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FAIRMONT – Community leaders and economic development experts gathered Thursday to discuss priorities for Fairmont’s future as Region Nine Development Commission develops a long-term economic strategy for South Central Minnesota. The 20-year plan will focus on jobs, housing, childcare, infrastructure and quality of life, while helping communities qualify for state and federal grants. Among Fairmont’s biggest needs identified were expanding childcare, keeping young people in the community after graduation and strengthening manufacturing through agricultural technology and automation. Participants also stressed the need for stronger partnerships, leadership and accountability to turn ideas into action. Fairmont Opera House Executive Director Blake Potthoff said [...]

(undated) Deer hunters in designated southern Minnesota permit areas will be required to have adult deer tested for Chronic Wasting Disease during this opening weekend of the firearms season. The Minnesota D-N-R says the mandatory testing is part of a rotating C-W-D surveillance program covering 36 deer permit areas across southern Minnesota. Hunters who harvest a deer age one year or older in those areas must have it sampled. Deer must be registered before testing, and hunters will need their D-N-R license number and the township, range and section or GPS coordinates of where the deer was harvested. Staffed sampling stations [...]

(Fairmont) Windom Area Health's new Fairmont Clinic celebrated its opening Thursday with a community open house and ribbon cutting, giving residents a chance to tour the facility and meet its medical staff. Located inside the Victoria State Crossing Building, the clinic officially opened in early October and currently offers general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and urology services. Future plans include adding primary and acute care, lab services and imaging in early 2027, followed by expanded acute care hours and an on-site surgery center in the spring. The Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors also held a ribbon cutting, welcoming the new [...]

Martin County residents will have a chance to voice their opinions on the proposed PowerOn Midwest 765-kilovolt transmission line during a public hearing next Thursday, November 12th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fox Lake Event Center in Sherburn. The proposed line would cross southern Minnesota, including Martin County, as part of a route connecting South Dakota to Dakota County. The project needs approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, which is seeking public input on its necessity and potential environmental impacts. The hearing will include opportunities for residents to speak and ask questions. The project has already faced [...]

The Faribault County Board of Commissioners received an update Tuesday from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation on its investments in local communities. SMIF President and CEO Benya Kraus highlighted grants benefiting area libraries and schools, a business loan to Nutra-Boss Incorporated and a 10-thousand-dollar grant to the city of Elmore for sports equipment lockers at Wildcat Activity Park. Kraus said for every dollar Faribault County contributes to SMIF, 12 dollars are invested back into local communities. In other business, commissioners approved a resolution opposing the proposed PowerOn Midwest 765-kilovolt transmission line project while supporting affected landowners. The board also approved the [...]

(Fairmont) A Fairmont man has been sentenced in Martin County District Court on a gross misdemeanor DWI conviction stemming from an August incident involving an electric scooter. Forty-one-year-old Brandon John Hemann pleaded guilty in September to second-degree driving while impaired. Court records show he was sentenced November 3rd to 364 days in jail, with 274 days stayed for two years. After credit for time served, he has 46 days remaining, which he can serve on electronic home monitoring with an alcohol sensor or in jail. The incident happened August 19th, when police received complaints of a man on an electric scooter [...]

Bruce Borntrager will be the new Mayor of Trimont. He won 57.7% of the vote. Josh Paulson and Jon Holtz were the winners in a six candidate field for city council. They will now work in turning around a city that has seen some turmoil in recent years. Just recently the members of the Trimont Fire Department received 10 months of back pay after numerous delays. Borntrager campaigned on leading with better communication and transparency, accountability and follow-through, responsible use of taxpayer dollars, clear roles in City government, planning for trees and parks, working with MCW on the future of its [...]

(Undated) In local school board elections the MCW school district elected Paul Schoen, Sam Meixell and Brandon Clarke to the board. In Fairmont there were three running for the School board so Michael Edman, Jen Harris and Betsy Tino will serve the Fairmont School District. Jackson County Central elected Kylla Hummel, Nolan Schuller and Shelly Hotzler to the board and the school referendum passed at JCC by slim margin of 132 votes. The referendum replaces a current $460 per pupil funding level and increases it to $1460 per student. School officials warned that drastic reductions would have had to take place [...]

(Minnesota) Amy Klobuchar is becoming the first woman elected governor of Minnesota.  Klobuchar campaigned on lowering costs, fighting fraud in state programs and restoring public trust.  In her victory speech, she pledged to audit the state government and to use technology to detect and prevent fraud.  Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan is making history as the first Native American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate. Jake Johnson has appeared to narrowly defeat incumbent Brand Finstad in Minnesota’s First Congressional District. Johnson was up by less than 350 votes which automatically triggers a recount so we will have more on [...]

(Fairmont) – Jerome Niss will be the next mayor of Fairmont, winning 50 percent of the vote in a six-candidate race. Tabitha Johnson will join the Fairmont City Council, winning the Ward One seat with 59 percent of the vote, defeating incumbent Jay Maynard. In Ward Three, incumbent Randy Lubenow narrowly defeated Hollee Klesh, receiving 47 percent of the vote to Klesh's 41 percent. Fairmont voters also approved all three proposed city charter amendments. The measures address city council members serving on the charter commission, procedures for filling charter commission vacancies, and city council oversight of Fairmont Public Utilities purchases and [...]