The Minneapolis Fed’s second-quarter agricultural credit conditions survey, conducted during July, indicated that farm incomes fell from April through June relative to the previous year. Spending on capital equipment and farm household purchases also decreased. Falling incomes pushed the rate of loan repayment down slightly, while renewals and extensions increased on balance. Farmland values continued … Read more
The Freeborn County Health Department has released more detailed information regarding the county’s COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started. There were a total of 401 cases from April 1 through August 31. Of those cases, 27 were hospitalized. As of Wednesday, the county had 13 active cases. Of the total cases, ages ranged from 1-month … Read more
Yesterday, Governor Walz announced that free saliva tests for COVID-19 are available to school and child care employees across the state. More than 250-thousand tests will be provided. The tests are part of the Safe Learning Plan for the 2020-21 School Year. It’s estimated that providing more than 250-thousand tests will cost the state $6-million. … Read more
The University of Minnesota has announced move-in plans for students for the Fall semester. Move-in will be September 9 at the Duluth campus, September 15 for the Twin Cities, and September 18 at the Rochester campus. The university is also proposing a 10-day quarantine limiting student movements once they’re on campus. The Morris and Crookston … Read more
Albert Lea Superintendent Dr. Michael Funk said a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at Albert Lea High School. Contact tracing found eight people who had been in close contact with that person and those close contacts will need to quarantine for 14 days. A statement from the school district said, it remains confident that … Read more
Tuesday, the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners voted to continue moving forward on a plan to change the auditor-treasurer and recorder positions to appointed positions rather than elected ones. The county plans to advertise the proposed resolution for two consecutive weeks. It will then have a public hearing regarding the issue on September 15. If … Read more
New cases of COVID-19 continue to increase. There were two new confirmed cases reported in Freeborn County on Tuesday bringing the county’s total number of cases to 403. Freeborn County has 14 active cases but none of them are hospitalized. On Tuesday, Mower County reported six new cases, Steele County had three, and Waseca County … Read more
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is warning gardeners and anglers to watch out for invasive jumping worms. An official with the DNR said the jumping worms are a relatively new invasive species in the state and are a threat to gardens and forests. They eat plant roots, damaging garden plants and sod, and can … Read more
A high-speed chase that ended in Albert Lea on Friday resulted in a Rochester man being charged in Freeborn County District Court yesterday. Forty-nine-year-old Torrance Deshante Elion was charged fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and driving after cancellation-inimical to public safety. Police say the speeds during the Freeborn County pursuit reached speeds … Read more
Dr. Deborah Birx, one of the White House’s leading coronavirus experts, says rural Minnesotans aren’t taking the pandemic seriously enough. Dr. Birx made the warning to state leaders this past weekend. Statewide, one of the highest rates per capita is in Mower County with 294 cases per 10-thousand people. While the virus is able to … Read more