22-year-old man and baby girl crash in Mower County

(ABC 6 News) — A 22-year-old man and a baby girl were involved in a crash Sunday morning in Mower County. The Minnesota State Patrol reports 22-year-old Isaac Coe apparently lost control of the vehicle on Highway 218 at 29th Ave., in Austin skidded off the roadway, and rolled. Coe was taken to an Austin … Read more

Gov. Tim Walz revises budget amid tax changes

Gov. Tim Walz dropped his proposal for a higher cigarette tax and recommended that only some forgiven federal loans be regarded as tax-free as part of a revised budget plan he released Thursday. Walz also proposed making more people eligible for the Working Family Tax Credit -0-

Albert Lea-Freeborn County COVID “Get it” marketing campaign urges residents to get vacinated

ALBERT LEA, Minn. – The Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce is unveiling a COVID19 vaccine marketing campaign. The campaign, dubbed “Get It,” urges people to get the shot when they are eligible. The “Get it” kit comes with digital images for social media post and print, and four short video clips for download. -0-

Teens blamed for uptick in coronavirus activity in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Health officials say teenagers are behind a slight increase in coronavirus activity in Minnesota. The state Department of Health reported 6,818 additional COVID-19 cases in the week ending Tuesday. About 10% involved teenagers 15 to 19 years old. The risk for that age group increased when in-person instruction and sports activities resumed … Read more

Lake Mills man accused in 2018 kidnapping sentenced

FOREST CITY, Iowa – A Lake Mills man accused of playing a role in a 2018 kidnapping has learned his fate. Andrew John Aukes, 33, has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for helping hide a woman his friend had abducted November 7, 2018 in a closet at his home, where officers also reportedly … Read more

Deadly Atlanta shooting has Minnesota authorities on high alert

In the wake of Tuesday’s deadly shootings, allegedly targeting Asians in the Atlanta area, local and state authorities are on high alert. A white gunman killed eight people, six of whom were women of Asian descent, causing concerns across Minnesota about an increase in violence. Officials say in Austin, Minn., an Asian American family found … Read more

Freeborn County returing to some ‘normalcy’

Freeborn County, Minn. – The Freeborn County Board of Commissions decided to end the year long COVID pandemic state of emergency declaration. According to the Emergency Management Director, this means the county will return to its regular spending and ordering of products. The board also voted to open some county buildings with limited capacity. The … Read more

Area residents began to dig out from the snowstorm

Area residents began to dig out from the snowstorm Monday evening that dropped 8 inches of snow on Albert Lea. According to the National Weather Service, much of the area received at least 6 inches of snow – Clarks Grove received 9 inches and Lake Mills received 8.8 inches, while Owatonna got 5 inches of … Read more