LATEST NEWS

(Kandiyohi MN-) 4 people were hurt in the collision of two pickups west of Kandiyohi Monday afternoon. The state patrol says a pickup driven by 83-year-old Gary Wells of Olivia was westbound on Highway 12 and was turning left onto County Road 8 when it was involved in a collision with an east bound pickup driven by 42-year-old Nathan Whitcomb of Grove City. Whitcomb was slightly injured but not hospitalized. Wells, along with passengers Keith and Rita Rodenberg of Eau Claire Wisconsin were all taken to CentraCare Rice Hospital in Willmar with non-life-threatening injuries. The crash was reported at 3:50 p.m. Monday.

Five people were injured in a one-vehicle crash in Renville County Friday night. At just before 9:30pm, the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a crash on County Road 15 near the intersection of 220th Street, which is about 10 miles south of Renville, in Sacred Heart Township.

(Willmar MN-) A Willmar man and former candidate for mayor who is taking the city to court for damage to his truck from hitting potholes has a court hearing today. Zeke Dahl says he hit the potholes on Northwest 10th street, damaging his wheel bearings, flattening a tire and knocking his alignment off. Damage was assessed at more than $800 dollars. Dahl says he tried to file a claim with the city's insurance provider...

(Willmar MN-) Area law enforcement officials were unhappy with legislation passed this session making recreational marijuana legal in Minnesota as of August 15th. Individuals will be able to legally carry up to 2 ounces of pot in public places, and have up to 2 pounds at home for private use. Willmar Police Chief Jim Felt and Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson say the black market, which currently sells cannabis illegally, will be looking to undercut the prices and taxes people will be paying at dispensaries...

Sacred grounds that make up the Upper Sioux Agency State Park near Granite Falls will at long last be returned to the Upper Sioux Community Pezihutazizi Oyate. The Minnesota Legislature approved the return of this historic part of Dakota homelands to the Upper Sioux Community (USC) in the just-ended 2023 legislative session. It represents the culmination of nearly two decades of pursuit by USC leaders.

WILLMAR, Minn. – A Minnesota Department of Transportation safety improvement project on Highway 9 in New London gets underway Monday, June 12. Work is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 25. Start and end dates could change due to weather and other unforeseeable circumstances. Improvements along Highway 9 include...

(Minot, ND) -- Everything went the way of the Stingers on Monday as they won all four games of their North Dakota road trip capped off with a 12-0 win over the Minot Hot Tots. The scoring would start in the second inning for Willmar as Jonathan Lane would rope a double for the first run of the game and a grounder from Kristofer Hokenson would bring in one more to give the Stingers the early 2-0 lead.

(Willmar MN-) Local law enforcement officials are wading through the newly-signed Public Safety Bill to see what impact it will have on local police and sheriff's offices. Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson and Willmar Police Chief Jim Felt were asked about things in the bill they feel will help improve public safety...

There's something special happening in Olivia, Minnesota, that all started with one man's transition from the business world to a high school classroom. Now, the entire district and community are experiencing the benefits.

(Willmar MN-) The Willmar City Council Monday will conduct a public hearing for the sale of land in the industrial park to Indianapolis-based MB Rail. MB stands for Midwest and Bluegrass, and they have offices in Kansas City and Louisville Kentucky, and Kandiyohi County and Willmar Economic Development Commission Director Aaron Backman says they want to purchase 145 acres to build a hub to handle rail traffic on the new industrial park spur...

(Willmar MN-) Monday is another of the twice-a-month coffee gatherings for veterans at the Willmar Community Center. The informal meetings are a chance to talk with others who have served our country both in times of war and peace. Organizer and Vietnam War Vet Ron Mackedanz says sometimes it's good to just talk...

(Willmar MN-) A Willmar man with a violent past has a court appearance next week on four firearms-related charges. 21-year-old Weheliye Gaal was arrested May 23rd after he allegedly fired a gun at another vehicle as he was riding in a car on Civic Center Drive near 23rd Street Northeast. The alleged victim recognized Gaal and reported it to police, who later arrested him in Downtown Willmar after finding the car and a 9 millimeter pistol with the serial number scratched off inside. Gaal is charged with:

A ONE VEHICLE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN MULTIPLE INJURIES FRIDAY EVENING AROUND 9:19PM ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF RENVILLE. A 911 CALL REPORTED A ONE VEHICLE CRASH IN SACRED HEART TOWNSHIP. TOTAL OF 5 OCCUPANTS WERE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ONE BEING UNRESPONSIVE. IN THE VEHICLE WERE 18 YEAR OLD DAWSON JENNIGES OF TRACY, CALLIE BURNS OF WABASSO, ANTON SCHUELER OF RENVILLE AND TWO MALE JUVENILES. ANTON SCHUELER WAS TRANSPORTED VIA MAYO AIR CARE WITH SERIOUS, BUT NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. CALLIE BURNS WAS TRANSPORTED VIA GROUND EMS WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. THE DRIVER JENNIGES AND THE TWO JUVENILES WERE TREATED AT THE SCENE. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INDICATES THE VEHICLE WAS WESTBOUND ON COUNTY ROAD 15 AND LOST CONTROL IN THE CURVE, CAUSING IT TO ENTER THE SOUTH DITCH WHERE IT STRUCK A TREE.

(Granite Falls MN-) The Minnesota Legislature has passed three measures to facilitate returning Upper Sioux Agency State Park to the Upper Sioux Community of the Dakota. In the Environment Bill, 5 million dollars was approved to facilitate the transfer of the 1400 acres, at no cost to the tribe. The bonding bill includes a quarter million dollars to pay off past improvements at the park, and state officials are required to identify barriers to the transfer and report to the legislature next January. Senator Andrew Lang of Olivia says it still needs the approval of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Lang says giving the park back to the Dakota caught him and others by surprise...

Jun. 5—MINNEAPOLIS — The Benson/Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg boys tennis team found plenty of late-season success in the Section 3A championship and looks to carry that success to the Class A state tournament. When Benson/KMS' tournament run gets underway against Foley at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center, it...

(Appleton MN-) The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites public review and written comments on a proposal by Swift County to obtain grant-in-aid funding for an expansion of the Appleton Off-Highway Vehicle Park. Grant-in-aid is a cost sharing program between the DNR, a local government sponsor, and often a local...

— A Willmar man found with more than $1,000 in cash and alleged to have sold drugs pleaded guilty to drug possession and was sentenced March 10 in Kandiyohi County District Court . Ryan Duane Larsen Sr., 46, was sentenced to 34 months of prison at the Minnesota Correctional facility...

William Edward Schindler, 26, was originally charged in April.

GRANITE FALLS, Minn. – A Granite Falls man is pleading guilty to shooting a Willmar police officer during the search of a home in April. According to Yellow Medicine County prosecutors, 26-year-old William Schindler will be sentenced Friday for attempted murder of a peace officer. The Bureau of Criminal...

(Willmar MN-) An Osakis man was injured in a car-semi crash north of Willmar yesterday afternoon. The state patrol says at 3:09 p.m., 71-year-old Robert Vangstad was driving his Chevy Cruze eastbound on County Road 25 in Dovre Township, and a semi tractor trailer was traveling southbound on Highway 71 when they collided. Vangstad was taken to the St. Cloud hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The semi driver, 52-year-old Scott Dejong of Edgerton was not hurt.