Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
hometownsource.com · Robbinsdale, MN
Nearby: Robbinsdale, MNRobbinsdale City Council combed through a 10-year Axon contract, spoke with members of the police department and from Axon, listened to concerns from the public and indicated on Nov. 10 that they would approve the contract at the following business meeting.Earlier this year, following public outcry, the city of Robbinsdale removed its two stationary Flock cameras. These cameras had been taking photos of every license plate driving by the area.Flock is not the only kind of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) deployed by the city. Each squad car has had an ALPR for years. The ALPR records each license plate and notifies the officer if there is a hit for something from a national database called the National Crime Information Center.In addition to scanning vehicles while on patrol, some officers investigating certain crimes are able to use ALPR technology to search for a specific license plate.
Post-Bulletin · St Paul, MN
Nearby: St Paul, MNST. PAUL — Stewartville is no stranger to Cretin-Derham Hall. For three straight years, the schools have met in the Class 3A girls volleyball state tournament, the Tigers prevailing each time. In 2024, they faced off in the state quarterfinals and the Tigers won in four sets. They played again in the Class 3A third-place game last year. That time, Stewartville found victory in five sets. Wednesday’s match — this one in the state Class 3A quarterfinals — combined factors from both previous meetings with Stewartville winning a five-set marathon 25-16, 25-18, 20-25, 22-25, 15-12 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. The No. 5-seeded and No. 8-ranked Tigers advance to the state semifinals Friday for the third consecutive year. The Tigers are at state for the third straight season and the 27th time overall. Cretin-Derham Hall (25-8) was the No. 4 seed and ranked fifth in the state. “Crazy game,” Stewartville third-year head coach Sammy Pedersen said.
Hmong Times · St Paul, MN
Nearby: St Paul, MNBy Kim Yang The sights, sounds, and traditions of Hmong culture will once again fill downtown St. Paul as the Minnesota Hmong New Year celebration returns November 28-29, 2026, bringing together families, performers, community leaders, and visitors for one of the region’s most anticipated cultural celebrations. Hosted by the United Hmong Family, the annual event at the Saint Paul RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium is more than a holiday gathering. It is a celebration of cultural identity, family connections, and the traditions that have united generations of Hmong people. This year’s festivities promise an expanded lineup of cultural performances, traditional competitions, and special programming designed to showcase both established performers and emerging talent. For Mee Vang, President of the United Hmong Family, the upcoming celebration represents an exciting opportunity to strengthen the event’s cultural programming while welcoming participants from beyond Minnesota.
Grand Forks Herald · Shakopee, MN
Nearby: Shakopee, MNROCHESTER — When Mike Wanchic played at the Mystic Lake Amphitheater in Shakopee in July, he had come a long way since his last visit to Minnesota. Wanchic had been dealing with declining mobility when he visited Mayo Clinic about 80 miles away. Whether he would walk again let alone join his longtime collaborator and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp on stage for the 2026 tour were in question. Mayo Clinic shared the touching story of getting Wanchic back on his feet and onto the stage. Wanchic, who lives in Indiana, was initially treated for an inflammatory disorder involving his spinal cord. He was 10 months into declining motor function and was in a wheelchair by the time he visited Mayo Clinic. Brandy Welvaert describes how Mayo Clinic neurologist Samantha Banks picked up on “red flags” of Wanchic’s previous diagnosis and how his symptoms didn’t match what he was being treated for.
hometownsource.com · Oak Grove, MN
Nearby: Oak Grove, MNNormally, animal owners like to raise cats and dogs, or perhaps a guinea pig or hamster or two.Oak Grove’s Ma Lee shirks this, instead raising flocks of pigeons that can somersault in midair. In 2026, Lee won the National Birmingham Roller Club’s 20-bird event, earning his third national title.Lee has kept birds since he was little. He raised pigeons with his friends and stuck with it as a hobby. He moved to Oak Grove to give his birds more room and to enjoy the outdoors. He found the roughly 13-acre property near the Bethel border in 2012.For Lee, preparing Birmingham rollers for competition means getting the pigeons to perform as a group. He competes against breeders from across the U.S. and abroad.“These birds have the ability to do backwards somersaults,” Lee said. “And it’s bred within them. It’s in their genes.”Lee said his job is to pick out birds that can spin like a ball, the kind of roll competitors prize.
hometownsource.com · Monticello, MN
Nearby: Monticello, MNThis is Part 11 of a series marking 170 years since Monticello’s first school opened Sept. 15, 1856. Recent installments followed the school’s 1928 expansion and traced the early history of Monticello’s longtime Redmen name.Continuing from last week, the Class of 1943 matched the Class of 1938 with 36 graduates. That year also brought the first Monticello school yearbook since 1908.The opening pages introduced the publication:“The Pow Wow 1943 Vol.
Post-Bulletin · Red Wing, MN
Nearby: Red Wing, MNRed Wing Grain will replace its aging Mississippi River barge loadout with help from a $10.2 million federal port grant. The company’s general manager said the work keeps an export route open for the more than 1,200 Minnesota and Wisconsin farmers who sell grain there. The $10,161,985 award comes from the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program, with the money going to the city of Red Wing and Red Wing Grain LLC to rebuild the barge loading system, conveyors, electric winch and dust collection systems at the Port of Red Wing, according to U.S. Rep. Angie Craig's office. Jim Larson, general manager of Red Wing Grain, said the plant turns 71 this fall. Some of its parts are 40 to 70 years old. “We’ve done a lot of upgrades through the last 25 years,” Larson said.
