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Hmong New Year celebration features ZPX, Lis Toj

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 ...

Marshall Council OKs power agreement extension

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 ...

Marshall seeks scooter solution on Main Street

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 ...

John Alcorn

Editor's Note: The Independent emailed three questions to the candidates for City Council in Ward 1. John Alcorn is the incumbent and here are his answers. Personal (please list occupation, education and family): • 43-year resident of Marshal, 20 plus years in Ward 1 • Graduate of SMSU: ...

Hearing held for former YME coach

GRANITE FALLS – A hearing in a case against a former YME High School coach and paraprofessional charged with criminal sexual conduct was held Monday in Yellow Medicine County District Court, online court records said. According to court documents filed Oct. 12, the case would be assigned to a new judge and a settlement conference was scheduled for Nov. 2. Javon Duncan Hering, 31, of Sacred Heart, is charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct, second degree criminal sexual conduct, and two counts of third degree criminal sexual conduct in Yellow Medicine County. A criminal ...

Hearing held in Marshall drug case

MARSHALL — A hearing was held Tuesday for a Marshall man charged with possession of a large amount of drugs including marijuana, cocaine, THC vapes and psychedelic mushrooms, according to Lyon County court records. A future hearing date for Kasey Roy Westberg, 39, was set for Nov. 10. A criminal complaint alleges that law enforcement searched Westberg’s home in September and found bags of cannabis flower weighing a total of more than 8 kilograms and plastic baggies containing cocaine in a bedroom closet. Law enforcement allegedly found hundreds of units of THC vape cartridges ...