New initiative brings free well water testing

May 8, 2026

FAIRMONT – Thanks to the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Freshwater is launching a free well water testing program for arsenic. The program covers Rice, Steele, Freeborn, Waseca, Faribault, Blue Earth, Watonwan and Martin counties. Recently, they sent out 4,000 postcards in this area letting residents know about this program. Public Affairs Director Chris O’Brien said this program came about through a proposal to the Legislative Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. “The idea was that arsenic is a lesser-known contaminant in well water in Minnesota and is ...

Klobuchar listens to child care needs

May 8, 2026

MARSHALL — Rural Minnesotans have struggled with a lack of available child care for years. This week, Sen. Amy Klobuchar said it’s become even more urgent to take action now. “It’s really important to make the economic case for child care,” Klobuchar said during a visit to Marshall ...

America at 250: Expansion of a new nation started with trip along the Ohio River 

May 8, 2026

Editor’s note: It is impossible to tell the story of the nation without telling the story of the Ohio River Valley. Long before interstate highways and railroads connected the expanding republic, it was the rivers that served as the young nation’s first true highway westward. Through these ...

Welcome City Council hears audit report

May 8, 2026

WELCOME — During the Welcome City Council meeting on Tuesday, Mayor Dan Schmidtke said the school building has been sold and he expected some demolition soon. The old football field was not sold because of a title information problem. It is being worked on. Auditor Greg Burkhardt explained the responsibilities of the city and the auditors. He said the city had an unmodified audit and that the audit went well. There were three suggestions he had about paying bills on time and organizing invoices, using brokers with an investment certificate and remitting the state aid on time. He ...

Welcome Legion meets Monday

May 8, 2026

WELCOME — The Welcome Burn Site will be open for Welcome residents from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 9. Please only bring wood, grass, branches and leaves that are no larger than six inches in diameter to the site. Garbage is prohibited. Thank you for your cooperation. Mother's Day is on ...

ACE continues to provide education, opportunities

May 7, 2026

FAIRMONT – Despite having to move the Area Career Exploration (ACE) event to May from April due to state testing, the same opportunities for over 460 10th graders from nine school districts to learn about the workforce around them were bountiful during the event on Wednesday at Fairmont High ...