Cleveland, MN

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Around 1pm Friday afternoon, the North Mankato police department responded to a crash at the intersection of Lee Blvd and Belgrade Ave. The motor vehicle crash involved a motorcycle and a passenger car. The driver of the motorcycle, a 54 year old lake Crystal man sustained...

A Mankato woman is accused of stealing more than $7,000 from a stroke victim under her care. Kristina Marie Vaughan, 32, was charged Thursday with felony counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and theft in Blue Earth County Court. A criminal complaint says Vaughan was the main caregiver...

Redevelopment of the former Farmer Seed and Nursery site narrowly took another step forward Wednesday. The Economic Development Authority approved demolition of most of the historic buildings. But the vote was 3-2 with the two opponents objecting to an anticipated tax increment financing request. The EDA’s consent to demolish the buildings was required to make the redevelopment project eligible to receive tax increment financing — a form of financial subsidy...

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Phones wouldn’t stop ringing inside local smoke shops in Mankato, after a new law that legalizes THC edibles and beverages started on July 1. “We did have a lot of calls, where people were asking, ‘have you got it ordered up’ or ‘do you have it in store yet?’” owner of Kato’s Tobacco Mohamad Elhaidari said.

MANKATO, Minn. -- A man and woman have been arrested after the Minnesota River Valley Drug Task Force seized suspected meth and fentanyl on Thursday.The agency reported that agents were acting on probable cause to arrest a suspect stemming from a June 1 incident. On that day, agents reported searching his vehicle and finding 33 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.On Thursday, agents observed the man using an ATM while wearing a ski mask. They stopped the vehicle and took him into custody, and upon searching the vehicle found an additional 218 suspected fentanyl pills.There was a 26-year-old woman in the vehicle too, and she was arrested. Agents said they found controlled substances in her purse, and also a number of altered checks belonging to people and businesses unrelated to either of them.The have both been booked at Blue Earth County Jail on various controlled substance and forgery charges.

A new interchange on Faribault’s north side could help with industrial growth, says Rice County Highway Department Engineer Dennis Luebbe. “I-35 has somewhere in the name of 30,000 vehicles a day going up and down,” said Luebbe. “That’s economic development opportunity galore.” The state has awarded a $500,000 grant to conduct a feasibility study for an interchange connecting I-35 and County State Aid Highway 9, which is also known as...

Monica S. Straiton, age 96, of Waconia, formerly of New Prague, died peacefully on Thursday, June 30, 2022 at Good Samaritan Society in Waconia. She was born a twin, the younger of the two, on June 28, 1926 in Mendota to Martin and Susan (Hart) Stevens. She grew up in Westbrook, MN, where she graduated from Westbrook High School. She and her sister enjoyed sports throughout their lives and were active as majorettes in high school, one of the few sporting activities available to girls. They were both on the softball team for Norwest Bank, Monica as the pitcher. It was at one of the games that Monica would meet Thomas P. Straiton, who remained the love of her life until Tom’s death in 2021. They married on March 30, 1950 in Minneapolis. Like her sister, Monica was a gifted seamstress and the two were ahead of their time as entrepreneurs, owning their own drapery business, called Monica and Veronica Draperies. The two were always finding innovations that could improve or streamline their creations. They were both gifted with numbers and used that gift helping elderly people with their taxes. Monica was active in the Democratic Party and served as an election judge. When the drapery business closed it’s doors, Monica worked at Casey’s not fully retiring until her early 80’s.

Sarah Attig will be looking to restore some joy to the Jordan volleyball program. Last fall was a tough season for the Jaguars, finishing 3-23 overall, while losing their only Section 6AAA playoff match. Taylor Sonie has stepped down as coach and in comes Attig, who for the last 14 years has been an assistant varsity coach at Alden-Conger, a Class 1A program in the southern part of the state near Albert Lea.

MINNEAPOLIS -- A conservative group has already spent $620,000 on an advertisement targeting Rep. Angie Craig in what's likely just the beginning of a battle by both parties to win a critical district.The 2nd Congressional District is just south of the Twin Cities and includes Le Sueur, Scott, Dakota, and part of Washington Counties. It's a true swing district, evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.Political scientist Larry Jacobs called it "ground zero for Republicans" to win back control of Congress. This year, Craig, a Democrat, will face off against Tyler Kistner, who she defeated by four points in 2020.The American Action...

A crowd estimated at 300 people attended the first Music at the Broz the evening of Thursday, June 30, in New Prague. The band Little Chicago kicked off the summer concert festival at the Hotel Broz along Main Street with a mixture of rock/pop and 1960s and ‘70s songs. There was also an art station for children and families to participate in. Other children spent their time dancing to the music. The New Prague Area Arts Council is organizing the six concerts that will be held at the Hotel Broz through mid August. For more see an upcoming print issue of The New Prague Times. (Patrick Fisher Photo)

Lakefest, Waseca's annual Fourth of July celebration, is set for 3-10:30 p.m. July 4 at Clear Lake Park off Eighth Avenue. Waseca celebrates Independence Day with music all day and night, including Pete Klug, Miller Denn, Los Tequilleros, Luke LeBlanc and Erik Koskinen. The event features fireworks at dusk, food and arts and crafts. Bring your own beverages and lawn chairs.

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The city of Mankato is asking the public for ideas on how to reuse a building on Stadium Road. The building is located on 1315 Stadium Road. It most recently served the Mayo Clinic Health System to provide Covid-19 testing and vaccine distribution. The city has...

Nate Beckman ended the month of June with a pitching and power display for the Jordan Brewers. The right-hander tossed seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts June 30 in the Brewers' 10-0 home win over St. Peter in River Valley Classic League play. He also homered twice, doubled and finished 3 for 4 with four RBIs and three runs scored.

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - On Monday, many will be celebrating the 4th of July, which marks America’s 247th Birthday. Here are some of the fireworks and events going on in the community. Mankato is hosting their Red, White and Boom! in Riverfront Park, which opens at 5 pm. Visitors...

A Hutchinson woman will serve prison time for the 2020 overdose death of a Mankato man. Alyssa Elizabeth Faith Miller, 23, was sentenced Wednesday in the murder of 23-old Marcus Krogh, who died after taking a counterfeit prescription pill that contained fentanyl. Krogh was one of three victims who overdosed in an apartment on May 21, 2020, but the only victim who died.

July 1 marks the day that the Republic of Somalia became an independent nation. Dozens of locals honored the nation’s freedom at the Paradise Center for the Arts on Friday for a celebration of Somali culture through song and dance. The event was organized by Waano, a local nonprofit that empowers children of Somali heritage and helps them through their studies. The manager of Waano, James Whelan, said the event is a part of his main goal: to introduce and integrate Somali culture with Faribault. ...

NORTH MANKATO — Coach Joe Daggett put an idea into his girls fastpitch softball team: become better players and better leaders. The response from the players has been impressive. “We’ve been working on a lot of things on the diamond,” Daggett said. “We’ve also been working on leadership and...

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - This week’s pick of the litter is Boomer. Boomer is a 12-year-old Chihuahua and pug mix. It’s a big name, for a small dog. He is a senior male looking for a home to retire in. He prefers a calm environment and is good...