News

Klobuchar, Demuth have school plans — neither addresses funding challenges

Minnesota News October 15, 2026

Minnesota’s next governor will face multiple education challenges when they take office, and few aspects of the job are more important. Funding for public schools comprises nearly 40% of the state budget and is the single biggest line item. That funding accounts for about two-thirds of all spending on public schools in Minnesota. Under Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesota’s students’ academic assessments declined significantly following the pandemic, with the number of students meeting grade-level expectations in reading and math down about 10 percentage points. Unlike students in some ...

ICE rejects suggestion that its officers wear body cameras that automatically activate

National News October 14, 2026

WASHINGTON — Federal immigration officials need to ensure that body cameras worn by officers are uniformly activated when needed, a government report released Wednesday said, following a series of contentious shootings and aggressive arrests by ICE officers. The agency rejected the recommendation, saying that using cameras that automatically activate when an officer pulls their weapon or activates a car siren could risk privacy concerns. ICE has come under intense scrutiny after numerous incidents where officers have opened fire during enforcement operations and the agency has ...

Rep. Ilhan Omar's phone seized and relatives subpoenaed in criminal probe, AP source says

National News October 14, 2026

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities investigating Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar seized the Democratic lawmaker's phone and have issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to some of her relatives, according to a person briefed on the probe. The subpoenas were issued for a grand jury ...

Marshall seeks scooter solution on Main Street

Local News October 14, 2026

MARSHALL — The Marshall City Council took action this week to try and address safety concerns caused by people riding electric scooters and bicycles down Main Street sidewalks. At Tuesday’s council meeting, council members voted to approve changes to city ordinances that would essentially prohibit scooter and bike riding on sidewalks in Marshall’s downtown heritage district, which includes the core commercial area along Main Street. Assistant Planning and Zoning Administrator Ilya Gutman said he reviewed both city ordinances and state laws in drafting proposed ordinance ...

Marshall Council OKs power agreement extension

Local News October 14, 2026

MARSHALL — This week, the Marshall City Council approved an extension of the power sale agreement between Marshall Municipal Utilities and the organization that provides electricity to the city. At Tuesday’s council meeting, council members voted in favor of extending an S-1 Power Sale agreement with Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) until 2067. “This S-1 contract is what kind of binds MRES with Marshall for our contract, for all of our power needs,” said MMU general manager Pete Wyffels. Mayor Bob Byrnes said the agreement also allows MRES to secure financing for more ...

Hmong New Year celebration features ZPX, Lis Toj

Local News October 14, 2026

MARSHALL — The new year is an important milestone. For the Hmong community in Minnesota, it’s also a time to celebrate and share cultural traditions, said Chengzhong Vue. On Saturday, United Hmong Southwest Minnesota will be holding Hmong New Year celebrations at the Red Baron Arena and Expo. The celebration is open to the public, and will feature cultural displays and performances, food and vendors, and even some new events. “We wanted to bring more people to the event,” Vue said. One of the new additions to this year’s celebration will be a visit by the Hmong Corvette ...