News

On Friday, District Judge John Sandy filed a scheduling order to set a plea and sentencing hearing for 42yo Nathaniel Kassel of Rock Rapids in connection with the fatal shooting of his mother, 62yo Jody Duskin, last March in Sheldon. The hearing is scheduled to take place on September 18th at 8:30 am in O'Brien County District Court, with details of the plea agreement yet to be publicly released.   Kassel had initially pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge and was scheduled to stand trial next month. He was arrested two days after the shooting while in South Dakota, [...]

A man has died while in the custody of the Faribault Police Department and State authorities are conducting an investigation into the case. The department said that officers performed a traffic stop late on Saturday, Sept. 2, after the driver was in and out of consciousness. The driver was taken into custody without incident and an ambulance was called. However, he became unresponsive while being transported to Rice County jail pending DWI charges. The officers attempted life-saving efforts and Narcan was administered, but he was pronounced deceased at Allina Health Faribault Medical Center. Faribault Police Chief John Sherwin issued a statement, [...]

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) has expanded the current air quality alert to include the western half of Minnesota. The alert now runs until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. The affected area includes Brainerd, Alexandria, Albert Lea, Marshall, Worthington, Ortonville, Mankato, Bemidji, East Grand Forks, Moorhead, International Falls, Hibbing, Ely, Roseau, and the tribal nations of Upper Sioux, Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, and Red Lake. The alert has also been upgraded to Red AQI for western Minnesota.

The next deadline is September 22  for Operation Round Up funds from Federated Rural Electric’s Trust Board. Operation Round Up involves 77 percent of Federated's members in Jackson and Martin Counties; they allow their monthly electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest dollar amount. The "rounded up" change goes into a trust fund. An independent Trust Board, which consists of Federated members, evaluates local funding requests and distributes the funds. The application form can be downloaded from Federated’s website: www.federatedrea.coop. You can also call Federated at 507-847-3520 or 1-800-321-3520. Ask for Andrea to request an application (or e-mail: info@federatedrea.coop). [...]

North Mankato Police have charged a 14yo male suspect with multiple counts in connection with a string of incidents this summer. In Nicollet County District Court, the juvenile is accused of possessing burglary tools, motor vehicle theft, driving without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia and four counts of tampering with motor vehicles.   In response to the string of criminal activity, North Mankato Police are urging the community to ensure their property is secure and immediately report any suspicious activity by dialing 911.   Investigations into the incidents are ongoing.

Algona residents are eligible for funds through the City of Algona Residential Tree Program. With approved applications, residents can be reimbursed 50% of the cost of the tree, up to $150 per tree, with a limit of two trees per year. This program is supported by Algona Municipal Utilities and the City of Algona. In order to receive program funds, the first step is to apply for a tree permit through the City of Algona. Residents must apply for a permit before they purchase and plant the tree. The permit will include information about contacting Iowa OneCall, tree planting location, and [...]

Yesterday, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the first 10 drugs to participate in the new Medicare Drug Price Negotiation program. This program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs.   Senator Amy Klobuchar (D - Minnesota) commented on the announcement, saying more are on the way. The ten drugs chosen to start the negotiation process are Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara, Fiasp; Fiasp FlexTouch; Fiasp PenFill; NovoLog; NovoLog FlexPen; and NovoLog PenFill.   According to HHS, these drugs cost Medicare recipients a total of [...]

37yo Stephanie Vigdal of Milford was recently arrested after a traffic stop near Sheldon last Thursday. According to the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, Vigdal was pulled over on Nettle Avenue at around 3 p.m. and a search of the 2009 Buick Enclave revealed various drug paraphernalia such as a THC vaping pen, a glass pipe containing methamphetamine residue, a pouch containing marijuana, and a pipe containing plant residue. Vigdal allegedly admitted to having smoked marijuana earlier in the day, and was put under the care of a drug recognition expert who determined she was under the influence of both cannabis and [...]

A tragic workplace accident that claimed the life of 27yo Austin Brett Trebesch on Tuesday morning is currently under investigation. Trebesch died at the Sleepy Eye Medical Center after sustaining severe injuries due to a farm implement accident at Miller Sellner Implement on Highway 4. Multiple 911 calls were received around 8:43 am, and first responders arrived at the scene to treat Trebesch before transporting him to the hospital. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and the Brown County Sheriff's Office are currently conducting an investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the fatal accident. More information is expected to [...]

The Minnesota State Patrol has released the identity of a man involved in a deadly school bus collision on I-90. The State Patrol says the deceased driver is 55-year-old Mark Alan Tigner of Brandon, South Dakota. Tigner was wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred according to the patrol report. Waseca Public Schools says members of its school’s volleyball team were on the bus and no students or staff were seriously injured in the accident. The bus was returning from Fairmont where the Waseca team had competed in a match in the Big South Conference showcase games. The accident happened Saturday [...]