Albert Lea City employees could soon see a little more in their paychecks. The Albet Lea City Council unanimously approved a 7.94% preliminary tax increase for 2021 on Monday, with a budget for 2% wage adjustments. Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen Jr. said the city has gone eight years without an increase in the operating … Read more
Albert Lea has an official new leader. The City Council approved the contract Monday for Patrick Rigg who will be the city’s new manager. Rigg, who was selected for the open position left vacant after former City Manager David Todd resigned at the end of May for personal reasons, beat out four finalists during the … Read more
(ABC 6 News) – A routine traffic stop ended with a Steele County man facing theft charges. The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a vehicle Monday afternoon on Highway 14 near 7th St and 5th Ave SW in Rochester that had reportedly been stolen out of Goodview, and deputies also found a stolen pistol. … Read more
ALBERT LEA, Minnesota – Albert Lea Schools are making sure students don’t go hungry. Officials say some schools are using the hybrid learning model and students receive meals to take home. The free summer lunch program was also extended. -0-
Most of southern Minnesota was without 911 service for about an hour Monday. According to the Rochester Police Dept, an outage is to blame, and nine counties in southeastern Minnesota, including Olmsted were affected. RPD says Lumen is investigating the cause of the outage. -0-
WORTH COUNTY, Iowa – A routine traffic stop ended with a Mason City woman facing felony drug charges. Police said Jami Garcia was arrested over the weekend when she tried to hide a meth pipe in a baby’s sock after a vehicle in which she was riding was pulled over leaving the jail, according to … Read more
WELLS – A Wells man involved in a domestic dispute is facing multiple charges, including drug possession. Joe A. Garcia, 32, allegedly began fighting with an ex-girlfriend at a home in Wells and when a man intervened, witnesses told police Garcia pulled out a knife and threatened to kill them. Garcia was charged with two … Read more
An Austin man charged in a 2019 online child sex exploitation case made his first court appearance in Mower County District Court. Jacob Steven Smith, 29 is accused of exchanging sexually explicit text messages with a 13-year-old girl. The reports showed the victim was interviewed about the incident by the Grand Meadow Police Department, during … Read more
A court date has been set for next month for the suspect busted in multiple undercover drug buys in the city of Austin. Alex Dale Enright, 26, is facing a number of charges in connection to the sale of narcotics to a police informant between Jan. 22, and Feb. 6. After each sale, the informant … Read more
A Lyle man involved in a two-vehicle accident on Valentines Day that sent the other driver to the hospital made his first court appearance on criminal charges recently. Brett Alan Frank, 42, has been accused of driving drunk when he caused the Feb. 14 collision on Highway 218 in Lyle Township, north of the City … Read more