Due to recent heavy snow, a downtown snow emergency begins at 10 p.m. tonight (Monday, January 25) and expires at 8 a.m., Tuesday (January 26). View downtown snow emergency corridor which includes: Madison Avenue to Plum Street; 100 block of east and west sides of Riverfront Drive from Madison Avenue to Plum Street; Main to Liberty streets from South Riverfront Drive to South Broad Street (does not include South Broad Street), and South Front Street from East Liberty to Marshall streets; and 100 block of east and west Liberty street The main purpose of a downtown corridor snow emergency is to haul snow out of the [...]

As part of its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Minnesota awarded a total of $20,000 in grants to several nonprofit organizations in the region. Funding for these grants comes from Mayo Clinic's EverybodyIN Fund for Change. Last summer, Mayo Clinic staff contributed nearly $89,000 to the fund with the goal of supporting efforts to advance racial equity and inclusion. Mayo Clinic's match brought the fund's total to $200,000. More than 100 organizations located in communities that Mayo Clinic serves applied for the grant funding.  “There are numerous worthy organizations in our area communities dedicated [...]

Minnesota's coronavirus numbers continue to fall.   According to the Minnesota Department of Health and the New York Times COVID tracking project, new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are all down over the last two weeks. New cases are doing especially well, down nearly 50-percent. The department of health reported about 12-hundred new cases and 32 new deaths Sunday.

Today Governor Tim Walz will hold a press conference with students and leaders in education to announce an education plan to address the immediate impact of the pandemic while building a world-class education system that prepares every student for success. Those at the press conference will be Governor Tim Walz; Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan; Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) Deputy Commissioner Heather Mueller; Education Minnesota President Denise Specht; Justice Alan Page; Minnesota students. It begins at 2:00 this afternoon, we will carry it live right here on KTOE.

Until 8 this morning, Mankato is in a snow emergency. (Monday, January 25). During a snow emergency, there is no parking on streets so snow can be removed quickly and efficiently.

A Le Center man is facing murder and arson charges. On Sunday, January 24, 2021, at approximately 7:15 am the Le Sueur County  Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a structure fire at the address 37722 Hunting  Preserve Lane Le Center, MN. The investigation into the incident revealed the deceased body of an adult male believed to be Bruce Alan Traxler age 64, the resident of the address. Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of Hardy Robert Wills-Traxler age 25, of Le Center. Hardy  Robert Wills-Traxler was booked into the Le Sueur County Jail on charges of Second  Degree Murder [...]

Minnesota's coronavirus cases continue to hover in the low thousands. On Thursday, the state department of health reported nearly 13-hundred new coronavirus cases and 32 new deaths. New cases, deaths, and hospitalizations are all down at least 25-percent over the last 14 days.

This week Mankato elementary students had a successful return to the hybrid learning model. Families are encouraged to continue to report their child’s illness to Health Services. Staff are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Staff can help identify COVID-like symptoms and explain the isolation and quarantine process. Tentatively the district is planning for middle and high school students to return to the hybrid learning model on February 4th. The transition days for this would be February 1st and 2nd, which would be no school days for secondary students. Again, this is tentative, as we will be [...]

Governor Tim Walz is setting loftier goals for Minnesota when it comes to clean energy. Walz released a list of climate change proposals Thursday, which includes a proposal for Minnesota to have completely carbon-free energy by 2040.   Minnesota lawmakers will consider several bills connected to Walz' proposals during the 2021 legislative session.

Much of central and southern Minnesota will see snow this weekend. The National Weather Service says areas from Brainerd to the south could see anywhere from one to six inches of snow Saturday through Sunday morning. A small area between Mankato and Redwood Falls could see up to seven inches of snow.