron Kalis received the most votes with 341, or just over 40 percent. Jacob Kral finished second with 284 votes, or nearly 34 percent. Dana James Gates received 169 votes, about 20 percent, w...

Minnesota corn development continues to move ahead, according to the latest USDA Crop Progress Report. As of Sunday, 96% of Minnesota corn was silking, while 66% had reached the dough stage and 16% was dented. Overall 71% of the state's corn was rated good to excellent. In Iowa, 97% of corn was silking, 69% was in the ...

Farmers now have more time to apply for federal disaster assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the deadline for Stages 1 and 2 of the program to September 30th, 2026. The program provides more than $16 billion in assistance to farmer who suffered qu...

A large hog barn fire near Bricelyn Friday afternoon resulted in the loss of one farrowing barn and 624 pigs. The Faribault County Sheriff's Office received the 911 call around 1:44pm after Frost Fire Chief Nick Olson spotted the fire while passing the hog site at 49391 110th Street. The fire was contained to the south...

Attention Foster Township and City of Walters: Due to water damage at the Walters Community Center, the Tuesday Primary Election will be held at United Lutheran Church at 224 West 3rd Street in Walters. Polls will be open from 7am until 8pm.

Blue Earth City Administrator Dawn Collins updated the City Council on Monday on several community activities and upcoming projects. Collins reported City Hall welcomed 11 students participating in the American Exchange Program, along with four Blue Earth Area students, on July 28th. The group learned about local gove...

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor show dry conditions continuing across parts of southeastern Minnesota, while northern Iowa is faring better. Locally, Faribault County is largely in moderate drought, while Martin County is mainly abnormally dry, with some in moderate drought. Across the border, Kossuth and Winnebago cou...

Faribault County Commissioners received an update on Tuesday on the proposed Power On Midwest Transmission Line Project. The proposed 765 kilovolt line would stretch from South Dakota to the Wisconsin border, with current routes crossing Faribault County. Commissioner Bruce Anderson said county officials recently met w...

Faribault County Public Works Director April Wellman updated commissioners this week on several road and bridge projects across the county. Wellman reported that reconstruction of County Road 19 between Highway 16 and County Road 109 near Easton is substantially complete, with only a few final punch list items remainin...

The Martin County Board of Commissioners are keeping the current wheelage tax in place, at least for now. County Engineer Kevin Peyman told commissioners the ten dollar annual tax on vehicle registrations brings in about $220,000 a year and has generated nearly $2.8 million since 2013. He said the money helps stretch ...

A Blue Earth County jury has awarded more than $3.1 million to former Good Thunder City Clerk Ashney Helleksen in a whistleblower lawsuit against the city. Jurors found Helleksen's reports of suspected legal violations and her cooperation with a Minnesota Office of the State Auditor investigation were motivating factor...

A growing agri-technology company could receive a 10 year property tax abatement as it plans a major investment in Blue Earth. The Blue Earth City Council is being asked to approve a tax agreement for Devenish Nutrition, which plans to purchase the former Nortech building in the West Industrial Park. The company says ...

Corn development continues to run ahead of normal in both Minnesota and Iowa. In Minnesota, 93% of the corn crop has reached the silking stage, up from 87% last week and ahead of the five year average of 86%. Nearly half the crop, 46% has reached the dough stage, well ahead of the 28% average, while 5% is now dented. ...

Recent rainfall has helped ease drought conditions in parts of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, but much of the region remains drier than normal heading into August. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor shows most of southern Minnesota is in moderate drought, with a large area of severe drought stretching across south ...