Waseca
Politics
New Summer Hours for Rice County Government Services and Highway Dept.
The Rice County Government Services Building and Highway Department will switch to a new summer schedule from May 20 to September 27, as approved by the Board of Commissioners last month. Both facilities will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to noon on Fridays. Other county facilities will keep their regular hours. Full-time employees at these buildings will continue to work their standard 40-hour weeks. The offices will close on state holidays including Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Labor Day. For more details, contact Sara Folsted, the County Administrator, or Suzy Rook, the Communications Coordinator.'Visit here for more details.
Citizens concerned about gravel mine's lack of impact studies
The rarest flower in Minnesota, the Minnesota dwarf trout lily, is classified as endangered at the federal and state level. A St. Olaf College environmental studies professor said it could soon be endangered locally due to a proposed mine on…
Join the Green Movement: Minnesota GreenCorps Seeks Rice County Participants for Environmental Program
Rice County, Minnesota, will host a new member of the Minnesota GreenCorps this fall. The program focuses on environmental conservation throughout the state. GreenCorps members participate in activities like energy conservation, waste management, and community outreach to support local sustainability efforts.
County to allow comment, get environmental review of gravel mine
Rice County residents will be able to express their opinions and concerns regarding a controversial proposed gravel mine after the Board of Commissioners voted to extend the permit process another 60 days, allow public comment and further review possible environmental impacts of the mine. Commissioners said their inboxes were flooded with voicemails and emails regarding the proposed mining operation. The public will be permitted to voice their concerns to the Board of Commissioners at 9 a.m. June 11 in the Board of Commissioners room. ...
Owatonna's North Cedar Avenue to get much desired makeover
One of Owatonna's most infamous roads is ready for a facelift. During the Tuesday night meeting of the Owatonna City Council, councilors happily awarded a contract to the Crank Creek Asphalt Division of Mathy Construction, of Faribault, to do a mill and overlay of N. Cedar Avenue, a street littered with potholes and often brought up in conversation about the worst roads in the community. "This is a good project...
Citizens concerned about gravel mine's lack of impact studies
The rarest flower in Minnesota, the Minnesota dwarf trout lily, is classified as endangered at the federal and state level. A St. Olaf College environmental studies professor said it could soon be endangered locally due to a proposed mine on a site where the lily is present. The professor, Kiara Jorgenson, is among a few hundred citizens who form the “Nerstrand MN Conservation Society” working to stop a proposed gravel mine and asphalt plant in northeastern Rice County from moving forward. ...
Join the Field of Heroes Flag Display in Owatonna Memorial Day Weekend
Between barbecues and backyard parties, it's easy to lose sight of the true meaning behind the Memorial Day holiday. Memorial Day honors those who have lost their lives serving in the U.S. Military. The Moonlighters Exchange Club, Exchange Club of Steele County, and Exchange Club of Owatonna are honoring local...
Laundromat, coffee shop planned, but face city zoning hurdles
A laundromat and a coffee shop are proposed in vacant buildings on Second Avenue NW. But both proposals would require city zoning changes, code variances or both. The owners of Mighty Fine! Coffee Company want to move their coffee roasting business and add a coffee shop with a drive-thru at the southeast corner of Second and 14th Street NW. A local perhaps best known for his golf swing wants to...
East Side Corridor documents accepted by federal agency
Construction may still be years down the road — a road that has yet to be formally identified — but local government has reached an important milestone on the journey toward installing an east side corridor. On Monday, Steele County and the city of Owatonna announced in a joint statement the East Side Corridor project — a county-led project that would construct a north-south route on the east side of the city from near the Highway 218/18th Street SE intersection to County State Aid Highway...
Mark Your Calendars: Candidate Filing for November Elections Opens May 21 in Rice County
The filing period for county, state, and federal offices begins on May 21, signaling the start of the electoral race for November's general election. This period starts at 8 a.m. on May 21 and ends at 5 p.m. on June 4. For presidential elector candidates from non-major political parties and independents, the filing deadline extends to August 20, with a certification deadline for major party candidates on August 27.
Faribault School Board considers more restrictive policy on cellphones in class
With the Minnesota Legislature potentially about to approve legislation that would require every school district to adopt a comprehensive policy on cellphone use, the Faribault School Board is taking steps to get ahead of the curve. Co-sponsored in standalone form by local Rep. Brian Daniels, R-Faribault, legislation requiring all districts to adopt a cellphone use policy by March 15, 2025 has been rolled into the education policy omnibus bill which passed the House a month ago. ...
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.