Recent content from Jp Lawrence
Those murals painted on Mankato grain silos? The owner is shutting down operations there
The company is working with Mankato on fate of a mural on its trademark silos.
Former hospital turned apartment complex receives $2.2 million in refinancing
The Redwood Falls property aims to address the housing shortage in southwest Minnesota.
Former Redwood Falls grocery store manager accused of sexual assault of another teen employee
Police said another victim has come forward.
Willmar's largest landlord sues city
Suite Liv'n lawsuit alleges the city hoped to shut the company down.
Vacant mall in New Ulm burns, no injuries reported
No injuries reported, but cause under investigation
Charges: Suspect in girlfriend's murder told police, 'There's a dead body upstairs'
Police say a dispute between a housesitter and his girlfriend ended in violence in southwest Minnesota.
Police, Mankato mosque at odds over reported arson attempt
The Islamic Center of Mankato said a man held a lighter to brush near the building.
Colonel's last heroic act: Ensuring Minnesota Guard honored for Afghan mission
Family members, fellow soldiers, remember Jacob Helgestad, a colonel in the Minnesota National Guard who led a dangerous and chaotic 12-day mission as the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan.
![An election volunteer hands out “I Voted” stickers to voters at the Lakeville City Hall poll site in Lakeville, MN on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. ] E](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/EFRVJTBRERGZRBWAQVZDG3FEUQ.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Convicted mayors of Waseca, Good Thunder win re-election
Both Randy Zimmerman and Robert John Anderson, who had pleaded guilty to misdemeanors, said they put faith in voters to decide.
Anxiety and optimism in Mankato as Democrats gather in Walz territory
Activists and campaign staff gathered to watch early election results in the Minnesota city where Walz taught high school and coached football.
Mankato animal shelter 'soft closed' after blowout with board
The board chair of the animal shelter BENCHS acknowledges a meddlesome work culture after many staff resignations and vows change.
Company with Glencoe crypto mining operation has plans to move away from residents, transition to AI
Revolve Labs has proposed an "operation change" as part of a multimillion-dollar expansion.
Teen charged in Willmar drive-by shooting
Carsten Ronald Tallman, 18, faces five felony charges after wounding another teen.
Iowa man completes decadelong quest to visit every Pizza Ranch
Jason Halkias' stop in Sioux Center, Iowa, is his 224th.
Proposed nightclub draws opposition in Willmar
Diamante Night Club in rural Minnesota wants to move, but some neighbors foresee conflict with nearby businesses and an apartment complex with low-income residents.
Shooting victim had greeted the stranger who pulled into his west central Minnesota driveway
In addition to seriously wounding the Lake Lillian man, the suspect is accused of firing multiple shots from a Minneapolis apartment balcony and killing another man in Willmar.
Minnesota farmhand deeply in debt found guilty in death of 79-year-old boss
Travis Bauer helped Dennis Weitzenkamp "farm his land for many years and was considered part of the family," according to court filings.
Battling for purple-district votes in southern Minnesota, both candidates say they have the secret
Republican Erica Schwartz and incumbent Jeff Brand battle for the purple St. Peter-area seat, which could swing control of the Minnesota House.
Crypto company looking into new facilities in Glencoe
The proposal to add an AI data center is in its preliminary stages and could cost up to $60 million and employ 10 people.
Edina veteran accused of setting up ambush of police needs mental care, not incarceration, supporters say
Christopher Covert, who allegedly planned to ambush and kill police in Redwood Falls, struggled mentally after an Afghanistan deployment, say friends and family.
Nine students injured as school bus hit by pickup in southwestern Minnesota
The school bus driver failed to yield at an intersection, the Redwood County Sheriff's Office says.
Minnesota town rallies around football coach with Stage 4 cancer
Only days before football teams could begin practice, Mountain Lake coach Tim Kirk was diagnosed with Stage 4 gallbladder cancer. He's fighting the battle with the team and the town behind him.
Gov. Tim Walz pops up in Mankato, gives pep talk to high school team he once coached
The Minnesota governor and vice presidential nominee was back home in Mankato on Friday night for a crosstown rivalry football game. It's one of a series of Midwestern stops for Walz as the Harris campaign works to win over male voters.
Mayors of Waseca, Good Thunder will continue to run after pleading guilty to misdemeanors
The two mayors, both up for re-election, in separate cases admitted to perjury and a financial conflict of interest.
One for The Jug: In Mankato, a football rivalry will add a new chapter
The Kato Jug is the prize when Mankato West and Mankato East meet. It's been 18 games since East won it, but the Cougars, with a 5-1 record, stand a good chance going into Friday's game at Blakeslee Stadium.
Fans flock as Rapidan Dam Store reopens after flooding
The family-owned restaurant, feared lost after flooding, is seen as a staple of the community.
Man faces five charges of attempted murder after shootout with cops in rural Minnesota
Aerial police drones pivotal in standoff between Kasey Paul Willander and deputies.
Redwood Falls police say Edina man armed with rifle set up ambush to kill them
Edina police requested an extreme risk protection order on Christopher Mark Covert, 27, using a recently passed red-flag gun law.
In Tim Walz's home city, opposing groups watch him debate on the national stage
Parties in Mankato highlight chasm over how Minnesotans view Walz.
Former Minnesota principal's claims of retaliation over LGBTQ advocacy are dismissed
Mary Kay Thomas sued the Marshall school board in 2021 over claims of discrimination after she advocated for LGBTQ rights.
In southwestern Minnesota, the dream of a Buddhist temple collapses
Dozens in the Lao community in and around the small city of Jackson had pinned their hopes on a woman's quixotic quest to rehabilitate a derelict motel.
Proposal for Minnesota crypto mining operation pulled after public opposition
Windom residents feared noise pollution from data facility proposed by Revolve Labs.
Marshall woman accused of bilking family company and spending money at casino
Rikki Lee Kor, 49, is accused of writing more than 50 forged checks.
FEMA deadline for Minnesota flood aid is extended
Oct. 27 is new deadline to apply for individual assistance grants.
Clarkfield man charged with stealing great-uncle's shotgun prior to shootout with law enforcement
Kasey Paul Willander, 27, faces a felony charge of burglary while possessing a weapon.
State IDs man shot by law enforcement in western Minnesota siege
Kasey Paul Willander, 27, is expected to survive his injuries after authorities say he exchanged fire with officers.
Waseca women's prison has been on lockdown for two weeks
Nine inmates have been hospitalized for drug use, and two employees were sent to the hospital for drug exposure.
Man in shootout with deputies in western Minnesota had raised his family's concern
Kasey Paul Willander, 27, was shot by SWAT teams after firing at officers at home in rural Clarkfield.
A multistate, decade-long Pizza Ranch odyssey is man's slice of heaven
Jason Halkias is on a crusade to visit every Pizza Ranch restaurant in the United States. He'll get one step closer to his goal when he makes his 44th and final Minnesota stop in Willmar.
Bar brawl in Montevideo leads to attempted murder charge, five arrests
The fight over Labor Day weekend at Inn Like Flinn's bar left three people hospitalized with knife wounds.
Charges: New Ulm schoolteacher sent, received child pornography
New Ulm school officials says charges against Daniel John Janke, 54, do not involve children from the district where he taught. He is still on the district's payroll but a spokesman says he hasn't actively worked there since April.
Axel Steuer, who guided Gustavus Adolphus College through 1998 tornado, dies at 81
Axel Steuer, an American "success story," came to the U.S. as a refugee from Germany in 1952.
Minnesota tribe sees hemp as helping solve housing shortage on its reservation
Hempcrete, a construction material that uses hemp stalks, can provide an ecofriendly solution to housing for the Lower Sioux Indian Community.
Charges: Manager of Redwood Falls grocery store accused of preying on teen workers
Kyle Brady Shelton of Redwood Falls faces four felony charges.
Proposed crypto mining operation runs into public opposition in Windom
The crypto company says it has plans to mitigate noise, but residents say they remain skeptical.
Deadline for federal flood aid looms
Misconceptions about applying for grant money preventing eligible Minnesotans from applying.
Football players coached by Tim Walz took the DNC stage Wednesday; here's how it happened
"It was unreal, like pinch me now."
Former Walz students star at Mankato West High School watch party for his DNC speech
Some of the governor's former students were at the event.
Man dies in grain bin in southwest Minnesota
Officials identified the 61-year-old man on Wednesday.
Walz knows his way around farms, but his support in ag country continues to wane
The Minnesota governor has long been a fixture in the state's agriculture scene, but as governor he has drawn rural opposition over a tossed-off slogan years ago and his handling of the 2020 civil unrest.
Train derailment closes down Willmar railroad crossing
No one hurt but crossing to be closed until Friday.
'Just got the tingles': Mankato, where Tim Walz taught and coached, reacts to his political ascent
"We in Mankato knew he was a good guy, because our kids told us."
Teams surveying tornado damage in several southern Minnesota communities
South-central Minnesota was hardest hit by the Monday evening storms.
New Ulm transforms downtown streets into a sandy beach
Town tries to show it's more than its Germanic drinking roots with a beach volleyball festival.
Minnesota shows 'significant increase' in rabies cases, driven by rabid skunks
"If you've been putting off vaccinating your pets, this might be a good year to do it."
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders to support Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota visit this week
The former presidential candidate will hold a town hall in Mankato and a get-out-the-vote rally in Minneapolis.
FEMA opens up money for individual assistance in flooded Minnesota counties
Residents can now apply for aid in 19 counties.
New 924 area codes to roll out soon across southern Minnesota
Change affects 507 area code region.
Charges: Suspect said North Mankato man was 'going to have to die' before shooting him in head
Police say the victim's girlfriend was also threatened as part of money dispute.
Suspected homicide is year's first in North Mankato after man found dead in apartment
Police arrested a man at the scene.
Rapidan Dam Store to move to new location in downtown Mankato
The restaurant that was destroyed when the Blue Earth River flooded will move to the heart of Mankato, if the city signs off.
Fans from across the country gather for 'Little House' stars reunion on the prairie
Premiere of TV drama 50 years ago put small town of Walnut Grove on the map.
Hmong families find their 'Little House on the Prairie' in Walnut Grove, Minn.
The Vang family moved from St. Paul to Walnut Grove, which has seen an influx of Hmong residents since the early 2000s, in search of a better life.
'Bit of a rough stretch': Minnesota family that lost home to fire loses another house in flood
The southwest Minnesota family has seen one house burn down and two flood over the past seven months.
Damage leaves Minnesotans without flood insurance hoping for aid
Home and business owners are left reeling as they also await federal and state disaster dollars.
Corpse flower at Gustavus blooms 'like a burst in the sky' on July 4th
Other corpse flowers at the college have opened on Mother's Day, Father's Day and Halloween.
Sleepy Eye chemical plant accident leaves worker with burns over most of body
Minnesota regulators say company's response is satisfactory and no further action is required.
Bridge next to Rapidan Dam at risk of failure a week after major flooding
Blue Earth County attempted an emergency operation to stabilize the bridge last week.
House collapses into river near Rapidan Dam in southern Minn.
Blue Earth County authorities "monitoring for downstream impacts" after house falls into water.
The Rapidan Dam near Mankato will likely survive this flood. But what about the next?
Destructive flooding in 2019 and 2020 had previously left the 114-year-old hydroelectric plant inoperable and county officials grappling with the choice of spending at least $15 million to repair it — with little hope of making enough money from selling power — or shelling out $82 million to remove it.
Dam near Mankato in danger of 'imminent failure'
Flooding has washed out a portion of the Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River, as the water continues to rise.
Flooding fears rise in the state as residents scramble to control the tide
Flooding and no-wake warnings were issued across the state on Saturday after intense rain, especially in the south. Up north, families left stranded at Camp du Nord near Ely were able to leave.
Rainfall swamps southwestern Minnesota, closing highways and raising concerns
"This is by far the worst that I've seen," Windom resident said of the flooding.
I-90 reopens; other Minnesota roads close as waters keep rising
Hwy. 91 north of Adrian and Hwy. 75 south of Luverne remain closed; some metro area road also shut down. Parts of southern Minnesota faced more flood warnings into early Saturday.
Something fishy in the air as corpse flower blooms at Gustavus Adolphus College
The flower, which uses its rotten scent to attract flies, beetles and other insects, only opens for a few hours before the smell fades.
