Rochester, MN

Olmsted County, MN

Zumbro Falls, MN

Austin, MN

Grand Meadow, MN

AUSTIN, Minn. – A woman accused of attacking her boyfriend with a knife and a chair is pleading not guilty. Nikki Rae Heitland, 35 of Grand Meadow, was arrested in February and charged with second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and third-degree assault causing substantial bodily harm. She entered a not guilty plea Monday and is now set to stand trial beginning May 1.

Mower County woman pleads not guilty for violent attack on her boyfriend

AUSTIN, Minn. – Dealing drugs results in probation for a Mower County man. Michael Gonzalez-Garate, 26 of Austin, was arrested in May 2022 for first-degree sale of drugs. The Austin Police Department says Gonzalez-Garate sold 30.08 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in March 2022. Gonzalez-Garate pleaded guilty...

Austin man sentenced for selling meth to police informant

Albert Lea, MN

ALBERT LEA, Minn. - Serious crimes in Albert Lea plummeted by 28 percent in 2022 as the city saw its lowest crime rate in five years. In data released Monday by the city, Albert Lea said serious offenses dropped from 485 to 352 last year. Less-serious crimes, like vandalism and...

Serious crimes in Albert Lea dropped by nearly 30 percent in 2022

Minnesota State

Houston, MN

OLSMTED COUNTY, Minn. - A 68-year-old man suffered serious injuries following a chain-reaction crash that could result in criminal charges. The sheriff’s office said it happened at 5:45 p.m. at the 6800 block of Highway 63 N. when a truck was rear-ended. The driver is in critical condition and...

Multiple injuries, 1 seriously, in Highway 63 crash that could result in criminal charges

ALBERT LEA, Minn. - For the second straight year, crime has fallen in Albert Lea. City officials released data today showing a drop in crime rates by over five percent from 2021 to 2022, an improvement from last year. The results contrast those from 2018 to 2020, where crime rates...

Albert Lea sees crime rates drop again

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Governor Walz held a ceremonial signing for the catalytic converter theft bill Tuesday afternoon. The bill will increase criminal penalties for stealing converters and only allow registered metal scrap dealers to buy them. Detached converters are now required to carry a vehicle information number in permanent ink or engraving.

Governor Walz signed catalytic converter theft bill

Iowa State

ROCHESTER, Minn. – Rochester has a new Deputy Fire Chief. Holly Mulholland was named Tuesday as the replacement for Deputy Chief Vance Swisher, who left the Rochester Fire Department (RFD) to become Fire Chief in Ankeny, Iowa. RFD says Mulholland has been with the department for almost 15 years and she is the first woman to serve in the Deputy Chief role.

Rochester names its first female Deputy Fire Chief

Oregon State

ROCHESTER, Minn. - States across the nation are considering new regulations to crack down on the opioid epidemic. From Oregon to New Jersey - state lawmakers are pushing for harsher penalties for fentanyl possession, manufacturing, and distribution. Many legislators are in talks about how to get a real handle on...

New fentanyl penalties are being proposed across the US, and the impact on end users could be severe

For many of us, taking care of our mental health is an up-and-down battle. But for one Rochester man, it was a literal journey. In September 2021, Evan Hansen walked across the state of Minnesota - over 300 miles from near Sioux Falls, SD to near Winona, MN - carrying a canoe to raise awareness and money for mental health after suicide took the lives of several people in his life. His journey raised over 50 thousand dollars for the Southeast Minnesota chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI).

Rochester man pens new book on extreme portage and mental health

Pine Island, MN

ROSCOE TOWNSHIP, Minn. - A structure fire outside Pine Island caused a total loss of a home Saturday. The Pine Island Fire Department says on Saturday at 1:25 p.m., the Pine Island Fire Department was dispatched tp 50199 154th Avenue Way outside Pine Island after a passing driver on County Road 11 reported seeing black smoke coming from the property before driving up to the house and finding a fire.

Roscoe Township home a total loss after Saturday fire

ROCHESTER, Minn. - The updated online parking services are more user-friendly for paying citations and managing parking permits. Parking citations issued after March 30th can be paid online. Paying citations through phone, mail, or the drop box located at City Hall are still viable options. If residents believe an error occurred with their citation, users now have an easier process of contesting citations through the system.

City of Rochester upgrades online parking services

West Virginia State

Maplewood, MN

Sprinklers spray water over the grass on 3M's Maplewood headquarters Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer. A bill has been introduced in the Minnesota Legislature that would allow Minnesotans exposed to toxic substances to sue the responsible companies for the cost of monitoring their health. Rep. Jeff...

Minnesota bill would allow people to seek medical monitoring due to chemical exposure

ROCHESTER, Minn.-- March 21 is National Single Parent Day, putting single mothers and fathers in the spotlight because it’s not easy. The Jeremiah Program in Rochester has bonded together many single mothers in the area. It's goal is to “disrupt generational poverty, two generations at a time” by investing...

Celebrating National Single Parent day

ROCHESTER, Minn.-There was a flea market today at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds. Lots of vendors there were trying to sell a variety of things, such as comics. At the Vintage Flea Market Antique/Toy Show, there was a vendor with a massive amount of comics. Some of them came out all the way back in the 1970s. Others were from this decade. Most of the comics featured superheroes, but he also had ones inspired by cartoons and westerns.

Flea market in the Med City

ROCHESTER, Minn. - The departments of the City of Rochester are looking for seasonal workers for the spring and summer. Parks and Recreation are hiring workers right now to prepare the parks, athletic courts, and fields for the warmer spring weather. "Especially for areas in the Parks and Forestry division....

City of Rochester is hiring seasonal workers

ROCHESTER, Minn.-The Rochester Economic Development Authority (EDA) approved a measure that will increase income requirements for some apartments at "Bryk on Broadway" at Monday nights' meeting. The apartment complex consists of 180 units and is considered "workforce housing", with units capped at different income levels. The income levels and number...

"Bryk on Broadway" apartments looking to increase income requirements to fill units

Kasson, MN

KASSON, Minn.-- It's been nearly four years since the last major flood in the city of Kasson, which left the city fighting for economic stability and a sense of security. The City of Kasson is working on getting a $5 million funding bill approved to make improvements to their public water infrastructure and reduce flooding hazards.

City of Kasson strives to maintain flood control

ROCHESTER, Minn.-At long last, spring is finally here, and it's got a local flower shop excited. For Tulips & Truffles Florist, there's usually a bit of a lull in sales in between Valentine's Day and the start of spring, so they've been looking forward to this day. Jay Wassner, one of the floral designers, said the season gives the shop a big boost in revenue. Some of their more popular flowers around this time are tulips as well as irises. Customers come in looking to add some color to their lives. He said flowers can help people communicate with each other better.

Local Flower Shop Excited for Spring

Hammond, MN

Mazeppa, MN

Millville, MN

Bellechester, MN

Oronoco, MN

Theilman, MN

Zumbrota, MN

Goodhue, MN

Elgin, MN

Lake City, MN

Plainview, MN

Frontenac, MN

Stockholm, WI

Pepin, WI

Viola, MN

Reads Landing, MN

Wanamingo, MN

Wabasha, MN

NewsBreak

Man sentenced for 2019 machete threats in Olmsted County

ROCHESTER, Minn. – A man accused of deliberately crashing his truck into a motorcycle and threatening the rider with a machete has been sentenced. Michael Galen...

Man sentenced for 2019 machete threats in Olmsted County

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