News

FAIRMONT — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has approved the Lake Charlotte Solar Project in Martin County, despite concerns raised by some nearby residents. The project, developed by Geronimo Power and Lake Charlotte Solar, will include a 150-megawatt solar facility and a 600-megawatt-hour battery storage system. The solar array will cover about 662 acres in Rutland Township, with the overall project area covering more than 1,200 acres. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the project becoming operational in late 2029. The project is expected to generate about 358-thousand dollars in annual tax revenue for 30 years, including roughly 287-thousand [...]

FAIRMONT — The Fairmont City Council is looking at an 11.9 percent increase in its proposed 2027 property tax levy, although city staff hopes to bring that figure below 10 percent. The proposed levy increase would be about 943-thousand dollars, while the estimated impact on the city’s overall property tax rate is currently 5.8 percent. The discussion came Tuesday during the council’s third budget workshop. The finance department has also proposed to increase by 124-thousand dollars, largely for technology expenses, including a new server. Council members also discussed how financial information is presented to them. The council is expected to consider [...]

Plans for a potential rail-to-trail connection between Jackson and Fairmont are moving forward, although the project is still in its early stages. The Martin County Economic Development Authority heard an update Monday from Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services representative Luke Ewald. The project began with a parks and trails master plan in Jackson, and a 2023 MnDOT grant helped expand the vision toward Fairmont. Planners are considering a multi-phase trail. Ewald said the rail line from Jackson to Sherburn has not been used for some time and could potentially be the first phase. The section from Welcome to Fairmont [...]

A 44-year-old Fairmont man is facing a felony drug possession charge following an incident last November. According to a criminal complaint, Nicholas Cassie Thimesch was found slumped over the wheel of a pickup parked in the 800 block of North Elm Street in Fairmont. A citizen had reported seeing him in that position twice within an hour. An officer who responded allegedly found the vehicle’s keys in the ignition and noticed a marijuana pipe and a flask containing alcohol. A preliminary breath test registered point-zero-four-four. A search of the vehicle allegedly turned up syringes and a substance the officer identified as [...]

A Wisconsin woman is facing multiple charges after authorities say she led law enforcement on a high-speed chase through rural Martin County. According to a criminal complaint, 40-year-old Courtney Hyttinen of Trempealeau, Wisconsin, was initially stopped after an officer spotted her vehicle traveling in a ditch near Highway 30 on August 24th. Hyttinen allegedly gave officers a false name before driving away. Authorities say she reached speeds of 80 to 90 miles per hour on gravel roads while fleeing into Martin County. Officers later found her vehicle parked at a farm site near Truman. The complaint alleges Hyttinen then accelerated toward [...]

(Fairmont) FAIRMONT — Today marks the final day at the Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce for longtime employee and outgoing President Kandi Menne. Menne has been with the chamber for 11 years, including the past four as president. She first joined the organization in 2015 as office manager before taking over as president in the fall of 2022. During her tenure, Menne helped navigate new state employment laws, gave the Fairmont Area Life visitor guide a fresh look, and oversaw a rebranding that included a new logo and website. She also helped launch several community events, including the annual Sip and [...]

The Fairmont City Council continued work on its 2027 budget Tuesday, focusing on capital improvement projects and equipment needs. One major discussion centered on the city’s yard waste site, where $515,000 is currently budgeted for a garage enclosure, burn box and used excavator. Council members questioned the costs and whether the site should be staffed. After discussion, the council agreed to remove the yard waste funding from the budget for now and revisit the issue at a future work session. The council also debated the number of vehicles needed by the streets and parks departments, including 13 dump trucks. Some members [...]

(Fairmont) The Fowler Family was named the Martin County Farm Family of the Year. Their farm has more than 160 years of history and is continuing its family tradition into a sixth generation. The Fowler family farm was established in 1857 by Henry H. Fowler. Ron and Dora Fowler took over the operation in 1975, and today their son, Travis, represents the sixth generation to farm the land. Ron started his livestock operation with 20 sows after graduating high school and eventually expanded to 1,000 farrow-to-finish sows. Today, the family manages about 18,000 wean-to-finish hogs, farms more than 1,000 acres of [...]

(Blue Earth County) A mother and son charged in connection with the killing of a North Mankato teenager are back in jail. Eighteen-year-old Ryan Wolner and 53-year-old Christa Wolner are being held in the Blue Earth County Jail on pending charges related to allegedly owning or possessing a machine gun, trigger activator or machine gun conversion kit. Both had been out on bail after being charged earlier this month in Nicollet County in connection with the death of Tyson Goodsell. Christa Wolner faces four charges, including aiding an offender after the fact and helping an offender avoid arrest. Ryan Wolner faces [...]

(Fairmont) The Fairmont School Board is considering putting another building bond referendum before voters. The district’s previous 21-point-7-million-dollar referendum failed in November 2025. It included improvements to the fine arts learning center, a secure entry and office addition, locker room renovations, building updates and districtwide maintenance projects. Superintendent Andy Traetow says the district is now reviewing inflation and construction lead times to determine what a new proposal could look like. If the board moves forward, the district could potentially seek voter approval in February 2027. Traetow says the district would need to file paperwork with the Minnesota Department of Education by [...]