>>Walz Highlights School Meals Program on First Day of School
(Northfield, MN) – Governor Tim Walz marked the start of the school year by promoting Minnesota’s free school meals program and its impact on students. During a visit to a Northfield elementary school, Walz announced the state has served 450 million school meals in the past three years. The governor said nutritious breakfasts and lunches help students succeed in the classroom, while also saving families about one-thousand dollars per child each year. Walz added that improved attendance and record graduation rates show the program is making a difference.
>>KLFD Radio Owner Killed in Stearns County Motorcycle Crash
(Cold Spring, MN) — A longtime central Minnesota radio station owner and morning announcer is dead following a motorcycle crash near Cold Spring. The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says 64-year-old Stephen Gretsch of Albany was riding Friday morning when his motorcycle left the road on a curve and rolled into a ditch. Gretsch, who was not wearing a helmet, died at the scene. Gretsch had owned KLFD Radio in Litchfield since 2005 and hosted the station’s morning show. He was riding with two other motorcyclists as part of an ABATE event when the crash occurred. Funeral services are Saturday at 11 a.m. at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany.
>>Kamala Harris Has Yet to Enter Minnesota Midterm Races
(Undated) — Former Vice President Kamala Harris is getting involved in several high-profile races around the country, but Minnesota isn’t among them so far. Harris has endorsed Democrats in roughly a dozen races. e. She has not announced endorsements for DFL U.S. Senate nominee Peggy Flanagan or gubernatorial nominee Amy Klobuchar. Harris carried Minnesota over Donald Trump by nearly 138-thousand votes in 2024. Republicans haven’t won a presidential race in Minnesota since Richard Nixon in 1972.
>>Woman Dies in Workplace Accident at Perham Manufacturing Plant
(Perham, MN) — Authorities are investigating a deadly workplace accident at a manufacturing plant in northwest Minnesota. Perham police and ambulance crews responded to Swan Machine around 5 a.m. Friday, where a 47-year-old woman died following what police describe as a work-related incident. Authorities have not released details about how the accident happened or identified the woman, pending notification of her family. No other information about the incident has been released.
>>Avon Man Sentenced to Six Years for Crash That Killed Unborn Baby
(St. Cloud, MN) — An Avon man has been sentenced to six years in prison for a drunken-driving crash that critically injured a St. Cloud woman and killed her unborn baby. Thirty-three-year-old Christopher Otte pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal vehicular operation. According to the charges, Otte was speeding when he ran a stop sign in St. Cloud and crashed into a minivan driven by 34-year-old Nastaho Amare. She suffered multiple serious injuries, and her unborn baby died. Authorities say Otte’s preliminary breath test showed a blood-alcohol level of point-two-zero.
>>Minnesota Ranked Among Nation’s Happiest States
(Undated) — Minnesota is once again among the happiest states in the country. A new WalletHub study ranks Minnesota eighth nationwide, based on 30 measures of happiness. Those include physical and emotional well-being, work environment and community factors. Nebraska was the only Midwestern state to finish higher, ranking sixth. North Dakota came in 12th, Iowa 20th, South Dakota 24th and Wisconsin 27th. Hawaii topped this year’s list.
