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WILLMAR -- Willmar voters in Ward 4 returned incumbent Jim Dokken to the City Council in Tuesday's general election. Dokken is completing 14 years on the council. Dokken defeated challenger Jay Lawton 864 to 578 in unofficial returns. Dokken carried all three precincts, with 236...

Willmar voters will be electing four members to its City Council. The candidates are: Dennis Anderson in Ward 1; Tim Johnson and Andrew Bjur in Ward 2, Steve Ahmann in Ward 3 and Jim Dokken and Jay Lawton in Ward 4. Ward 1: Anderson is running unopposed for re-election to this Ward...

A polarizing debate is raging about unions. Currently confined to public-sector unions, the debate will no doubt extend to the private sector as well. Initially unions were formed to address safety and fair wage issues. Once these were largely resolved, unions bargained for benefits....

Andrew Falk, DFL, Murdock, survived a hard-fought campaign by Republican challenger Jay Backer, Graceville, to return for a second term in the state legislature. Late results showed Falk the winner by a 7,418 to 6,818 total, according to unofficial totals Wednesday morning. The...

Update 4:00 a.m. Incumbent Andrew Falk won a 4-point victory over challenger Jay Backer in House 20A with 100 percent of precincts reporting. With 118 of 118 precincts reporting as of 4:00 a.m., Falk, D-Murdock, had 7,418 votes and Backer, R-Graceville, had 6,818 votes. Update...

The House 20A race is between Democrat incumbent Andrew Falk and Republican challenger challenger Jay Backer. Backer has moved to Graceville and previously served on the Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley School Board. He operates an Internet-based business partnership selling recreational...

There is a lot of talk this election year about jobs. Everyone says we need more jobs here in west central Minnesota. As a retired resident of Appleton Township, having lived here since 1943, I agree. In 1995, I began work at Prairie Correctional Facility in the automotive maintenance...

It is time to take a check on the direction politics is taking in our area. In 2010 some 15 money bills came before our House of Representatives. The District 20A representative, Andrew Falk, voted taxpayer-friendly 7 percent of the time, according to the 2010 legislative scorecard...

We were amused by the attack letter from four well-known Republicans against our hard-working Rep. Andrew Falk in District 20A. Their major complaint? That his campaign website was down. How horrible! (It was down to update information.) They also falsely accused him of what Republican...

If you've been to a local parade or visited one of the early county fairs you can't help but notice elected officials and candidates seeking office. Although the process is frustrating at times it is essential to the liberties and freedoms we treasure here in West Central Minnesota...

WILLMAR -- Kandiyohi County's income maintenance unit is now requiring clients to make appointments to see case managers. The change went into effect this week. The intent is to improve the efficiency of the office and the quality of service provided to clients, said Family Service...

WILLMAR -- Potential legislation that would saddle counties with the long-term costs of civilly committed sex offenders could cost local taxpayers millions of dollars. "We've got to scream and we've got to scream loud," said Kandiyohi County Family Services Director Jay Kieft. During...