The Minnesota Court of Appeals denied an Austin man’s request to reverse his conviction and allow him to withdraw his guilty plea in a 2018 assault case that left an 8 week old infant severely injured. Nathaniel Ambrose, 26, was sentenced to 7 years in prison. In his appeal he argued that the state failed … Read more
Two Southern Minnesota breweries have teamed up with Austin based Superior Cannabis to release two district hemp-based beers later this week. The breweries involved are Gravity Storm and Angry Hog Brewery and Taproom, both based in Austin, according to a social media announcement. The hemp going into the beer must “contain less than one percent … Read more
The Governmental Affairs Committee of the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce, met and discussed the U.S. Highway 65/Main Street reconstruction proposal. Proposed changes include flood mitigation efforts near Main and Clark streets. -0-
MASON CITY, Iowa – A woman charged in a 2020 burglary of a Clear Lake laundromat has accepted a plea deal. Elizabeth Danail Ficken, 36, has entered a guilty plea in connection to the incident in which she and another person robbed Giant Wash Laundromat by cutting a hole in the wall between the laundromat … Read more
An Austin woman conviced in a 2020 undercover drug trafficking sting has pleaded guilty. 30-year old Lori Beth Luna, who sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Austin on two different occasions last year was sentenced in Mower County District Court to five years of supervised probation and 43 days in jail. -0-
AUSTIN, Minn. – A Mower County man accused of sexually assaulting a teen has accepted a plead deal in the case. Kristopher Lin Cook, 21 of Austin, pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree criminal sexual conduct for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old victim multiple times in 2020, according to court documents. Authorities say at least … Read more
Albert Lea Area Schools superintendent Dr. Mike Funk told the district’s school board the school was now considered “not in good standing” with the Minnesota State High School League. The new standing comes after the board voted not to pay the league’s newly imposed COVID-19 fees for the 2020-21 school year. -0-
ALBERT LEA, Minn. – A St. Paul man will avoid jail time in connection to a high speed police chase through Freeborn County. Bradley Joe Caswell is accused of leading law enforcement on a pursuit that reached speeds of up to 95 mile per hour and ended on a frozen lake on December 31, 2020. … Read more
ALBERT LEA, Minn. – A woman facing drug charges in Freeborn and Mower County has pleaded not guilty. Victoria Ann Rivera Lopez, 33 of Albert Lea, was arrested in October 2020. She was accused of selling methamphetamine to a confidential informant five times between July 2020 and August 2020 in Albert Lea. The South-Central Drug … Read more
AUSTIN, Minn. – A third defendant is pleading guilty in a violent Mower County burglary. Aldin Kazic, 30 of Austin, entered a guilty plea Friday to fourth-degree burglary. His sentencing is scheduled for June 10. Aldin Kazic along with two other suspects were arrested in September 2020 for stealing items from a home on 7th … Read more