The Minnesota State Patrol Trooper accused of manslaughter and a host of other charges for his role in the crash that killed an Owatonna High School senior has pleaded not guilty.

The 59th Marigold Days celebration is this weekend, Sept. 7 and 8 in Mantorville. In the years since that first event, it has grown to be one of southeast Minnesota’s best known and attended festivals.
The weekend starts off with a vendor reception at the Welcome Center on Main Street from 4 to 7 p.m. From 4 to 9 p.m. there will be Flower Show registration at the Greek Revival house.

Another school year has begun and although we say this every year it is worth saying again.
Now that school has started don’t forget to be mindful of safety when driving.
School buses are on the road again and many youngsters will also be heading back to class either by walking or riding bicycles.

The Minnesota Department of Education released the 2024 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) last week, revealing that student performance has remained stagnant. Approximately half of the state’s students are meeting or exceeding grade-level standards in math and reading, a figure that has shown little improvement in recent years.

Samantha (McCamy) Thurman has taken over the head coaching position for the Hayfield Vikings volleyball program. Thurman is a 2007 graduate of Hayfield, earning eight varsity letters in volleyball, basketball, and golf during her time as a Viking. After high school, she played four years of basketball at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

The Byron High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct five new members and recognize a special team at their Sept. 21 Hall of Fame ceremony. This year’s event will be held at the high school commons with a social beginning at 5:30 p.m. and the ceremony commencing at 6 p.m. This event is open to the public.