The Minnesota Public Facilities Authority (MPFA) announced over $60.3 million in loans and grants awarded to 17 wastewater and drinking waater infrastructure projects throughout the state on Thursday. MPFA awards funds to help cities build public infrastructure that protects the environment and public health, promoting economic growth. Since its inception in 1987, MPFA has financed…… read more »
Category Archives: Local News
Fairbault County Releases Vital Statistics for January
The Faribault County Recorder’s Office has released the Vital Statistics Report for January 2025. According to the report, there were 8 births in the county last month, the same as in 2024. There were 21 deaths in Faribault County in January, compared to 10 last year and 1 Marriage License was issued last month, the…… read more »
Felony Drug Charges Against A Winnebago Man and North Mankato Woman Dismissed
A Winnebago man and a North Mankato Woman had drug sales charges against them dismissed in Nicollet County after a judge determined law enforcement lacked legal standing to bring in a dog to sniff their vehicle in December. Sixty two year old Kimberly Ann Jahnke and 39 year old Matthew Robert Mattin had two felony…… read more »
B.E. Council Receives an Update on Upcoming 2025 Street/Utility Projects
The Blue Earth City Council met on Tuesday and received an update from City Engineer Ben Rosol on the upcoming street/utility projects in the city. Rosol presented the options included waiting on the start of this coming summer’s Linton Street project until the city can learn if they will get a grant from the state…… read more »
Blue Earth Council Approves Having Current City Staff Handle City Administrator Duties Until a New Administrator is Hired
At the Blue Earth City Council meeting on Tuesday, the Council discussed the options for filling some of City Administrator Mary Athey’s duties after her resignation takes effect in March. The options would be hiring an interim administrator or existing staff handling the duties, with Public Works Director Jamie Holland taking on more responsibilities until…… read more »
Mapleton EDA Lays Out Daycare Plan Following their Grant Award
The Mapleton Economic Development Authority is planning to buy property within the town and install a prefabricated one bedroom house there for an in home daycare for up to 12 kids. Business of Child Care in Bloomington collaborated with the Mapleton EDA on a $175,120 grant recently received form the Minnesota Department of Employment and…… read more »
B.E. Council Accepts the Resignation of City Administrator
The Blue Earth City Council held a special council meeting Thursday afternoon with one item on the agenda, a personnel update. The update came in the form of the resignation of City Administrator Mary Athey. In Athey’s formal letter of resignation, she states that after much reflection, she has accepted a job in the private…… read more »
Minnesota Seeing Severe Influenza Season
Minnesota’s current influenza season is already one of the most severe for hospitalizations in at least a decade. The state had 5,107 flu hospitalizations through February 1st, according to Minnesota Department of Health data. The only season with more such hospitalizations since 2011-2012 was the 2017-018 season, which had 6,288. The season is on track…… read more »
Mapleton EDA Receives Just Over $175,000 in Grant Money for Child Care
Four Southern Minnesota organizations are among those receiving grant money from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development for child care. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced $6.1 million in grants to expand access to child care across the state to 25 different organizations. DEED says the Child Care Economic Development Grants are expected to…… read more »
Faribault County Board Agrees to Purchase Old Blue Earth City Hall Building
The Faribault County Board of Commissioners met Tuesday where they agreed to purchase the old Blue Earth City Hall property. Commissioner Bill Groskreutz says the property will be put to good use for storage and maintenance of Faribault County’s Prairie Transit buses that are currently being stored at the Public Works Facility. Groskreutz says the…… read more »