LATEST NEWS

Motorists traveling through the roundabout construction site at Highway 19 and Interstate 35 will see a significant change starting last night when the interchange’s northbound entrance ramp will close. During this stage of construction, both the northbound exit ramp from I-35 and County Road 59 will reopen, though County...

A former Minnesota State Trooper was booked into jail Monday on manslaughter charges. 32-year-old Shane Roper is accused of causing the death of 18-year-old Olivia Flores of Owatonna while trying to pull someone over for a traffic violation.

NORTHFIELD, Minn. — Northfield swim and dive captains Edy McLaughlin and Ella Krupicka are a true dynamic duo. They've been swimming together for the Gators since they were in 8th grade, and now, as seniors, they're breaking records together.At a meet in September, the two deferred from scoring points for the team, and instead participated in what's called an "Iron Lady," where a swimmer participates in every single event in one meet. Normally, the two compete in four events each per meet, but for the 'Iron Lady' they swam 11 events, which was a total of 1,550 yards."For me it was...

Currently, there’s a shortage of IV fluids across the nation after Hurricane Helene severely damaged one of the largest production facilities in the country. The Baxter International Manufacturing facility in North Carolina supplies 60% of the nation’s IV fluids and shut down last week after flooding and storm damage to the facility, resulting in a significant supply shortage.

The historic floods that hit southern Minnesota over the summer damaged or destroyed 212 buildings in Rice County, including 186 homestead properties. The 212 buildings were valued at $39,518,600 before the flood, and $30,430,500 after the flood. That comes out to a total loss of $9,088,100 in property value in Rice County, specifically pertaining to structures. The numbers come from Rice County Assessor Josh Schoen, who asked for two resolutions...

FARMINGTON, Minn. — In the south metro Monday, ground was broken on what will be the state's largest cemetery for the Muslim community. The project is 10 years in the making after leaders say hate crime attacks delayed it. "We’re just hopeful this doesn’t happen to other communities," said...

Winding up Chris Delesha’s arm is a tattoo of a chemical structure — meaningless to most, but one that changed his family’s life forever. The tattoo depicts the amino acid tyrosine, which is unable to be metabolized by his 6-year-old daughter, Vivian Delesha, who turns 7 on Oct. 26. Vivian is one of three people in the state of Minnesota diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder tyrosinemia type 1, which affects only about 175-200 people in the United States. ...

Positioned around the Riverwalk bench named for a trailblazing woman business owner, a large group of today’s local women business owners gathered for a photo and a coffee-fueled networking session. The assembled group was organically created through social media by Kendall Horton-Clements, owner of the Ole Store, and Beret Froehle, co-owner of the Rare Pair with Chrissy Neuger. The organizers said they wanted to kick off the Shop Local Campaign...

There are seven candidates running for Northfield School Board in 2024. Three of those candidates are currently serving on the School Board and are running for re-election: Claudia Gonzalez-George, Corey Butler and Amy Goerwitz. Four new candidates are vying to join the board: Tristan Cox, Maggie Epstein, Iris Lee and Andreas Thurnheer. Voters will elect four candidates to Northfield School Board on Tuesday, Nov. 5. ...

Step into any small town in Minnesota, and you’re bound to find a treasure trove of culinary delights that tell stories of tradition, family, and community. However, not every dining experience can claim the kind of legacy and charm that Wiederholt’s Supper Club in Hastings offers. This establishment...

The memories were flying around the room almost as quickly as the waitstaff in the party room of the L & M Bar & Grill in Dundas Thursday noon when a significant number of Raiders from the Northfield High School class of 1955 gathered to mark the 69th anniversary of their graduation. Brian Swanson, son of Vic and Dot Swanson, said he was there just to see his parent’s fellow classmates. ...

The Northfield High School volleyball continued its roll through the Big 9 Conference with a pair of league victories over Albert Lea and Austin last week. The Raiders have not lost a set this season in conference play and they currently own a 15-5, 8-0 Big 9 record (as of Oct. 7). The Raiders, which were ranked No. 3 in the latest state Class AAA poll behind No. 1 Delano and No. 2 Marshall, finished their week on Thursday Oct. 3 with a 25-11, 25-12,...

Three alleged members of the Minneapolis Bloods street gang were convicted Tuesday on charges including racketeering conspiracy and using firearms to carry out a pair of murders. The guilty verdicts, decided by an anonymous jury of 12 that spent 2½ days deliberating, capped a weekslong trial that featured testimony from...

MINNEAPOLIS — A Monticello man will serve a 6 1/2 year sentence for his role in a shootout that claimed the life of an off-duty Eagan firefighter last May. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office says 29-year-old Marquise Trevone Hammonds-Ford was sentenced Wedenesday, Oct. 9 after earlier pleading guilty to one count of prohibited possession of a firearm.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Northfield High School Raider/Gator Girls swim & dive team beat the Mankato West Scarlets with a 93-85 win on the varsity side and a 135-39 win in the junior varsity competition, which was held at the Northfield Middle School Aquatic Center. When the Gators walked out onto the pool deck that evening, they noticed that it had undergone a transformation — it was decked out with balloons, streamers, and a huge 2025 sign. Printed out pictures and handmade posters lined...

As the 2024 college football season approaches its halfway mark, the St. Olaf Oles have proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with. Sitting at a pristine 4-0 record, the Oles are firing on all cylinders, boasting a high-powered offense and a defense that stifles opponents week in and week out. With conference play now underway, the Oles are aiming to build on their momentum and secure a path to postseason glory.

The Northfield High School cross country team had a chance to preview the course where the 2024 Big 9 Conference championship will be held, as it competed in the Ev Berg Invitational at Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna on Thursday, Oct. 15. “This meet is a great preview of the Big 9 Conference race, not only because it is run on the same course, but because 11 of the 12 Big 9 Schools were in attendance (only Faribault was missing),” NHS coach Janet Smith said....

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN – It’s every parent’s worst nightmare—a child disappears, and days turn into weeks with no sign of them. For the family of 14-year-old Jonathan Wells of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, that nightmare has stretched on for over two months. Despite ongoing efforts by law enforcement, Wells remains missing, and the community continues to search for answers.

The Randolph Rocket football team blew out the Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop Thunderbirds 47-6 Friday night at Klahr Field on Tackle Cancer Night. The Randolph community also continued to flex its fundraising muscle as they will tentatively reach their $70,000 goal for the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund, according to Tackle Cancer Coordinator and Rocket teacher Katie Esser as of Monday afternoon.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month with the goals raise awareness about the prevalence of the issue and connect victims with resources. Rice County Chief Assistant Attorney Wendy Murphy says that because domestic violence often happens inside private homes, people don’t see the issue and think it is as prevalent as it is. However, last week, there was at least one arrest for domestic violence in Rice County. Murphy said that the friends and family of a victim may not fully understand what they are going through: